Everyone hates rust. If you happen to find one accumulating inside or outside your home, your best bet would be to wipe or to scrape them away immediately, unless you want them to spread out the affected area. As much as you may want to avoid them, any metal or iron part in your home, when left untouched or unmaintained for a long time, would incur rust. In technical terms, “rust is Iron oxide. Iron plus oxygen plus water vapor gives iron oxide. In areas that have higher humidity, the rusting process takes place faster as the content of moisture in the air is higher. This process of rust formation in presence of oxygen and water or water vapor is called rusting.” There are other definitions related to this process, but one thing’s for sure, it is an eye sore and definitely raises concerns regarding the present durability of your home, property, and other prized possessions.
Nonetheless, the dawn of modernization introduced a new lineup of building materials which would combat rust in the long run, an innovation which will enable occupants to sleep soundly at night, knowing that the very structure of their homes are in safe hands. This said innovation involves a very simple process, yet, when done right, would be most beneficial in maintaining your home and protecting it from the occurrence of rust.
The Wonderful Process of Galvanization
First of all, what is Galvanization or the process of Galvanizing? Simply put, it is the process of applying a protective zinc coating to steel or iron to prevent it from rusting. The most common method of galvanizing is hot-dip galvanizing, in which the steel, metal, or iron parts are submerged in a bath of molten hot zinc. Not to be taken lightly, this process has been utilized since the 17th-century, applied on an Indian armor which was later discovered by European explorers. While the process itself hasn’t been wellknown before, nowadays, it is a very much accepted solution when constructing a building or home with the aim of preventing rust.
Is there more to the process than just dipping the material in molten zinc?
As a matter of fact, yes, there is more to that. The process of hot-dip galvanizing usually deposits a thick, robust layer of zinc iron alloys on the surface of a steel item. That’s just how it’s usually done, however, in the case of automobile bodies, where additional decorative coatings of paint will be applied, a thinner form of galvanizing is applied by electrogalvanizing. It is also important to note that the hot-dip process generally does not reduce strength on a measurable scale. With that in mind, it would be safe to say that the process itself would require a few tweaks, depending on the surface on which the zinc would be applied on. Of course, we are focusing more on your home and property, so its protection on your automobile may be the least of your problem currently.
With that being said, how does galvanization protect the acquired surface itself?
It is able to accomplish this in the following ways:
• The zinc coating, when intact, prevents corrosive substances from reaching the underlying steel or iron.
• The zinc protects iron by corroding first. Now, it may seem counter-productive at first, but the zinc itself would keep the inner surface intact in spite of the underlying corrosion. For better results, application of chromates over zinc is also seen as an industrial trend.
• In the event the underlying metal becomes exposed, protection can continue as long as there is zinc close enough to be electrically coupled. This is somewhat similar to the second pointer, when the corrosion internally occurs.
Okay, that takes care of the durability and anti-rust feature, but how about the aesthetics?
A galvanized component doesn’t have to be bland. It may even incur visible spangles or crystallite-like shapes, shining when reflected by light. The scientific explanation for this surface formation would be way too long, hence, the simplest way to describe it would be that the particles on the surface itself and the rate of cooling would determine the size and shape of the spangles. Adjusting each feature during the hot-dip process would somehow affect the final result, so be sure to coordinate with your handyman or construction personnel when trying to have a galvanized material installed in your home, just in case you would like to draw eyes towards the subject matter. Take note that this may not be applicable in all galvanized surfaces, especially for those which would be installed in hard-to-reach corners of your home. There’s no use in adding spangles when no one’s even going to bother to try and look for them. No visitor would like to snoop around unpermitted in another person’s house, after all.
How is galvanization helpful when it comes to building a strong structure?
Union Galvasteel actually does it all. Aside from the usual roofing materials, they also offer a few of their Steel Grade Duraweb and Duradeck. These building system components underwent continuous hot-dip zinc-coating galvanization and are proven and tested to be durable. They are mostly utilized for the decking of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, contributing to their support and elevation. If you’re looking for a solution which will withstand the test of time, go for one which was manufactured by a trusted name in the field of construction components.
Union Galvasteel is the market leader in the manufacturing and distribution of prepainted construction materials and other galvanized roofing and steel building products, which is why they are considered to be one of the most sought after name when it comes to a complete construction overhaul. A few examples of their building system components are steel deckings, c-purlins, door jambs, steel trusses, pre-engineered building structures (PEBS), and insulated panels for commercial, industrial, and residential applications. Not many people may realize it, but Union Galvasteel (or simply, UGC) has been around since the 60’s, so their repertoire of market experience and ingenuity has been a catalyst for some time now.
Still not convinced? You may check out their official website for more details: https://www.ugc.ph/. Take a peek at their product lineup and be amazed at the highquality of all their building components.
