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The Northwest's Largest Galvanizer

We provide corrosion protection for steel by metallurgically bonding zinc with bare steel. This hot-dip galvanizing technique provides superior coating of zinc for premium rust protection. We have the capacity to process over 50,000 tons every year.

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Kettle Size

45’L x 6’W x 9’D

Shop Size

56,000+ sqft

Production Capabilities

50,000 tons per year

Lifting Capabilities

30 ton bridge cranes

Our Services

Since 1962, Seattle Galvanizing Company has provided superior quality and service for fabricators and contractors throughout the State of Washington and the greater Pacific Northwest area, including Hawaii and Alaska.

Additional Services

You Dream It, We Do It! Every project is unique, and so is our approach. If you have a custom need or a unique request, don’t hesitate to share. We’re here to turn your vision into reality.

Expedite Services
Pre-Fabrication Consulting
Pre and Post Galvanizing Consulting
Burn or Drill Vent/Drain Holes
Tapered Holes
Clean/Brushed Threads After Galvanizing
Application of No-Galv Paint
Pickle Only Services
Strip Galvanizing Services
Passivated Stainless-Steel Services
Sandblasting
Special Stacking of Finished Galvanized Steel
Lay Down Yard
Transportation Services
Educational Plant Tours

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Seattle Galvanizing Company not only provides steel with galvanized surfaces that will last up to a century, but we also protect the environment.

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Our Process

Seattle Galvanizing Company has a rigorous process. With over 60 years of hot-dip galvanizing experience, rest assured knowing your project is in great hands.

1. Receiving

Upon receiving your project, a dedicated checker will unload and verify against your packing list and you are notified immediately if discrepancies are found and if your project will require any vent/ drainage holes or sandblasting. Customers are notified of any damages and missing pieces through shipment and loading
2. Caustic Cleaning

Material is immersed in a heated caustic solution to remove grease, dirt, oil, and water-based paints. This process will also remove any contaminants that cannot be removed by normal chemical cleaners (ie. welding slag, splatter, and oil-based paints).
3. Caustic Rinse

Material is immersed in fresh water to remove any excess chemicals. A dedicated employee will then hose rinse your product to ensure it is prepared for the next step.
4. Acid Pickling

Material is immersed in a hot diluted Sulphuric Acid solution to remove all rust, mill scale, and any other surface contaminant.
5. Acid Rinse

Material is immersed in fresh water to remove any excess acid and iron salts. A dedicated employee will then hose rinse your product to ensure it is prepared for the next step.
6. Flux

Material is immersed in a heated aqueous Zinc-Ammonium Chloride solution. This process will remove any remaining impurities, moisture, and oxide film from the steel. Flux acts as a bonding agent to the molten zinc.
7. Drying

Material is placed in a holding area for a certain amount of time. This will ensure the Flux is air-dried and best prepared before entering the molten Zinc.
8. Galvanizing

Material is immersed in a proprietary molten Zinc mixture. Molten Zinc is heated to 840°F. Material will be removed from the Zinc mixture when the coating thickness meets and exceeds relevant ASTM standards.
9. Inspection

Material is inspected for any imperfections and is tested by American Galvanizer Association certified inspectors to ensure compliance with ASTM standards.
10. Shipping

Material is identified, staged, and checked off against customer paperwork and packaged for delivery. A dedicated personnel will verify no pieces are left behind. Certification of Compliance can be added to your invoice free of charge. Please request this upon completion of your project.

Common Questions

Q: What causes wet storage stain and how can it be prevented?

Zinc on newly galvanized steel is very reactive and wants to form zinc oxide and zinc hydroxide corrosion products that eventually become the stable zinc carbonate. When galvanized steel is tightly stacked or stored in wet boxes that don’t allow for free flowing air, the zinc forms excessive layers of zinc hydroxide, otherwise known as wet storage stain. Most wet storage stain can be easily removed with a cleaner or nylon brush. To prevent wet storage stain, store galvanized steel indoors or block it so that there is ample free-flowing air between each galvanized article.

