5 Reasons why you must galvanize steel

Hot-dip galvanized steel is used extensively in our built environment and is found everywhere. Clean steel is submerged in molten zinc during the hot dip galvanizing process to obtain a coating that is metallurgically adhered to it. The technique offers long-term corrosion protection in addition to a host of other advantages that might occasionally be ignored, forgotten about, or misunderstood.

1. Galvanizing is Sturdy

One of the longest-lasting types of corrosion protection available is a galvanized coating.

A steel structure can be protected for well over a century with an average coating thickness of 85 microns, or about the same thickness as an A4 sheet of paper.

Hot dip galvanizing has the intrinsic advantage of producing a minimum mean coating of 85 microns on clean steel that is thicker than 6 mm when immersed in molten zinc. In many applications in the UK and Ireland today, this coating thickness will provide the anti-corrosion performance needed.

Galvanized coatings can weather at a rate of less than one micron per year in inland regions of the UK and Ireland, giving them incredibly long lifespans. An 85-micron coating can still last for at least 30 years even in coastal conditions.

2. Sustainable Galvanizing

Galvanizing offers long-term durability at a relatively low environmental cost in terms of energy and other globally significant impacts.

Numerous studies have shown the significant environmental and financial implications related to the ongoing maintenance painting of steel structures. An initial investment in long-term protection can greatly decrease these burdens. Failure to pay attention to the best corrosion protection might have a negative economic impact by requiring ongoing maintenance.

Future maintenance expenses for social housing projects will be covered by the local government. Galvanized steel is used in public infrastructure projects because it reduces maintenance costs, freeing up public funding for other uses.

3. Galvanizing is affordable

The initial cost of protection as well as the lifetime cost must be included when determining the true cost of shielding steelwork from corrosion.

Many times, hot dip galvanizing is thought to be more expensive than it actually is. This is due to two factors: First off, it's often believed that a coating with such excellent performance costs a lot of money. Second, in recent years, there has been a major shift in the initial cost of galvanizing in comparison to paint. While galvanizing costs have been steady, painting expenses have been rising gradually.

The Steel Protection Consultancy Ltd (SPC), independent consultants, were hired by the Galvanizers Association to look at galvanizing costs and its cost-competitiveness. A conventional, 240-ton steel-framed building was created by SPC and consulting engineers WS Atkins and put out to bid.

Two corrosion prevention techniques were specified: hot dip galvanizing and a high-quality, three-coat paint system with a dry film thickness of 250 m. We gathered and averaged quotes from eight fabricators in various regions of the UK. It was discovered that the painting technique cost 35% more than hot dip galvanizing.

4. Reliability of galvanizing

The process of galvanizing is quite simple and well regulated. The coating that is created is uniform, predictable, and easily defined.

A single standard, EN ISO 1461, governs hot dip galvanizing.Steel is best protected against corrosion by galvanizing for a variety of reasons. Galvanizing is a repeatable procedure because it is a natural metallurgical reaction that results from adding clean steel to molten zinc at a specific temperature.

The metallurgical link created by galvanizing, unlike a paint covering, is a bond that is more than just chemical or mechanical since it becomes a part of the steel itself.

Galvanizing happens immediately and doesn't require a manual application, cooling, or the reapplying of additional layers because it is a natural reaction. It is possible to rely on the resulting galvanized coating to safeguard steel from the start and for many generations.

5. Galvanizing Provides Full Coverage

The process of "hot dip galvanizing" forges a long-lasting link between the metals zinc and steel. Galvanized steel constructions are protected even in their most vulnerable regions thanks to greater coverage that goes hand in hand with superior strength.

The advantages of hot dip galvanizing over other organic coatings are numerous. The method's ability to completely cover a component on all sides, inside and out, is a key element.

Clean iron or steel parts are placed into molten zinc after a preliminary cleaning cycle, which typically occurs at a temperature of roughly 450°C. Because of the quick reaction time, immersion usually only lasts a few minutes. Heavy items with a lot of heat inertia could take longer.