Letter 25010

The life of galvanized beams in salt atmosphere  

+++

I live on a salt water sound and have a boat lift. The cradle is made of galvanized H-beams. The beams have become quite rusty after ten years of service. I have recently scrapped them and spray painted them with more galvanized paint. My question - how long should such beams last in this type of atmosphere? The boat I lift on it is a 1977 25 foot Chris Craft with a fiber glass hull.

Thanks for any information you can give me.

Hardy Wessell
consumer - Surf City, North Carolina


+++

10 years in such a corrosive environment sounds like you got your money's worth, Hardy. But your new "galvanized spray paint" is not a match for factory applied hot-dip galvanizing. I'd give you maybe 2 or 3 years this time; just a guess.

But I see no reason you couldn't also attach zinc anodes to extend the life easily and inexpensively; then if you replaced the anodes when required, your repair might last a good deal longer.


Ted Mooney, P.E. 
finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey

 

 


Dear Reader, please --

Answer or follow-up on this subject (in non-commercial fashion).
 
Post a new question or inquiry on a different subject.
 


Legal disclaimer boilerplate button


List of Directories
Jobshops Directory button Environmental Directory button Equipment Directory button Consultants Directory button Chemicals Directory button Test Directory button Help-Wanted Directory button About Advertising button Classifieds Directory button Booklist button

 

Link to Del.icio.us button Save This Page (why?)    -    Home    -    ©1995-2009 finishing.com