What is Galvanized Steel and How Is It Made?
Galvanized steel is a carbon flat rolled steel product that is covered in a zinc coating on its surface. This coating increases a steel coil’s, slit coil’s, or sheet’s resistance to corrosion. The most common method of galvanizing steel is the hot dip galvanized process.
In the hot dipped galvanized process, base carbon steel coil is submerged in an acid bath to remove steel scale. Once the steel is cleaned and its scale is removed, it is continually submerged in bath of molten zinc forming a metallurgical bond and protective coating at a controlled coating weight. The coating weight immediately increases the corrosive resistance of the steel.
The zinc bath during the hot dipped galvanized process contains trace amounts of elements like aluminum. The presence of these trace amounts optimize coating adhesion and improve the malleability of galvanized steel sheet, galvanized steel coil, and galvanized steel slit coil allowing the material to be formed into hundreds of products that we use every day.
What Is Spangle On Galvanized Steel?
In previous steel making generations, galvanized steel sheet used to contain large, flowery crystalline patterns of zinc on the surface of the steel known as "spangle". Spangle resembles large hexagonal snowflakes. Although today’s galvanized steel still contains spangle, modern steel mills produce galvanized steel with spangle that is virtually undetectable to the naked eye. This is known as minimum spangle and zero spangle galvanized steel.
A common but disappearing misconception about large spangle galvanized steel is that it has better corrosion resistance than min spangle/zero spangle. This is not the case. Minimum spangle and zero spangle galvanized steel’s smoother surface and smaller spangle form a better corrosive resistance coating.
What Are Coating Weights?
The aforementioned zinc coating weights of galvanized steel are controlled by steel mills during the production cycle and vary depending on customer requirements and the ultimate end use of the product. These coating weights are directly proportionate to the expected service life of the steel.
Zinc coating weights are measured in ounces per square foot and range from G90 to G60, G40, and G30 galvanized steel. G90 galvanized steel has a longer service life than G60, G40, and G30 galvanized steel, because G90 galvanized steel has a heavier coating weight of zinc applied to it at 0.90 oz/ft^2 as opposed to G60 galvanized steel at .060 ox/ft^2 and so on.
Galvanized Steel In Everyday Use
The advantages of using galvanized steel are its relatively lower cost compared to products like stainless steel, its long life span, low maintenance, and it can be quickly produced. As a resuly, galvanized steel is used in thousands of products around us that we see and use every day.
Hot dipped galvanized steel is used in industries such as HVAC, construction, roofing, appliances, container, waste, and the automobile business to name a few. For example, in the HVAC business, galvanized steel sheet, coil, and slit coil (like 5.394” wide) are used to manufacture duct and spiral duct. Galvanized steel can either be pre-painted, post painted, or bare.
Camden Yards Steel Galvanized Steel Stock
Camden Yards Steel carries a wide variety of galvanized steel products including but not limited to the following:
Galvanized Steel Sheet A653 CS TYPE B - 3x8, 3x10, 4x8, 4x10, 4x12, 5x8, 5x10, 5x12 and Custom Lengths (please inquire)
Gauge Decimal Width Width Width Coating Weight 28 Gauge .0157 min 36" 48" - G30, G40, G60, G90 26 Gauge .0187 min 36" 48" 60" G30, G40, G60, G90 24 Gauge .0236 min 36" 48" 60" G30, G40, G60, G90 22 Gauge .0296 min - 48" 60" G30, G40, G60, G90 20 Gauge .0356 min - 48" 60" G30, G40, G60, G90 18 Gauge .0466 min - 48" 60" G30, G40, G60, G90 16 Gauge .0575 min - 48" 60" G30, G40, G60, G90 14 Gauge .0705 min - 48" 60" G30, G40, G60, G90 12 Gauge .0994 min - 48" 60" G30, G40, G60, G90 11 Gauge .1143 min - 48" 60" G30, G40, G60, G90 10 Gauge .129 min - 48" 60" G30, G40, G60, G90
Galvanized Steel Coil A653 CS TYPE B - 5 ft, 4 ft, and 3 ft 20" ID 10,000# Max and 5,000# Max Galvanized Coil
Gauge Decimal Width Width Width Coating Weight 26 Gauge .0187 min 36" 48" 60" G30, G40, G60, G90 24 Gauge .0236 min 36" 48" 60" G30, G40, G60, G90 22 Gauge .0296 min - 48" 60" G30, G40, G60, G90 20 Gauge .0356 min - 48" 60" G30, G40, G60, G90 18 Gauge .0466 min - 48" 60" G30, G40, G60, G90 16 Gauge .0575 min - 48" 60" G30, G40, G60, G90
Galvanized Steel Slit Coil A653 CS TYPE B - 5.394" Slit Coil for Spiral Duct & Custom Widths (please inquire)
Gauge Decimal Width Coating Weight 28 Gauge .0157 min 5.394" G30, G40, G60, G90 26 Gauge .0187 min 5.394" G30, G40, G60, G90 24 Gauge .0236 min 5.394" G30, G40, G60, G90 22 Gauge .0296 min 5.394" G30, G40, G60, G90 20 Gauge .0356 min 5.394" G30, G40, G60, G90 18 Gauge .0466 min 5.394" G30, G40, G60, G90 16 Gauge .0575 min 5.394" G30, G40, G60, G90
Please call Camden Yards Steel today with any of your galvanized steel sheet, galvanized steel coil, galvanized steel blanks, or galvanized steel slit coil needs any time at 856-342-7100. As always, thanks for stopping by!