For all your burning questions about hot dip galvanizing, shot blasting, powder coating and duplex coatings, click on the topics below. We’ve provided some definitions and FAQs.
Applying a hot dip galvanizing process to steelwork provides fabrications with a robust, durable and corrosion protective finish that under normal conditions will last for many years without maintenance of any sort. The process itself has a number of stages that are required to achieve the final finish. These are all by immersion and they are summarised as follows (rinse stages omitted):
Degreasing – This may be carried out using either acid or alkaline based proprietary products and they may be heated or used at ambient temperatures. The target is to produce a surface, which is not contaminated with oil, or grease based products.
Pickling – This is carried out in dilute hydrochloric acid which dissolves rust and scale and produces a ‘chemically clean’ surface which will react with the molten zinc.
Fluxing – A mixture of zinc chloride and ammonium chloride in solution is the standard fluxing agent of choice. This is normally used at between 50°C and 70°C, which helps the steelwork to dry after it is withdrawn. Drying is important as it helps prevent zinc splash and a separate drying stage is sometimes employed.
Zinc Immersion – This ‘final’ stage utilises a special bath holding molten zinc at 450°C. The clean steel is immersed in the zinc and while it is submerged it alloys with the iron in the steel to form zinc/iron alloy layers. These layers form the basis of the coating, which is then overlain with free zinc, as it is withdrawn from the galvanizing bath. The end result is a coating that not only has great abrasion resistance but one that according to the most recent exposure tests* lasts between 34 and 170 years before the base steel is exposed. With S02 levels in the atmosphere reported as continuing to decline this should further increase the life of galvanized coatings in the years to come.
Small items such as nuts, bolts, chains and screws need to be as rust resistant as the steel structures they support, however they are too small to hot dip galvanize in a hot dip galvanizing bath. With spin galvanizing small items can be placed in a perforated basket and immersed into molten zinc. Once the zinc/alloy layers form, the basket is centrifuged at high speed so that the spinning action removes the excess zinc and creates a clean profile.
Powder coating is a type of paint that is mainly applied to metals to provide a harder finish than a normal paint. The paint is applied as a powder electrostatically from a spray gun and is cured in an oven under a high heat to form a tough, durable skin. Powder coating paints come in many colours and can be used to create different finishes such as textured or metallic. If you would like a copy of the RAL colour chart that we use to determine powder coating colours, please get in touch. You can also view our paint swatch page.
Before metal is hot dip galvanized it needs to be cleaned to give it a smooth surface. One of the most effective ways to create this surface is to shot blast it. Shot blasting fires a high pressure spray of abrasive steel materials onto a rough surface to create the smooth surface.
Fabrications should ideally be symmetrical, suitable for single-dipping and incorporate sections of as near equal thickness as possible at the joints, perfectly fitted components to avoid the use of force or restraint during joining, continuously welded joints using balanced welding techniques to reduce uneven thermal stresses and the largest possible radii on all curved members.
To achieve the best quality zinc coating, it is important to ensure that the molten zinc can flow freely over all surfaces, externally and internally. So, where there are sealed hollow sections or cavities, vent and drain holes are essential. A copy of the Galvanizers Association ‘Engineers and Architects Guide to Hot Dip Galvanizing’ may be downloaded here. Please also download ‘Venting Tips for Hot Dip Galvanizing’.
To ensure a good hot dip galvanizing finish, a design should ideally incorporate easily-handled components or fabrications which can be single dipped or subsequently assembled by bolting with galvanized fastenings or welding. Weld areas must then be protected with zinc rich paint, by zinc spraying or with low melting-point alloy repair rods. Double dipping is a possible alternative. Seek advice before proceeding.
Suspension holes or lifting lugs may be needed if there are no suitable points for locating hooks or wires. Once again, lifting points should be positioned to maximise venting and drainage.
Hot dip galvanizing is a full immersion process and to facilitate this, all hollow section material requires a free flow of zinc through the whole structure and a means for air to escape. Without the necessary holes, it is not possible to galvanize hollow sections successfully. Additionally, a mitred corner, gusset plate or recess that could pool liquid or trap air, will also require drilling for the same reasons. If pre-treatment chemicals are trapped inside a fabrication, there is a significant risk of explosion when the item is immersed in molten zinc.
For guidance on drilling requirements, please refer to our Design for Galvanizing fact sheet and booklet or call one of our offices for advice.
The bulk of the galvanized coating consists of alloy layers that are dull grey in colour. When work is withdrawn from the galvanizing bath, a layer of pure zinc usually cools on the surface to give the shiny silver appearance. However, variations in the surface chemistry of the steel have a major influence on its reactivity. With more reactive steels, the surface zinc layer continues to react after withdrawal and converts the zinc to alloy, thus giving a duller appearance. This can occur in isolated areas or across the whole surface. The variations in surface colour are not detrimental to the corrosion protection offered by the coating.
This depends on the corrosion rate of the environment that the work is in and the thickness of the galvanized coating. Since atmospheric corrosion rates in the UK have fallen significantly over the last few decades, the general level of protection offered by a galvanized coating has in many cases, more than doubled. With typical corrosion rates averaging 1-2 microns per year, a coating life in excess of 30 years would not be uncommon.
The standard for hot dip galvanized coatings is BS EN ISO 1461. Which all our galvanizing conforms to.
BS EN ISO 14713-2:2020 gives additional guidance for protecting against corrosion of iron and steel in structures.
This depends on the material thickness and the type of material used. The following is a summary of mean coating thickness for the most common materials:
Steel ≥ 6mm thick – 85µm
Steel ≥ 3mm to < 6mm – 70µm
Steel ≥ 1.5mm to < 3mm – 55µm
EN ISO 1461:2022 gives the full details for both conventionally dipped and centrifuged work respectively.
In order to achieve a thicker coating, the steel would usually require blasting to SA2.5 with a G24 chilled iron grit. For regular products or larger contracts, it may be possible to specify controlled silicon steels that are more reactive and give a controlled level of reactivity above standard. Please contact us at one of our offices for further information.
Hot dip galvanized coatings have excellent abrasion resistance. In fact, the outer zinc layer is soft enough to absorb impact and abrasion while the alloy layers that are metallurgically bonded to the steel, are harder than the steel substrate. Minor abrasion will have little impact on the life of the coating.
The most common method for repairing galvanized coatings is to use a suitable zinc rich paint. This needs to be applied in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and to a thickness equal to or 30µm more than the surrounding coating depending on whether or not the item is to be over coated. An alternative method is to have the area zinc thermal sprayed to the required thickness.