Galvanized Steel

Galvanized steel is ordinary carbon steel coated with a protective layer of zinc, typically applied by hot-dip immersion, that shields the underlying steel from rust through both a physical barrier and the zinc's sacrificial corrosion, meaning the zinc corrodes preferentially and protects the steel beneath even where the coating is scratched. Widely used since the nineteenth century for roofing sheet, structural framing in exposed or moisture-prone applications, fencing and ductwork, its relatively low cost compared with stainless steel or aluminum, combined with a substantial gain in service life over bare steel, has made it one of the most common corrosion-protected structural metals in ordinary construction.