What is Galvalume?
Galvalume is a coating consisting of zinc, aluminum and silicon that is used to protect a metal (primarily steel) from oxidation. It is similar to galvanizing in that it is a sacrificial metal coating which protects the base metal.
What is Galvalume Used For?
Galvalume is primarily used to protect iron-based alloys that are prone to rust. Galvalume-coated steel is better able to resist oxidation than plain carbon steel because the zinc and aluminum protect the underlying steel from the environment. The zinc also will more readily oxidize than the steel it contacts. This is similar to galvanized steel.
What is the Difference Between Galvanizing and Galvalume?
The main difference between galvanizing and Galvalume is that galvalume is a combination of zinc, aluminum, and silicon, while galvanizing is 100% zinc.
The makeup of the three elements in a Galvalume coating is just over 50% aluminum, just under 50% zinc, with trace amounts of silicon.
An advantage that Galvalume has over normal galvanized material is that it has enhanced protection abilities.
Over time, Galvalume tends to perform better than galvanized steel, especially when exposed to water or other liquids that can speed up the oxidation process.
Even after a few decades, Galvalume-coated steel will be less likely to rust than normal galvanized steel.
Galvalume is also considered more aesthetically pleasing than hot-dipped galvanized materials.
