Below the Surface of Steel Sheet Coatings

Galvanized, galvannealed, and galvalume: three common types of steel sheet coatings, each ideally suited for different applications.

When determining which to use and the surface condition required, consider the end use.

What is a galvanized sheet?

A galvanized sheet of metal is continuously hot dip coated with a durable protective coating of zinc. Galvanized sheets can be:

• Formed without flaking or peeling

• Welded and soldered

• Resistant to stamping, cold drawing, double seaming and brake or roll forming

One important consideration is thickness. For example, thicknesses of 16 ga. and lighter are lock-forming quality, while thicknesses of 14 ga. and heavier are commercial quality.

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What is a galvannealed sheet?

A galvannealed steel sheet is heat treated after coating to produce zinc-iron alloy and eliminate the spangle. You may commonly find galvannealed sheets used for sign boards, metal doors and partitions, truck and trailer bodies, and heater and furnace parts, among others.

Galvannealed sheets can be:

• Painted without further surface preparation aside from normal cleaning.