Protection Systems Used to Prevent Corrosion of Steel Roofing

Posted on: 28 April 2017

For the longest time, corrosion has been the greatest downside of steel roofing. But thanks to advances in steel roofing technology, manufacturers of steel roofing can now supply products that provide maximum corrosion-resistance to builders and building owners.

Let's take a look at some of the ways being used today to protect steel roofing products from corrosion. 

Galvanic Protection

This refers to the application of a metallic coating onto the steel to help cushion against exposure to the elements that may cause corrosion. Zinc is the most common choice of metal material for the protection of steel. Because zinc reacts more readily with oxygen and moisture present in the atmosphere than steel, it forms an oxide that protects the substrate steel from reverting to its natural state, rust. Zinc coating is commonly applied onto substrate steel in two ways: hot-dip galvanising and thermal spraying. 

Generally speaking, the corrosion-resistance accorded by metallic coatings is largely based upon the type and thickness of coating metal used and is not significantly influenced by the application technique. As zinc corrodes in preference to the underlying steel material, zinc coating is a great way of protecting steel. Zinc may, however, corrode at a faster rate in the presence of chemicals, such as salts in coastal locations.

Paint Protection

There are lots of roof paint products out there on the construction market that have been specially formulated to prevent corrosion of substrate steel. There is a wide range of paints that can be used in steel protection, but they can all be classified into two major groups: primers and undercoats. Primers are applied first (directly onto the prepared steel surface) so as to provide proper adhesion for coats applied thereafter. The undercoats are applied to make the initial coating thicker. 

The thicker the paint coating is, the longer the substrate steel lasts, in general. Application of the undercoats may require more than a single stroke of paint. The paint can be applied using a brush, roller, brush and roller, or it may be sprayed onto the surface of the steel. Temperature and humidity levels must be just right for the paint application job. This can be achieved through painting in the factory setting. 

Now that you are aware of some of the effective measures being taken by modern steel roofing manufacturers to protect their products against corrosion, you can confidently consider using steel roofing for your particular construction project.

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How to Construct a House

Hello, my name is Lisa and this is my blog. I live in Perth, Australia and for the past two years, I have been working on my home to improve it. My husband works away a lot, so the upkeep of the family home is completely in my hands. At first, I didn't have a clue what I was doing. Thankfully, my brother works as a contractor and knows about electrical wiring, plumbing and general construction. He gave me some great advice so I decided to start this blog so I could pass on his wisdom to others. I hope you enjoy my blog.

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