7 Common Uses of Galvanized Steel - South Atlantic

Hot-dipped galvanized steel is one of the most versatile materials out there. It’s strong, durable, and can handle minor bumps and scratches without compromising the integrity of its protective zinc coating. To showcase this, we’ve compiled a list of seven common uses of galvanized steel. While you may be familiar with some of these applications, others may surprise you.

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Common Uses of Galvanized Steel

1. Framing Buildings

Galvanized steel materials make up powerful support structures for buildings, especially when they are surrounded by concrete. From apartment and office buildings to stadiums or museums, galvanized steel guarantees a building’s frame and interior structure will remain strong and corrosion-free for decades. Its unique zinc coating means it can withstand minor scratches and damage without losing its rust resistance. This is because of zinc’s self-healing properties, which we’ll cover more in the next section.

2. Reinforcing Roads

Hot-dipped galvanized steel outshines every other material when it comes to strengthening and reinforcing roads and bridges. This is why reinforcing roads is one of the most common uses of galvanized steel While the materials around it crack or wear down over time, the galvanized steel frame remains in like-new condition. There have even been projects where, once the road or bridge was cut, the hot-dipped galvanized steel frame was found stronger than it was when installed. This is because of the zinc coating’s self-healing properties, which build up a protective coating when damage to the structure may cause water to seep through the surface.

3. Crossing Areas with Harsh or Unique Conditions

Building bridges in areas with harsh conditions is one of the most famous uses of hot-dipped galvanized steel. Why is this one of the common uses of galvanized steel? The steel is chosen for two reasons: It promises superior corrosion resistance without compromising aesthetics. Its ability to handle wet, salty environments has made it the first choice of builders and project managers in northern and southern areas alike. Whether it is being used to strengthen highway overpasses in New York or down in the tropics to create a bridge that can withstand ocean waves and hurricanes, hot-dipped galvanized steel outperforms expectations every time. 

Galvanized steel even transformed a small US town into an up-and-coming center of commerce after the town became home to a bridge that defied logic. You can read more about that bridge in our blog post here.

4. Supporting Industrial Processes

Galvanized steel is common in industrial processes. While this use may not garner as much media coverage, it plays an important role in supporting American production. The reason this is one of the common uses of galvanized steel is that the strength and resilience of galvanized steel allow it to be formed into complex shapes for machinery, while its corrosion resistance guarantees it will continue functioning without fail. Galvanized steel plays an essential role in forming equipment and supporting structures for the chemical, oil, energy, pulp and paper industries across the country.

5. Protecting Monuments and Memorials

Galvanized steel is a great choice for outdoor monuments and memorials. Because materials of many shapes and sizes can be hot-dip galvanized, stunning sculptures or structures can be built from the resulting galvanized steel. The zinc coating boasts a bright, silver appearance, while its corrosion resistance guarantees it will maintain its beauty for years to come.

6. Building Durable and Sustainable Outdoor Structures

From handrails and canopies to solar panels, one of the common uses of galvanized steel is for outdoor structures that serve a daily purpose. Its corrosion resistance and durability mean that the original equipment does not require constant repairs or replacements. This reduces waste and the amount of energy necessary to maintain each piece of equipment. It also means that your equipment and the site where it was installed remain rust-free for years.

7. Creating Cost-Effective Options for Agriculture

Galvanized steel has multiple uses in agriculture, from storage silos to animal pens. Its corrosion resistance means it can handle moisture and harsh conditions common on farms without losing its strength or appearance. Plus, galvanized steel’s durability reduces the need for ongoing maintenance and replacements, making it a cost-effective option for farmers looking to invest in durable structures.

Galvanized Steel for Every Industry, Delivered Directly to You

At South Atlantic, we take pride in serving many industries across the country by providing quality galvanized materials and hot-dip galvanizing services. We’re well-versed in the common uses of galvanized steel and how it can help you on your next project.

