Coatings for Galvanized Structures

Galvanized structures often need to be coated. New structures may be going into service conditions where the zinc layer will not be able to form the familiar patina and thus will self-sacrifice prematurely. On old structures, the zinc may be damaged or simply depleted.

In 2008, Madison developed a new alternative for its customers who coat galvanized structures. Historically, the surface preparation has been abrasive blasting; however it removes part of the zinc and often fractures what’s left. It’s also expensive and, because of multiple variables, often gives inconsistent results. Less disruptive approaches such as chemical pretreatments have been tried many times, but work only in mild environments. Long term, nothing other than blasting worked on hot dip galvanized steel – until the invention of GalvaGrip and GalvaClad.

GalvaGrip is Madison’s unique Surface Conditioner that eliminates the need for aggressive blasting. This environmentally-friendly, soap-like compound is simply brushed or sprayed on the metal surface. In about fifteen to twenty minutes, it dissolves oxidation, removes contaminants and lays down a layer of Madison’s exclusive AP-50 Adhesion Promoter. After the “spent” GalvaGrip is washed away with ordinary tap water, and the structure is thoroughly dried, the surface is ready to coat.