Two terms that are popular in the metal industry are zinc plating and galvanising. Both involve the process of coating zinc on metals, yet the end products are different. It is important to understand the differences between the two processes to choose the right product for your construction projects.
Zinc plated vs Galvanized
What does galvanised mean?
Galvanisation is the process of applying a protective coating of zinc to steel or iron to prevent it from rusting. The most common method of galvanisation is hot-dip galvanising in which the metal is dipped in a bath of molten zinc at a temperature of around 460 degrees celsius. Galvanised steel is widely used in construction because it can offer the high strength and durability properties of steel plus the long-lasting protection of zinc coating.
Read more about galvanising and the steps involved here.
What does zinc plated mean?
Zinc plating or Electro-galvanising is the process of coating zinc on a metal using a current of electricity. It provides some rust protection, but it is not as resistant to corrosion as the hot-dip galvanised metal.
When should you use galvanized steel or zinc plated steel?
As you are aware by now, both galvanised steel and zinc-plated steel have a coating of zinc on it. When you see galvanised, that doesn’t always mean it is hot-dip galvanised, it may be electro-galvanised. So it is important to check prior to buying your galvanised steel products what kind of galvanisation method has been used and which one is best for your individual requirements.
Hot-dip galvanised products have a thicker zinc coating which means they offer better rust-protection than zinc-plated steel when used outdoors or in a wet climate.
If you only need a superficial protection indoors in a dry climate, it is a good idea to go for zinc-plated steel.
If you are looking for more aesthetic value, zinc-plated steel may be a better choice as it looks shinier whereas the hot-dip galvanized steel has more of a dull look.
Zinc-plated steel uses
Zinc plated steel is typically used in interior or mildly corrosive conditions. Some examples include screws, other fasteners, light switch plates, springs, crank handles, etc.
Galvanised steel uses
Hot-dip galvanised steel is perfect for outdoor environments where corrosion resistance is more important. Examples include fences, outdoor walkways, roofs, wind and solar industry, construction, agriculture, automotive industry, etc.
If you would like to buy high-quality hot-dip galvanised or zinc-plated steel, contact us today. Still not sure which one is better for your needs? Give us a call and our friendly customer service team will be happy to assist you with your steel needs.