Whether you are working on a project within one of the industries we reviewed above or have a different build that calls for the durability of galvanized steel, we’ve got you covered.

You can learn more about our galvanized materials and hot-dip galvanizing services on our website, and contact us using this link: southatlanticllc.com/contact.

Process of coating steel or iron with zinc to prevent rusting

"Galvanize" and "Galvanized" redirect here. For other uses, see Galvanize (disambiguation)

Not to be confused with Galvanism or Electrogalvanization

Galvanization or galvanizing (also spelled galvanisation or galvanising)[1] is the process of applying a protective zinc coating to steel or iron, to prevent rusting. The most common method is hot-dip galvanizing, in which the parts are coated by submerging them in a bath of hot, molten zinc.[2]

Protective action

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The zinc coating, when intact, prevents corrosive substances from reaching the underlying iron.[3] Additional electroplating such as a chromate conversion coating may be applied to provide further surface passivation to the substrate material.[4]

History and etymology

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The process is named after the Italian physician, physicist, biologist and philosopher Luigi Galvani (9 September 1737 – 4 December 1798). The earliest known example of galvanized iron was discovered on 17th-century Indian armour in the Royal Armouries Museum collection in the United Kingdom.[5]

The term "galvanized" can also be used metaphorically of any stimulus which results in activity by a person or group of people.[6]

In modern usage, the term "galvanizing" has largely come to be associated with zinc coatings, to the exclusion of other metals. Galvanic paint, a precursor to hot-dip galvanizing, was patented by Stanislas Sorel, of Paris, on June 10, 1837, as an adoption of a term from a highly fashionable field of contemporary science, despite having no evident relation to it.[7]

Methods

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Additional reading:
The Pros and Cons of Hot Rolled Steel

Want more information on cold rolled galvanized steel coil suppliers? Feel free to contact us.

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Hot-dip galvanizing deposits a thick, robust layer of zinc iron alloys on the surface of a steel item. In the case of automobile bodies, where additional decorative coatings of paint will be applied, a thinner form of galvanizing is applied by electrogalvanizing. The hot-dip process generally does not reduce strength to a measurable degree, with the exception of high-strength steels where hydrogen embrittlement can become a problem.[8]

Thermal diffusion galvanizing, or Sherardizing, provides a zinc diffusion coating on iron- or copper-based materials.[9][10]

Eventual corrosion

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Galvanized steel can last for many decades if other supplementary measures are maintained, such as paint coatings and additional sacrificial anodes. Corrosion in non-salty environments is caused mainly by levels of sulfur dioxide in the air.[11]

Galvanized construction steel

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This is the most common use for galvanized metal, and hundreds of thousands of tons of steel products are galvanized annually worldwide. In developed countries most larger cities have several galvanizing factories, and many items of steel manufacture are galvanized for protection. Typically these include: street furniture, building frameworks, balconies, verandahs, staircases, ladders, walkways, and more. Hot dip galvanized steel is also used for making steel frames as a basic construction material for steel frame buildings.[12]

Galvanized piping

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In the early 20th century, galvanized piping swiftly took the place of previously-used cast iron and lead in cold-water plumbing. PRACTICALLY, galvanized piping rusts from the inside out, building up layers of plaque on the inside of the piping, causing both water pressure problems and eventual pipe failure. These plaques can flake off, leading to visible impurities in water and a slight metallic taste. The life expectancy of galvanized piping is about 40–50 years,[13] but it may vary on how well the pipes were built and installed. Pipe longevity also depends on the thickness of zinc in the original galvanizing, which ranges on a scale from G01 to G360.[14]

See also

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References

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• I.Yu. Pchelintseva; A.N. Pchelintsev; Yu.V. Litovka (2021). "Modeling of metal distribution when coating flat metal plates in electroplating baths". International Journal of Numerical Modelling: Electronic Networks, Devices and Fields. 34 (2): e2830. doi:10.1002/jnm.2830.

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