Have you ever thought about how long those galvanised steel sheets standing outdoors, enduring wind, rain, sun and rain, can hold on in harsh environments? Is it stable for years, or does it rust or damage occur in a short period of time? This seemingly simple yet suspenseful question hides numerous factors that affect the outdoor service life of galvanised steel sheets. Let's uncover this veil together and explore the truth about the outdoor use time of galvanised steel sheets.

1. Environmental factors

(1) Climate conditions: In dry, less rainy, and less polluted areas, the galvanized layer can provide good protection, and the steel plate can be used for a long time, possibly for decades. For example, in some inland arid areas, galvanised steel sheets show only slight signs of oxidation on the surface after years of use. In environments that are humid, rainy, and contain a large amount of corrosive substances in the air (such as salt in coastal areas and sulfides in industrial areas), the galvanized layer will corrode faster, and its service life may be shortened to more than ten years or even shorter.
(2) Temperature changes: Frequent and significant temperature changes can have an impact on galvanised steel sheets. High temperature will accelerate chemical reactions, causing the galvanized layer to react faster with substances in the surrounding environment; Low temperature may cause material shrinkage, stress generation, and long-term damage to the integrity of the galvanized layer, affecting its service life.

2. Process factors

(1) Galvanizing process: Hot dip galvanizing and electroplating galvanizing are two common galvanizing processes. Hot dip galvanizing is the process of immersing steel plates in molten zinc solution to form a thick galvanized layer, typically ranging from tens to hundreds of microns, with good protective performance and relatively long outdoor use time. Electrogalvanizing is the process of depositing a zinc layer on the surface of a steel plate through electrolysis. The coating is relatively thin, usually ranging from a few micrometers to over twenty micrometers, and its protective performance is relatively weak. Its outdoor service life may be shorter than that of hot-dip galvanised steel sheets.
(2) Galvanized layer thickness: Generally speaking, the thicker the galvanized layer, the stronger the protective effect on the steel plate, and the longer the outdoor use time. A thicker galvanized layer can resist external environmental erosion to a certain extent, extending the service life of the steel plate.

3. Maintenance factors

(1) Regular inspection and maintenance: If galvanised steel sheets can be regularly inspected during outdoor use to promptly detect and address surface damage, scratches, and other issues, it can prevent further corrosion from spreading and extend their service life. For example, for some areas with slight scratches, touch up paint and other treatments can be carried out.
(2) Cleaning and maintenance: Regularly removing dust, dirt, corrosive substances, etc. from the surface of steel plates can reduce the damage of these substances to the galvanized layer. Cleaning can be done by rinsing with clean water or using a suitable cleaning agent, but care should be taken to avoid using cleaning agents that are corrosive to the galvanized layer.
Overall, the service life of galvanised steel sheets outdoors is influenced by multiple factors, making it difficult to provide an absolutely accurate time. But through continuous optimization of production processes, rational selection of usage environments, and strengthened maintenance management, we are expected to maximize its outdoor service life. In the future, with the continuous advancement of materials science, galvanised steel sheets with even better performance may emerge, providing more durable and reliable guarantees for outdoor construction and engineering.