How to Protect Steel from Corrosion
Steel is a commonly used building material because of its strength, versatility, and dexterity. When it's first used it is also very aesthetically pleasing. If properly treated the steel will maintain its aesthetic quality for years. If however, it is not taken care of properly then it will not only ruin its aesthetic but also its structural integrity.
image © AJRMK
Before ruling out steel from your next project due to its rusting, consider the fact that there are multiple treatments available that can protect the poles against scratching, peeling, extreme weather and corrosion.
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Uniform Attack Corrosion
While this form of corrosion can be catastrophic to the steel, due to it being the most common form of decay, it is predictable and manageable.
image © Webcorr
Galvanic Corrosion
This type of corrosion occurs when steel comes into contact with another metal in a corrosive electrolyte. In order to avoid this from happening, it is important to either make sure the metals do not touch or if that is unavoidable, then make sure that they are both treated. When coating the two steels it will prevent electrical conduction between the metals and therefore will help resist this corrosion from occuring.
image © D3j4vu
Pitting Corrosion
One of the reasons it is important to reapply coating is to prevent pitting corrosion. This type of corrosion happens when the area becomes anodic while the other remaining metal is cathodic. The two mixing together forms a localized galvanic reaction. While it quickly spreads, the corrosion is initially difficult to spot.
image © Pexel
Crevice Corrosion
Eliminating tight gaps in steel construction can prevent crevice corrosion since it is caused by a stagnant micro-environment where acidic conditions or a depletion of oxygen in a crevice exists.
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