Galvanized Steel
*Although we do not offer supply only sheets of galvanized steel, we are happy to custom fabricate based upon your project’s needs. We selectively partner with vendors offering the highest quality materials available in many sizes and thicknesses. Please call for details.
Galvanized steel has a lot more to offer than an industrial appearance. We can darken the coating, and we can create unique iridescence in the surface of galvanized steel, all applied post-fabrication to give you the benefits of galvanized steel with an architectural finish.
There are two predominant types of galvanized steel: hot-dipped galvanized and electroplate galvanized. The hot-dipped process takes a steel surface and dips it in molten pure zinc. Zinc plating or electroplating takes a steel surface and applies a thin coating of zinc using an electric current. Electroplating is a thinner less resilient surface and is not recommended for exterior use or heavily trafficked interior use.
Hot-Dipped Galvanized Steel
Hot-dipped galvanizing uses an immersion technique whereby the steel is dipped in a bath of molten zinc. The duration of immersion in the bath determines the thickness obtained. A metallurgical bond is formed between the zinc surface and the steel.
This bond provides the major difference between electroplating and hot-dipped zinc. Hot-dipping creates an intermediate alloy layer between the highly pure zinc and the steel. This intermediate layer provides a significant amount of the corrosion protection to the steel base material. The outer, pure zinc layer acts as a barrier to protect the steel and gives the metal its characteristic color and spangle appearance. The inner layer provides a transition zone that resists attack on the base steel by sacrificial action.