Duncan Galvanizing Blog

Online color cards make it easy for a quick preview of the colors offered, but they can create a discrepancy between the color on the monitor and the appearance of the actual paint.

Computer monitors are all color calibrated differently. This makes every shade shown on the color card appear slightly different on different monitors, and different in person. The color card should only be used as a general guide to the types of colors offered. Physical color cards should be used for making a final decision to ensure that your final coating looks the way you intended.  

However, using a digital color card on a computer monitor can be useful for making a selection that doesn’t have to match an existing color or be very specific. If you need a general color and are not concerned about slight variation, you may choose to select a color using the digital card only.

Here are a few physical examples compared to the way a color might appear on your computer screen:

“Red Oxide” physical sample next to online sample

“Safety yellow” physical sample next to online sample

Duncan has many physical color cards that are correctly representative of the color you can use to choose as well as an experienced team to assist you. Check out Duncan’s Colorgalv options here.

Contact Duncan Galvanizing

For more information on Colorgalv or assistance picking out the right color for your project, contact us! Give us a call at 617-389-8440 or fill out a contact form.

Can you Powder Coat Galvanized Steel?

Powder coatings can be applied over hot-dip galvanizing and are a great way to add a desired look or color to material for your project. There are a number of benefits to using duplex systems on your steel, including both corrosion protection and aesthetic benefits. Read on to learn more about powder coatings over hot-dip galvanized steel.

The Powder Coating Process

First, the material is hot-dip galvanized in our zinc bath. The surface is then prepared by removing any bumps or drips from the steel to ensure smooth application. Next, the surface of the material will be profiled with blasting to create good surface adhesion for the powder coating. The steel is then “out-gassed” around 500 degrees fahrenheit to further provide a smooth and adhesive surface. For maximum adhesion, the material is then primed and baked.  

Powder is typically sprayed on to the material soon after after out-gasing. After application, the material is placed in the curing oven where the powder primer will bond to the galvanized coating.

Benefits of Powder Coatings 

Powder coating adds an extra layer of corrosion and weathering protection to your steel (known as a duplex system). The duplex system also allows for less maintenance over time, saving money on the project over time. Additionally, power coatings come in a number of different colors and finishes, allowing you to customize steel for your specific needs.

Duncan’s Powder Coating Options

Duncan Galvanizing offers a number of powder coating options for your project, including Duncan Thermoset, Thermoset Plus, Thermoset 10 and Thermoset 10 Plus. Each powder coating option has different formulations and lengths of guaranteed gloss and color retentions. Visit our specifications page to learn more about our options and download powder coating specs.

Contact Duncan Galvanizing

Duncan Galvanizing is proud to be one of the Northeast’s trusted hot-dip galvanizers. We offer blasting, hot-dip galvanizing, duplex coatings and more. Give us a call today at 617-389-8440 or fill out a contact form on our website.

Duplex coatings are a great way to add reliable and long-lasting corrosion protection to your steel, as well as improve its aesthetics. We broke down the facts about duplex coatings, and a few reasons to specify Duncan’s duplex coating system on your next project:

What is a Duplex Coating System?

A duplex coating system is the use of two coating systems - hot dip galvanizing and either a liquid or powder coating over the galvanized steel. The combination of these two processes  provide excellent protection against corrosion, and far better protection than using just one alone. This allows for less maintenance over time, a more polished appearance, and other benefits.

Benefits of Duplex Coating

• Synergistic Effect

Duplex coatings provide enhanced protection for steel. When hot-dip galvanized steel is topcoated with paint or powder, this duplex system provides a more enhanced level of corrosion protection known as the synergistic effect. Paint or powder coating provides a protective barrier for hot dip galvanizing, as the exterior layer slows down corrosion from reaching the underlying zinc. If the exterior layer is worn down, the zinc from the hot dip galvanizing still provides excellent corrosion protection. This combined system is more than the sum of their parts. Both parts extend life of each other, they do much better and last much longer than if they were isolated. Additionally, the hot dip galvanizing primer virtually eliminates underfilm corrosion and paint peeling. It also extends the maintenance cycle of black steel by up to 2x. Duncan Duplex Coating Systems offer a 20 year warranty against corrosion, so your project will be protected against corrosion for decades to come.

• Aesthetics

Duplex coatings  are also great for the aesthetics of your projects. Sometimes, the silver finish of hot dip galvanizing alone is not appropriate for certain projects. Duplex Coatings allow for a number of different finishes on steel to achieve your desired appearance. Duncan’s Colorgalv allows steel to be finished with a wide variety of colors. Some projects may require a vibrant color for safety reasons, need to blend in with surroundings, or other have other specific aesthetic needs. Duplex coatings  use paint or powder to make this possible.

• Economic Benefits

There are also economic benefits when duplex coatings are specified. When a duplex coating is used, galvanized steel will often stay in good shape for decades until maintenance is needed. The less maintenance required, the less money that needs to be spent on the project after completion. Because of the synergistic effect dramatically increasing the time before maintenance, the initial cost pays off over the life of the project and ends up costing far less than coating bare steel.

LITTLE KNOWN FACTOID:

Did you know that Duncan Galvanizing was the first galvanizer in the country to do Hot Dip Galvanizing and factory applied coatings when it introduced Colorgalv in the mid-1970’s?

Contact Duncan Galvanizing

For high-quality duplex coating systems, hot dip galvanizing, color galvanizing, and more, Contact Duncan Galvanizing at (617) 389-8440 or fill out an online form to get started.