Aloha, fun & authoritative answers -- no cost, no registration, no passwords, no popups
(as an eBay Partner & Amazon Affiliate we earn from qualifying purchases)

Where the
world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989

-----

Aluminium finishing for saline weather

Q. I'm using an aluminium housing for outdoor use. What kind of finishing that will be suitable for saline weather on this housing to prevent oxidation. If you can suggest me the grade of aluminium that is suitable for my requirement.

Thanks & regards,

Azlan Hassan
- Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
2003

A. Hi Azlan. There are many coating systems that should work, but anodizing and powder coating would be the two most common approaches. Powder coating after good pretreatment is probably better for saline environments.

I don't personally know enough about aluminum alloys to suggest which are intrinsically the most corrosion resistant, but if you search the site I know there were some inquiries and answers on this topic previously.

Luck & regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003

"User's Guide to Powder Coating"

on AbeBooks

or Amazon

(affil links)

A. Almost all of our outdoor electronic enclosures are either Aluminum Alloy 6061 or 5052... Both of these alloys have good corrosion resistance to outdoor environments including marine environments... And yes, either anodize or powder coat are very common finishing techniques which enhance the corrosion protection.

Bob Diamond
MITEQ, Inc. - Hauppauge, New York
2003

(No "dead threads" here! If this page isn't currently on the Hotline your Q, A, or Comment will restore it)

Q, A, or Comment on THIS thread -or- Start a NEW Thread

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: