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The selection of a corrosion protection system for steel products is made from a variety of different coatings, each one with a unique set of characteristics. Those characteristics include method of application, adhesion to the base metal, corner, edge and thread protection, coating hardness, density and thickness. All affect the corrosion protection system's applicability for a project. As well, each coating system must be evaluated for the relative economics and expected service-life.
 When compared to paint systems, hot-dip galvanizing after fabrication has comparable initial application costs and, almost always, lower life-cycle costs. In fact, the lower life-cycle costs of a hot-dip galvanized project make galvanizing the smart choice for today and tomorrow.
 In most cases, hot-dip galvanizing provides superior performance characteristics when compared to paint and other coatings. Those characteristics include:
- Barrier and cathodic protection for 30-75 years, depending upon environment
- Metallurgical bond strength > 3600 psi (25 MPa)
- Complete coverage and coating integrity inside tubular sections and in hard-to-reach places
- Uniform edge/corner coating thickness
- Abrasion resistance
- Coating Selection
Unquestionably, hot-dip galvanizing provides long-term corrosion protection. However, the selection of galvanizing as the preferred coating system is not complete without considering the economic variables. Those variables include:
Click on a link below to view case studies and a comparison between hot-dip galvanized steel and paint.
Because neither the timing nor costs of future maintenance can be precisely predicted, the selection of the most economical system cannot be exact. In addition, depreciation of capital invested, tax treatment for investment and maintenance costs, and the time-value of money must be considered.
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introduction