Hot-dipped galvanised steel versus painted steel buildings and sheds

Whether it’s the strong sun, rainfall or the cold, your outdoor structures are constantly exposed to the harsh weather condition which might severely affect their integrity. We design & construct buildings and sheds to cover almost any application from hay and rural farm machinery sheds to commercial, industrial buildings & sheds. Including warehousing and distribution centre buildings, horticulture packing sheds, aviation hangars, equine arenas, school COLA’s and dairy & feedlot sheds.

 

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Steel structures are usually preferred due to the features of the metal such as strength, toughness and durability, not to mention the fact that it can be shaped through the welding process. Despite its positive properties, steel also has some flaws. In fact, it is composed mainly of iron and other components whose mix determines different varieties of steel such as carbon steel or stainless steel.  When iron comes into contact with oxygen, which normally happens in the presence of water or certain air moisture, it produces a chemical reaction which results is the red oxide, commonly known as rust.

Rust can severely damage steel structures and undermine their stability, as well as affect their exterior appearance.

In order to prevent and avoid the rusting process, two interventions are usually made: the steel is coil coated with metal or paint. The metal coating consists of coiling the steel by bathing it into a metal liquid, while paint coating consists of painting or coiling the steel with special stains or films. The first method is generally more effective in terms of steel endurance and strength maintenance, and one of the most diffused metal coatings is zinc which results in hot-dipped galvanised steel. The second method protects from rusting and provides the steel structure with a better-looking appearance, as various aesthetic effects can be obtained. But let’s go deeper into it and evaluate the pros and cons of each method.

Hot-dipped galvanised steel coating: Consists of immersing the steel in a zinc bath whose metal bonding results in an anti-rusting and corrosion effect. In fact, the steel obtained through this process is in high demand and is used for outdoor structures such as roofing, walling, handrails and even automotive parts. Furthermore, it perfectly suits contact with mild to hot temperatures, and it is also used in heating and cooling conduction systems. Additionally, this coating system has a long-lasting life expectancy of  50 years and in the most exposed areas up to  25 years. It also requires small, to no maintenance at all. Despite its cost being initially slightly higher than other coating systems, it is definitely lower in the long run.  Also, compared to paint coating, where labour costs have risen, the cost of manufacturing is relatively lower.  You can see here an example of one of our hot-dipped galvanised steel coated sheds resisting the harsh elements in the Antarctic

Paint coating: Special paints or films perform an anti-corrosion effect and protect the steel while giving it a good-looking appearance. Coating paints also protect the steel from high-temperatures and are in very high demand in buildings for their “non-reactive design” which insulates them from fire. It has a shorter lifespan than hot deep galvanised steel coating, resulting in 12-15 years duration and one of the major flaws consists in the fact once the paint is damaged, the metal is fully exposed to the elements.

If you are looking for long reliability, duration and want to keep maintenance costs low to non-existent, hot-dipped galvanised steel is definitely the best solution.

Feel free to look through our website and find out how one of our professionals can help you get your very own Entegra Signature Structure.

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