Hot-dip galvanising results in a stronger structure that can handle exposure to the elements and the knocks that occur in the construction of prefabricated buildings.
A new industrial building in Māngere, Auckland, was designed to house a prefabrication factory that constructs small and relocatable buildings. With an open canopy design leaving the building exposed to the elements, and due to the use of machinery and vehicles within the building, strength and durability were critical. With this in mind, the design team chose to galvanise the structural canopy to add an extra layer of protection.
‘It’s an open canopy building, hard on the road in a low-rise industrial context,’ explains Maurice Langdon, Architect, Eclipse Architecture. ‘The building is quite open and it’s liable to take some knocks. We originally had a protective coating over the top, but we decided to leave that off because the galvanising route looked pretty good.’
Hot-dip galvanising creates a thick metallic envelope that completely covers the steel and seals it from the corrosive action of the environment. The metallic zinc used is highly resistant to corrosion, providing long-term protection for the steel. It is not only a long-lasting option, but also eliminates the cost and time required for onsite painting and expensive touch ups.
Perry Metal Protection hot-dip galvanised the structural steel canopy for the project at its galvanising facility. With the capacity to hot-dip galvanise beams up to 18 metres in length, this project was no problem for the Perry Metal team.
The company galvanised a range of steel beams, with the largest spanning almost 13 metres in length. The steel components were then delivered to site, with no further finishing required.
The galvanising of the structure gives the building an extra layer of protection, ensuring it doesn’t rust, and can withstand the wear and tear of the factory.
‘Galvanising makes it more robust and able to take knocks, and means the steel doesn’t chip at all, which is a real advantage in this context,’ says Langdon.
The high quality of the galvanised finish produced by Perry Metal Protection provides a clean look, in addition to high performance.
‘It looks really good,’ says Langdon. ‘It’s got a nice patina on it. And I expect that even after a couple of years, it will weather quite well.’
Ultimately, galvanising helped to reduce time on site, while providing a tidy finish and the benefit of greater durability – perfect for projects such as the factory.
‘It’s good to see plain hot-dip galvanising back in the market. And I’m pleasantly surprised to find such a reasonable quality still available,’ says Langdon. ‘If we can get this quality of product all the time, we’ll probably be looking at a little bit more hot-dip galvanising where applicable, and not so much at overcoatings.’