If you operate a business in Minneapolis, you probably already know where to buy galvanized sheet metal. Reliable and reputable suppliers offer various grades and styles for your company’s applications. The process is centuries old one. It works with the substrate metal to provide it with certain qualities it requires to improve its properties.
What Is Galvanization?
Galvanization or galvanizing is a process dating back to the early 19th century. Two men, one English, the other French, came up with this method of treating steel or iron. They invented a means through which they fought off the effects of corrosion by coating the material with zinc. Stanislas Sorel (1803-1871), a French engineer, 1837 filed a patent in 1937 for the rust protection for iron.
This process, now called galvanization, describes one of the several means through which the application of zinc provides a protective coating to the surface of the substrate or base metal.
Methods of Achieving Galvanized Sheet Metal
The following are the most common methods for applying protective coatings of zinc to iron and steel:
- Hot-dip Galvanizing: It offers a triple method of providing protection from corrosion through
Cathodic
Barrier
Patina - Electrogalvanizing
- Sherardizing
- Metallic Spraying
- Painting/Coating
Different processes will produce differences in terms of the zinc coating’s thicknesses and appearance.
Applications for Galvanized Steel Sheets
In Minneapolis, companies know where to buy galvanized sheet metal in sufficient amounts and type to handle their diverse applications. Today, they employ it for
- Architectural uses: For flashing, gutters and downspouts
- Steel nails
- Marine environments
Where to Buy Galvanized Sheet Metal
If you are looking for quality sheet metal for your Minneapolis business, be sure to research the suppliers in and around the city carefully. It is not a matter of simply knowing where to buy galvanized sheet metal. It is also in your best interest to locate suppliers who will provide your company with metal that meets your specifications exactly.