Can You Weld Galvanized Steel To Regular Steel In 2022?
Welding galvanized steel is a daunting task due to its deadly zinc coating. Still, some welders plan to weld galvanized steel to regular steel for various purposes.
But can you weld galvanized steel to regular steel? What are the difficulties of this project? Is there any easier way to weld galvanized steel to regular steel? Of course, it has.
Following that, we’ve revealed whether or not you can weld galvanized steel to regular steel, as well as the simplest know-how method.
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Can You Weld Galvanized Steel To Regular Steel?
Yes, you can weld your galvanized steel to regular steel quite easily if you apply the proper technique and the right tools. However, you must remove the zinc coating before starting the welding process so you can join the two pieces like normal steel.
How to Weld Galvanized Steel to Regular Steel?
You can easily weld your galvanized steel to regular steel by simply following a typical welding method. In this situation, you can either remove the zinc coating or let it remain.
Removing the coating before welding lowers the reworking tasks and significantly reduces the overall cost. Even after removing the zinc coat, your galvanized steel will return to normal, making it easier to weld.
Conversely, keeping the zinc coating makes the welding process riskier and causes a blow to the weld puddle.
Collect safety gears
Welding galvanized steel is highly toxic. It is finished with a zinc coating that is extremely dangerous to humans.
Thus, you must take some steps to prevent fumes. So wear a top-class welding mask, respirator, and welding gloves. Wearing a welding apron will protect your clothes from sparks.
Some welders also suggest drinking a glass of milk to counteract the zinc fumes that you can inadvertently inhale.
Use a fume extractor
If you are working on a job site or workshop, place a fume extractor two to three feet away from your wedding location. The fume extractor will absorb the fumes right away that are produced due to welding.
If you don’t have a fume extractor, set a couple of fans behind you to blow away the zinc fumes. It also makes it harder to weld in open space. If you can’t, choose a well-ventilated area and open up all its windows.
Ground the welder
You may need to ground the welders, especially those that have a clamp, to avoid shock from electrical currents. To ground the welder, open its grips and release it around the metal clamps. It’s a vital safety precaution.
Remove the zinc coating
If you want to weld galvanized steel to regular steel, you must remove its zinc coating. Otherwise, the weld puddle can pop and blow out, making the project dangerous.
After removing the coating, the galvanized steel will return to normal. And then you can weld it just like regular steel. Before starting the project, wear all your safety gear.
Then wear away the zinc coating from the galvanized steel using a grinder with a low setting. If the coat is thick, you should strike and maintain a steady arc.
Place the two steel pieces together
Place them on a work surface and position them in your desired way. Don’t hold the workpieces together while welding them.
Use an arc welder
When it comes to welding galvanized steel to regular steel, a standard arc welder is your top choice. Then choose a welding rod depending on the metal size.
Remember, nigger welding rod welds a larger area than its smaller counterpart. The most common welding rods are 7018, 6011, 6013, or 6010.
Start on one end of the joint
When welding two steel pieces together, start from the end where they meet. Turn on the welder and position the welding rod two inches away from the starting point of the joint.
Then release the flux by pushing the button. Don’t be alarmed if the spark comes out after starting welding. Keep the rod in place and you will be okay if you wear proper safety gear.
Keep applying welding flux and heating the steel
Move the welding rod two to three inches away from the joint at a time. Then they started welding again with a slightly slower motion.
After covering the surface twice, move to the next end. Repeat this technique for the entire length to weld galvanized steel to regular steel. Leave the pieces for a minimum of 15 minutes so the welding flux can settle down, and then test the bond.
Re-spray the seam
After completing the welding, re-spray the weld seam so the steel can regain its corrosion resistance that was lost. Some welders still re pray or paint their galvanized steel even though they didn’t remove the coat.
FAQs
Welding galvanized steel burns away its zinc coating around the weld. Leaving it bare or unprotected can cause expedient weld failure. Thus, it is recommended to re-spray or paint the steel to regain its corrosion resistance.
After welding galvanized steel, the zinc coating can vaporize easily. Therefore, the zinc oxide fumes will form and will then mix with the air. This gas can cause “metal fume fever” in humans. Despite this, the welder can suffer from flue inhalation.
The heat produced during welding vaporizes the zinc coating close to the weld. If you leave the area uncovered and let it be exposed to the environment, the steel will rust over time.
Final words
Welding galvanized steel is a challenging task as its zinc coating makes the process complicated. So you should weld galvanized steel to regular steel after removing its coat to lower the risk.
Plus, weld the galvanized steel outside and wear all the protective gear. If you want to weld inside the room, choose a room with sufficient ventilation. Finally, don’t forget to re-spray the steel to retain its corrosion resistance ability.
