Hempel Technical Article
General notes on galvanised steel
Summary
Galvanizing is an effective corrosion protection method for steel in many environments. However,
being a metallic coating, also galvanized steel requires additional corrosion protection by paint
coatings in aggressive environments. This technical article describes the common types of
galvanizing including surface characteristics. The surface characteristics are described together with
the necessary surface preparation of galvanized steel before application of paint.
Introduction to galvanized steel
Galvanized steel is protected against corrosion by
the galvanizing itself. Properly selected the
galvanizing will protect the steel from rusting for
years.
Galvanized steel may be painted
• to add colour to the grey zinc coat for aesthetic,
marking, or camouflage reasons
• to prolong the inherent corrosion protection of
the galvanized coating in aggressive
environments as chemically polluted or marine
atmospheres
Galvanized steel has always been and still is a
difficult substrate for paints. Insufficient or incorrect
surface preparation, unsuitable binder types,
insufficient dry film thickness, and combinations of
these factors have caused the numerous failures
observed - and still today, no one will claim to have
found the 100% safe procedure for painting
galvanized steel.
The main cause leading to wrong specifications for
galvanized steel is that the galvanizing coat is
considered a “non corrodible” substrate. This is
wrong. The zinc coating does corrode, and the
long-time protection that may be offered by
uncoated galvanizing is due to the formation of a
dense, partially insoluble layer of corrosion
products, which reduces the corrosion rate of the
metallic galvanizing layer – just like the oxide layer
on aluminium and stainless steel surfaces. Where
such a dense layer of corrosion products is not
formed - as in hot or soft water, in acid or alkaline
environments - the zinc coating will corrode fast.
Accordingly, when galvanized steel needs
corrosion protection by painting, paint systems
must be selected, which do not differ much in dry
film thickness from a paint system for steel. This is
because a too thin paint film may accelerate the
break down giving rise to more white rust beneath
the paint film, than for an open air exposed
galvanized surface having a shorter "wet-time".
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In addition, it should be noted that flux residues,
zinc-ammonium chloride, used during the
galvanizing process or products like a passivation
agent should not be present on the surface when
coating the galvanized surface.
Water should not be used for cooling the steel after
withdrawal from the zinc bath.
Repair of galvanized steel
It is often required to repair mechanical damage,
black spots or welds in the zinc coat with zinc rich
paints.
Surface preparation is of utmost importance to
secure the quality of repairs. A large damage must
be abrasive blasted to Sa 2½ using non-metallic
abrasive. Small (coin-size) areas may be grinded
to a metallic clean surface. The intact galvanizing,
surrounding the damaged area, must be abrasive
sweep blasted, alternatively grinded, to secure
paint adhesion.
When heavy duty paint systems are to be applied
on galvanizing coats it should be considered
whether touch-up of damaged spots in the
galvanizing with zinc rich paint is feasible
compared to leaving the protection to the paint
coating.
Non-metallic abrasives of the grit type, including
various slags, are acceptable, provided they are
metal free.
Temperature resistance of hot dip
galvanized coatings
Zinc coated steel is only resistant to temperatures
below 200°C/392°F. Above this temperature, the
coating will flake, painted or not, due to diffusion
processes in the coating.
If continuously galvanized with an aluminium
coating resistance will be up to 900°C/1650°F, but
only because the coating reacts with the steel
substrate.
Hempel Technical Article
No information on temperature resistance exists on
continuously galvanized aluminium/zinc alloy
coatings.
Based on above it has been decided not to suggest
any paint systems for galvanizing coats at
temperatures above 120°C/248°F.
Different kinds of galvanized steel
Following materials are known as galvanized steel:
• Hot dip galvanized steel
• Continuously galvanized (sheet) steel with
- zinc coating
- zinc-aluminium coating
- aluminium coating
• Electrolytically zinc plated steel
• Sherardized steel and mechanically plated
steel
Hot dip galvanized steel and continuously
galvanized steel are the most common galvanized
substrates for paints.
HOT-DIP GALVANIZED STEEL
The galvanizing process is a batch-wise or piece-
by-piece process, carried out in small to large
galvanizing plants.
The process includes:
• degreasing of steel items
• removal of mill scale and rust by acid pickling,
generally using 10-15% hydrochloric acid
• fluxing by means of zinc chloride or zinc
ammonium chloride: Either by dipping in water
solutions of the flux salts before the zinc kettle
or by having the flux salts floating as a melt on
the molten zinc
• dipping in a kettle with molten zinc at a
temperature of 450-460°C/840-860°F
• water kooling (optional), not recommended for
items to be painted.
Characteristics of hot dip galvanized
coatings
Thickness of zinc coating: ranges from 50-70
micron/2-3 mils for thin steel (less than 5 millimetre)
made of silicon free, i.e. un-killed or aluminium-
killed steel qualities, up to 300-400 micron/12-16
mils for heavy steel sections, especially when
made from silicon-killed steel.