Q: Why do galvanized steel appearances differ from project to project and galvanizer to galvanizer, and is there any difference in the corrosion protection offered by the different appearing coatings?

The steel chemistry is the primary determinant of galvanized coating thickness and appearance. Continuously cast steel produced by the steel companies has a wide variety of chemistries, thus the different coating appearances. There are several different additives galvanizers may put in their zinc kettle to enhance the coating appearance by making it shiny, spangled or matte gray. The appearance of the coating (matte gray, shiny, spangled) does nothing to change the corrosion protection of the zinc coating.

Q: What if the article to be galvanized is larger than the dimensions of the galvanizers kettle? Can it still be galvanized?

Galvanizers can progressively dip such a fabrication or article of steel. They dip one half in the molten zinc bath, remove it, turn it around or over and immerse the other half in the zinc. This method is often erroneously referred to as double dipping.

Q: Are there any special design and fabrication considerations required to make steel ready for hot-dip galvanizing?

Yes. Specifically, fabricated steel must allow for easy flow of the cleaning chemicals and molten zinc metal over and through it. This means that gussets must be cropped, holes put in the proper location for draining and venting of zinc from tubular configurations, weld flux removed, overlapping surfaces must be seal- welded, and light gauge material temporarily braced. Please contact us for design and fabrication details.

Q: What types of products can be galvanized?

Numerous different fabrications for a variety of applications are galvanized each year. Contact us about the different types of products that have been hot-dip galvanized.

Q: Sometimes, the galvanized coating is shinier in some places than others. Why is that?

The galvanized coating appearance may either be bright and shiny resulting from the presence of an outer layer of pure zinc, or duller, matte gray as the result of the coatings intermetallic layers being exposed. Performance is not affected. Coating appearance depends on the amount of zinc in the coating.

Q: What can I do to minimize possible warping and distortion? Is it possible to determine prior to galvanizing which pieces might be prone to this occurrence?

Minimizing potential warpage and distortion is easily done in the projects design stages by selecting steel of equal thicknesses for use in every separate subassembly that is to be hot-dip galvanized, using symmetrical designs whenever possible, and by avoiding the use of light-gauge steel (<1/16 / 1.6 mm). Some structures may benefit from the use of temporary bracing to help maintain their shape and/or alignment.

Q: How much weight will my material gain from galvanizing?

As an average, the weight of the article will increase by about 3.5% due to zinc picked up in the galvanizing process. However, that figure can vary greatly based on numerous factors. The fabrications shape, size, and steel chemistry all play a major role, and other factors like the black weight, the different types of steel that get welded together, and the galvanizing bath chemistry can also have an effect.

Q: What is the reason for incorporating venting and drainage holes into a projects design?

The primary reason for vent holes is to allow otherwise trapped air and gases to escape; the primary reason for drain holes is to allow cleaning solutions and molten zinc metal to flow entirely into, over, and throughout the part, and then back into the tank or kettle.

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The Northwest's Largest Galvanizer

Kettle Size

Shop Size

Production Capabilities

Lifting Capabilities

Our Services

Spin Galvanizing

Transportation Services

Abrasive Blasting Services

Industrial Painting

Additional Services

Expedite Services

Pre-Fabrication Consulting

Pre and Post Galvanizing Consulting

Burn or Drill Vent/Drain Holes

Tapered Holes

Clean/Brushed Threads After Galvanizing

Application of No-Galv Paint

Pickle Only Services

Strip Galvanizing Services

Passivated Stainless-Steel Services

Sandblasting

Special Stacking of Finished Galvanized Steel

Lay Down Yard

Transportation Services

Educational Plant Tours

Seattle Galvanizing Company not only provides steel with galvanized surfaces that will last up to a century, but we also protect the environment.

Our Process

1. Receiving

2. Caustic Cleaning

3. Caustic Rinse

4. Acid Pickling

5. Acid Rinse

6. Flux

7. Drying

8. Galvanizing

9. Inspection

10. Shipping