galvanized frame and paint question

[shawnkfl]

i am going to have my frame built at work and have the option to have it galvanized at no cost to me. can i paint black over the galvanized frame? what paint should i use? i was thinking por-15. i'm going to build it with 2 x 3 tube, so the benefit of galvanizing will be protection inside of the tubes. i will cap the ends of all tubes, but will leave a mousehole for the galvanizing to flood them.

[Alphacarina]

Yep - You can . . . . so long as you use the special primer made for galvanized surfaces first

Don

[cuyeda]

By galvanizing a frame, are there any significant weight increases? There is a galvanizing plant across the street from where I work. I see a variety of trailer frames being trucked out from time to time. If the cost is not to expensive, I would consider coating it since the plant is local.

[shawnkfl]

there is a weight increase, but it's minimal. the galvanized coating is usually about the thickness of a coat paint. some places do really cake it on though. make sure all of the slag from welding is chipped off and clean the welds good. if there is any slag left, it pops off while the galvanizing is cooling and leaves a bare spot exposed. my galvanizing is free because of the quantity of business we give them. i'm not sure how much it would cost if i had to pay for it. don't worry about taking in clean steel. it can be pretty rusty on the surface, since it gets a chemical wash first.

[Trackstriper]

I called the the primary hot-dip operation in Atlanta today to see how much it costs. They have a minimum of $260 which should get a small trailer frame galvanized.

[cuyeda]

My verbal quote received for a small trailer, was approx. $500. The quote was an estimate, and will depend on the weight of the trailer frame. The quote was based on not seeing, or weighing the frame.

[Leon]

You can paint with regular paint, just "pickle" it first. We would wash the galvanize with vinegar before painting, and this was on a commercial paint line.

[madprinter]

I've painted galvanized tin with the vinagar wash method. It stayed on for a good 10 years I know. Of course it was'nt rooling down the highway though.

[G-force]

The way galvanize works for corrosion protection, is basicaly you are sealing the surface with sacrificail anode. Basicaly, the zinc is supposed to corrode into a whiteish powder instead of the steel. I would assume it needs to be exposed to the elements for this to happen. I suppose you cold paint it, you wold be sealing the galvinize from the elements the same way paint would seal plain steel. I suppose it will give you an extra layer of protection should your paint chip. Personaly, i painted my trailer with oil based Rustolium and am happy with how it came out. It goes on thick and protects well.

[Alphacarina]

For a teardrop frame, I would rather have it painted with a 2 part epoxy enamel than have it galvanized anyway - The hot dip galvanizing process will add at least 10% to the weight of the frame, whereas the paint is much lighter

Now if you're regularly planning on backing it into salt water, then the galvanized would be preferable

Don