Appearance of coatings
The appearance may range from shiny metallic
looking surfaces, often spangled with "zinc
flowers", to grey, matt surfaces.
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The metallic looking surfaces are mostly found on
thinner coatings. They are composed of a so-called
iron-zinc alloy layer, formed during reaction of steel
with the liquid zinc, and on top of which a solidified
layer of pure zinc is formed during withdrawal from
the zinc kettle.
The grey, matt coatings are characteristic for heavy
steel members, especially when made of silicon-
killed steel, which have high reactivity towards zinc.
The grey, matt coating is composed almost solely
of iron-zinc alloy layers, which are formed partly
during dipping in the kettle, partly during withdrawal
due to the high reactivity of the steel and/or the
heat capacity of heavy steel members. This kind of
coating is considered a better substrate for paint
than the shiny, metallic looking galvanizing.
Both types of appearance may be seen on one
item, generally caused by variations in the steel
composition or uneven cooling conditions after
withdrawal from the zinc kettle.
Other characteristics of hot dip galvanized
coatings
As a consequence of the galvanizing fabrication
process the galvanized coating may possess other
characteristics, which may have influence on paint
coatings to be applied.
Sags and runs: Liquid zinc may sag as paint,
when goods are withdrawn from the zinc kettle.
Sags and runs may be formed due to too high
withdrawal speed or a steel design not optimized
for the dipping process. As long as sags and runs
are flat without loose zinc they do not interfere with
paint performance - but may still be visible after
painting, especially on high gloss finishing coats.
Loose zinc metal: Splashes of zinc and excessive
runs may result in loose zinc metal on top of an
otherwise intact galvanizing. Loose metal must be
removed before applying paint.
Burnt-in zinc ash and flux: Zinc ash, which is the
thin oxidized layer of zinc on top of the zinc kettle,
and flux may be incorporated in the zinc coat,
especially in corners and other places, where the
free draining of liquid zinc is obstructed during
dipping. As zinc ash and flux residues are salt
containing they must be removed before applying
paint.
Zinc drops and spikes: These are like sags and
runs created during withdrawal from the zinc kettle
and are mostly found on edges. As they generally
are sharp as the name implies, they must be
removed by grinding before applying paint.
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Black spots: Areas, where the molten zinc has not
wetted the steel due to insufficient degreasing or
pickling, are called black spots. In most galvanizing
standards, black spots are not allowed or only
allowed in limited amount. In cases where black
spots are requested to be repaired by paint, the
spotted area must be thoroughly cleaned by
abrasive (vacuum) blasting or grinding before
applying paint.
General contamination with galvanizing
chemicals: As it may be understood from the short
description of the galvanizing process, there is a
risk of general contamination of the galvanized
surface with salts. Hydrochloric acid vapours from
the pickling bath and flux vapours are typical
sources. In modern galvanizing plants with
effective ventilation the amount of vapour is
reduced. Further, from the paint's point of view, the
use of a separate flux bath is preferred in
comparison with a flux blanket on top of the zinc
kettle.
CONTINUOUSLY GALVANIZED STEEL
Coiled steel, steel sheet less than 3 mm thickness,
may be continuously galvanized in special plants.
End use of continuously galvanized steel is for
example for corrugated sheets for roofs, ventilation
pipes and equipment casings. Large amounts of
continuously galvanized steel is coil-coated with
organic coatings like polyesters, epoxies,
polyvinylchloride, and polyvinylidenfluoride, and
such products may performance wise be a better
solution for the end user than traditionally painted
galvanized steel.
This galvanizing process, which involves cleaning
in reactive (oxidative and reducing) gas
atmosphere before dipping in liquid metal and
storage protectives, may be used for zinc,
aluminium as well as alloys of zinc and aluminium.
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January 2016
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In this context they will be treated as one material
with zinc as the typical.
Characteristics of continuously galvanized
steel
The thickness of the coating is typically 10-30
micron/0.4-1.2 mils per side. The thickness is most
often expressed as the zinc weight per two sides.
1 micron per side corresponds to 14,4 gram zinc
per square meter for two sides.
Appearance of coatings
Zinc coatings of this type are bright metallic. The
coating may be delivered with large or small "zinc
flower" crystals or a skin passed non crystalline
surface. Some suppliers do deliver a special heat
treated (galvannealed) coating, where the zinc has
been transformed to iron-zinc layer, making the
coating more suitable for spot welding and
painting.
Other characteristics of continuously
galvanized steel
Of special importance for painting is the existence
of white rust protectives on continuously
galvanized steel. These protectives are generally
used because continuously galvanized steel after
manufacturing is transported and stored as coils
and in stacks. The crevices formed in coils and
stacks absorb water, leading to white rust, which in
combination with the rather low coating thickness
may lead to early deterioration. The protectives are
oils, phosphates or mostly chromates. During
transport and storage the protectives may change
chemically or absorb contaminants. Accordingly,
they must be removed before painting to prevent
later adhesion problems.
Further reference is made to Hempel’s Coating
Reference Handbook page S4.