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

-----

Is a Finish Required

My company typically uses hot dipped galvanized steel for exterior structural work. We are considering using some aluminum for some exterior structural applications but I am not sure if it is acceptable to use a plain mill finish. Appeaarnce is not an issue, it is just a question of how long will a plain mill finish aluminum last? I understand that there are many factors that affect corrosin rates, but was hoping someone had some general information on expected life cycle.

Michael Zuritis
Contractor - Ballston Lake, New York, USA
February 10, 2010

I used to do some pretreatment work for aluminum that fell under architectural standards. You might want to search for those and start there.

Christian M. Restifo
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
March 3, 2010

You will need some type of pretreatment and finishing of the Al. The Zinc and Al will set up a galvanic cell and the bimetallic corrosion will attack the galvanizing.

David J. Wolf
Medina, Ohio
March 10, 2010

(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: