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  for Metal Finishing since 1989
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A rust inhibitive coating to replace galvanizing

2007

I am in the Irrigation business and we currently galvanize all our pipe?

I am looking for a more cost effective method of rust protection.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,

Luke Pare
Galvanizer - Norfolk, Nebraska, USA

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Must you use steel pipe, Luke?

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
September , 2007

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2007

Ted's right. Must you use steel pipe? Plastic pipe (such as PVC) will not rust. Plus, I personally think it's a lot easier to handle and assemble than steel pipe (at least, that's my impression).

Galvanizing is about the cheapest/easiest way you're going to protect steel pipe. There are other coating methods out there, but they're going to be expensive. Cathodic protection might work, but you'd have to invest in all the equipment to protect the piping.

If you're looking for an "install and forget" system, some type of plastic, non-metal pipe is probably the way to go.

Christian Restifo
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania