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» How To Tell If Steel Has Been Galvanized

How To Tell If Steel Has Been Galvanized

October 20, 2011
Authored by Bernardo A. Duran III

How can I tell if a piece of steel has been galvanized?

This question was actually received by one of the AGA sta and is a bit
out of the ordinary. The question came from an Original Equipment
Manufacturer(OEM) of trailers wanting to promote their trailers as using
hot-dip galvanized steel in the construction. As it goes, the trailer
manufacturer purchases some of the trailer parts from another
company. The other company would not tell the trailer Original
Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) if the parts were galvanized or not. (Call
me suspicious at this point.) The caller indicated she was frustrated with
not knowing and thought she could place a magnet on the
manufactured part to determine if it was galvanized.

Strictly speaking, zinc is non-magnetic and of course, we use this

principle when we measure zinc coating thickness. The tip of the pencil,
banana, and electronic measuring device is magnetic and it is attracted
to the substrate steel, which of course contains iron which is magnetic.
Each gauge is calibrated to measure the space between the magnetic
point of the gauge and the steel. However, the fact zinc is non-magnetic
doesnt really help the caller out. Zinc can be applied in the form of dust
(zinc-rich paint), hot-spray (metalizing), or powder (mechanical
peening). Using a magnet or gauge will only determine if there is a zinc
coating on top of the steel. And as a matter of fact, the gray coating she
sees may be just paint. A film of paint would have a thickness to it.

The only real way to determine if the coating is hot-dip galvanized

would be to run laboratory testing. One test would be election © Sean Brecht
paramagnetic resonance (EPR), or electron paramagnetic resonance.
EPR shows the molecular content of material on an oscilloscope and
galvanizing would show up as having high zinc content on the outer
surface and zinc and iron content on the inner layers. Mechanical peening and metalizing would show no iron in the coating
and zinc-rich paint would contain some binding material. Another method would be to take a cross-section of the coated
steel and take a photomicrograph. Galvanizing would show the three intermetallic layers, metalizing and mechanical
peening would indicate only pure zinc, and the zinc-rich paint would highlight the bonding material.

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Because the three methods of zinc application are inferior to hot-dip galvanizing in terms of durability, hardness,
consistency in coating thickness, etc., and the position of the parts company not to disclose the coating type, the advice of
the AGA to the trailer manufacturer is to skip the expensive testing of these trailers parts and find a new supplier. 

Coating Thickness Measurements

Magnetic coating thickness or electronic coating thickness gauges measure the thickness of a non-ferrous coating over a
ferrous surface (steel). Zinc coatings, paints, and even zinc-rich paints are all successfully measured for thickness with this
type of gauge when applied over steel. The tests are non-destructive and can be done in several spots over the surface of the
steel. Hot-dip galvanizers and painters use coating thickness measurements to ensure conformance to specifications.

Owners o en use this method to determine if the steel has been hot-dip galvanized. Its ease of use, availability, and non-
destructive nature make it the first and obvious choice to confirm the presence of a coating. Before measurements are
taken, the surface should be washed of all organic contaminants and loose particles that may interfere with coating
thickness measurements. If a wide range of coating thickness measurements show non-zero readings, a non-ferrous coating
is present on the steel.

While this method confirms the presence of a coating, it is unable to distinguish which non-ferrous coating is present. It may
be a hot-dip galvanized coating, thermal spray (metallizing), mechanically plated, or even painted.

Once coating thickness measurements determine a non-ferrous coating is indeed present, visual clues can help decide what
coating is being dealt with. For example, if blisters and chips are present, the coating used is most likely a paint. If the
surface has a color other than hot-dip galvanizings natural matte gray appearance, it is also likely a paint. A paint over a
galvanized coating may also be possible. If the surface posses the typical traits of a weathered hot-dip galvanized coating
(matte gray, uniformly weathered, possible brown staining), it may be safe to infer that it is indeed a hot-dip galvanized
coating.

Laboratory Testing
The only way to know for sure which coating is present is laboratory testing. Di erent forms of spectroscopy, for example,
can take a sample of the coating in question and provide a breakdown of the materials present. A hot-dip galvanized coating
may show a high zinc content near the outside of the coating with an increased iron content near the metal substrate. A zinc
metallized or mechanically plated coating will contain a high zinc content through the entirety of the coating. A zinc-rich
paint will also show a high zinc content, but will also contain other resins and binders typical to that system.

A photomicrograph of a cross-section of the coating may also be taken to determine which system has been used. A hot-dip
galvanized coating will show the intermetallic layers indicative of a metallurgical bond. A metallized or mechanically plated
coating will not have these layers. The figure below can be used to di erentiate between these coatings.

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Photomicrograph comparison of various

Now that I know the steel is hot-dip galvanized, what do I do?

Leave It
Owners of weathered hot-dip galvanized steel have a few options moving forward. Leaving the steel as-is and relying on the
present corrosion protection may be a viable option. A fully weathered hot-dip galvanized coating will not have the bright
and shiny appearance of a new coating, but if an adequate amount of zinc is still present on the steel, an older coating will
provide several more years of corrosion protection. The previously taken coating thickness measurements and the
AGAs Time to First Maintenance chart can be used to predict the remaining corrosion protection performance.

Paint / Repair It
The owner may also decide to topcoat a weathered galvanized coating with a paint system. Painting over galvanizing is
o en referred to as a duplex system. The paint will provide several added benefits to a galvanized coating including extra
corrosion protection and a new aesthetic appeal. Painting a fully-weathered hot-dip galvanized coating is o en done
successfully with little surface preparation required. The naturally occurring zinc patina forms an adherent profile on the
surface of the coating that is excellent for paint systems. According to ASTM D6386 Standard Practice for Preparation of Zinc
(Hot-Dip Galvanized) Coated Iron and Steel Product and Hardware Surfaces for Painting, surface preparation of a fully-
weathered galvanized coating is simple and includes an inexpensive power-wash.

Repairing bare or damaged areas of the hot-dip galvanized coating is also an option if the owner does not wish to repair the
entire surface. ASTM A780 Standard Practice for Repair of Damaged and Uncoated Areas of Hot-Dip Galvanized Coatings gives
the options of zinc-rich paint, zinc metallized spray, or zinc-based solders as acceptable repair materials. This may be an
option if there are only minor signs of rusting and few areas in need of repair.

Re-Galvanize It
If the galvanized coating has degraded too far, and more corrosion protection is needed, there is the option of removing the
old galvanized coating and replacing it with a new one. Fortunately, the chemical cleaning process used by hot-dip
galvanizers is also capable of removing a zinc coating from the surface of the steel. Some galvanizers even have a separate
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acid bath used specifically for this purpose. Steel that has been galvanized in the past can be sent to a galvanizing facility,
removed of the old coating, and be re-coated all in-house. Recycling steel in this sustainable manner saves the owner time
and money. 

© 2019 American Galvanizers Association. The material provided herein has been developed to provide accurate and
authoritative information about a er-fabrication hot-dip galvanized steel. This material provides general information only
and is not intended as a substitute for competent professional examination and verification as to suitability and
applicability. The information provided herein is not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of the AGA.
Anyone making use of this information assumes all liability arising from such use.

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