Calculating costs

摘要

Hot-dip galvanize or paint the fence? Paint or hot-dip galvanize the fabricated structural steel entranceway? Galvanize and then paint the steel sculpture? No matter how you ask the question there are certain variables that must be analyzed in order to arrive at the answer, not the least of which is cost. While initial cost is often the decisive factor when selecting a corrosion protection system for a steel ornamental fence/gate, structural awning, or artwork project, there are often other costs that dwarf this initial funding outlay. Those costs are associated with a series of scheduled maintenance costs necessary to protect the project from corrosion over the planned service life. For maximum protection of the asset, plans should be based on an ideal maintenance cycle. For paint systems an ideal cycle calls for touchup, maintenance painting, and full repainting prior to visual evidence of substrate steel corrosion. However, on most projects a practical, less rigorous cycle is used and this means maintenance is conducted when the coating has deteriorated to the point where the fence or art object looks to be in disrepair and iron oxide (rust) is visibly evident. For a hot-dip galvanized corrosion protection system, maintenance is normally many decades after the initial coating is applied and usually only requires minimal surface preparation and the application of a zinc-rich spray coating.