A process in which cleaned and fluxed steel is immersed in molten zinc at about 450 C, forming metallurgically bonded zinc-iron alloy layers topped by pure zinc. The coating, typically 85 microns or more on structural sections, shields the steel and corrodes sacrificially at scratches and cut edges, giving decades of life in most atmospheres. Painting over galvanizing, a duplex system, needs sweep blasting or special primers to stick.
All the handrail and grating comes hot-dip galvanized, touch up any cut ends with zinc-rich.
Also heard as
- galv
- HDG
- galvanized
- hot-dip galv
Related terms
Zinc-rich primer
Primer loaded with zinc dust that protects steel galvanically as well as acting as a barrier.
Galvanic corrosion
Accelerated corrosion of the more active metal when two dissimilar metals touch in a shared electrolyte.
Sacrificial anode
Block of a more active metal such as magnesium, zinc or aluminum that corrodes to protect connected steel.