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Location: Midwest USA | I would like to know the pros and cons of galvaneal metal? |
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 Expert
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Location: North of Detroit, MI | Galvaneal is SIMILAR to galvanized. The major difference and MOST important difference, is that galvaneal is THROUGHOUT the layers of steel - so a cut edge of it would be galvanealed too - whereas galvanized is a top-coating so to speak. It is applied on top of the steel. I'm NOT a metallurgist. This is how the galvaneal was explained to me by a rep from Titan manufacturing. I have seen samples of galvanized and galvaneal. One had rusty edges (galvanized) and the other did not. Some trailers have galvanealed metal throughout; some have only the panels galvanealed. Sometimes the frame is, sometimes not. |
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Location: Midwest USA | So is it true that it does not rust??? Just curious, I can see it holding up longer being a different type of steel before it does rust but can't believe it won't rust. . . and I am not doggin any trailer company or anything I just want to be more knowledgeable at what I am looking at. . . I like my steel trailer and of course it is rusting but I feel like steel is sturdy and safe for the horses to travel in, I just thought it would be nice if this galvaneal is a step up that would be what I would look at for my next trailer. I can't afford to step up to aluminum but it sounds like this galvaneal might be a step up. . . |
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Location: Tujunga, CA | I work in the metal fabrication industry and have worked with galvanized before but not galvannealed, so I looked up what the differences are. Both have better corrosion resistance than plain steel, but neither one is rust free. Galvanized is steel that is hot dipped in zinc to give it a protective coating. Galvannealed is carried one step farther and is heat treated (annealled) to form a zinc/iron coating. Both will probably eventually rust, especially anywhere the coating is chipped or cut away. Galvannealed has better paintability and weldability than galvanized. Neither one is a "through the metal" application, they are just extra coatings. It is probably for the weldability and paint acceptance that manufacturers are now using it and since it does hold the paint better I would aasume that would also help in rust protection. This is according to the information I found so if someone knows different please say so. |
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Location: Midwest USA | Thank you for the info - that is definitely more than I knew. Now the other thing that I heard and I think you just answered it is that galvanealed steel is actually lighter but it really can't be because it just has another layer process to it so it might be a little bit heavier? not necessarily significantly heavier but probably not for sure lighter??? Am I thinking right? |
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Member
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Location: Tujunga, CA | It would for sure not be any lighter, but it really isn't any heavier either. The difference would barely even show over an entire trailer. |
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Expert
Posts: 1391
Location: North of Detroit, MI | Yes, galvaneal is a big step upwards in regards to longevity of a horse trailer. Something to think about as you consider your next trailer is a steel/galvanealed frame and INTERIOR; with an alum exterior. You will have the strength of steel where you need it with the attractive and easy-to-care alum on the outside. It will also give you less overall weight. Fiberglass roof will also give you less weight and cooler interior. |
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Expert
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| I had thought the name derived from galvanised and anealed.
"Thoughout" would mean it is an alloy of steel and zinc - I think there is another name for that stuff and I think it has a bad rep.
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Expert
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| As sheet material it is very rust resistant.
As with any corrosion protection that depends on a coating, it will rust wherever the coating is compromised, e.g. cut, drilled, welded, deeply scratched, etc. PART of the problem with galvanised steel is in getting a suitable coating on cut edges, zinc rich primer does a fair/moderate job.
Annealing and galvanising do not, of themselves, ensure a well designed or well built trailer.
Personally I'd rather have a material that "all the way through" is corrosion resistant, but FIRST I'd be looking for the trailer with the features I want. What it is built from is low in the order of significance - I know, I've said all that before.
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Location: Ontario, Canada | There is a product that can be bought for spraying on metal to galvanize it....cold zinc galvanizing spray comes in an aerosol can. It's normally used to touch up areas after welding, drilling etc, but I could also see it would be useful for a galvanized trailer that needs some touching up due to stone damage or whatever. |
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Member
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Location: Midwest USA | Wow you guys are great!!! Thanks for all the info! |
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Expert
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| Originally written by greywynd on 2005-08-25 11:06 PM
There is a product that can be bought for spraying on metal to galvanize it....cold zinc galvanizing spray comes in an aerosol can. It's normally used to touch up areas after welding, drilling etc, but I could also see it would be useful for a galvanized trailer that needs some touching up due to stone damage or whatever.
Right, a zinc rich primer.
It is a "paint" with some zinc, it doesn't (can't) "cold galvanize".
I was wondering if the resident chemist would drop in with the explanation of WHY zinc is so good at protecting steel (-: |
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Galvaneal Metall???
