Galvanized Steel Pipe VS Stainless Steel Pipe

When you are planning to find a pipe for your project, which one will you choose? You might choose plastic pipe because it is both cheap and malleable. But will plastic pipe give your project the benefit of the doubt? The life span of a plastic pipe can become short if you are using it in a harsh environment. Whereas when you choose steel pipe, whether it is galvanized or stainless steel, it will last much longer.

In the following, we will explain to you exactly what the benefits of using steel tubes are. By the end of this blog, you should have a clearer idea of which steel pipe is the right choice for you.

What Is Galvanized Steel?

Galvanized steel is coated with a thin layer of zinc. The zinc coating protects the steel beneath it from rust. It’s used to make nuts, bolts, screws, and nails resistant to degradation when they are exposed to the weather. Galvanized steel stands up to water well — as long as it’s not salt water. Welders who work with structural steel can work with galvanized steel, although they will need protection against breathing the fumes.

What Is Stainless Steel?

Stainless steel is made by adding chromium to molten steel. It is unusually strong and resistant to rusting caused by contact with water, even salt water. Welding stainless steel is a specialized skill. Welders must exercise much more control when heating and cooling stainless steel. And they must take special care to match filler materials with the steel being welded.

Galvanized Steel Pipe

We all know that steel is often more expensive than PVC, but it is still relatively affordable. In the case of galvanized steel pipe, it is specifically designed to resist rust and corrosion. The galvanizing process, which combines zinc with steel, is quick and inexpensive, especially when compared to other steel treatment options such as painting. The steel itself is not damaged due to the protection provided by the zinc coating, so galvanized steel pipes do not need to be inspected for repairs or maintenance as often as other types of steel.

In addition, galvanized pipe costs less than most types of stainless steel pipe. Furthermore, galvanized steel pipe has corrosion and rust protection, which will enable you to complete your project better. If you need an affordable pipe, then consider choosing galvanized steel pipe over other types of steel.

However, galvanized pipes are not entirely without their drawbacks. The zinc on galvanized steel pipes will flake off over time. This is very unsafe if you want to use galvanized pipes to carry drinking water. Impurities mixed in with the water can be hazardous to human health. If you want to buy pipes to use as a means of transporting drinking water, it is best to choose stainless steel pipes.

Stainless Steel Pipe

Unlike galvanized steel, which is coated with a layer of zinc, stainless steel is mixed with metal alloys such as chromium, nickel, or carbon. In particular, the addition of a chromium component to stainless steel tubes will make the tubes more corrosion resistant.

Galvanized steel pipes may be cheaper than stainless steel, but stainless steel pipes are usually more durable. If you are working on a project that requires robust piping and is environmentally demanding, then stainless steel pipe will be more suitable than galvanized steel pipe. In addition, stainless steel pipe is excellent in terms of hygiene. It can also be used in the medical and food industries.

How Does Stainless Steel Resist Corrosion?

Stainless steel resists corrosion because of the added chromium (and sometimes other additional elements). Corrosion occurs on carbon steel when the iron from the steel is allowed to combine with oxygen in its surrounding environment. The chromium in stainless steel is able to prevent this as it combines with the oxygen and forms a passive layer of chromium oxide. This layer of chromium oxide prevents the formation of iron oxide, (also known as rust), in many situations, so long as the chromium content of the steel is great enough. Different grades of stainless steel designate and dictate the required amounts of chromium and other alloying elements, which helps to indicate the level of corrosion resistance.

How Does Galvanized Steel Resist Corrosion?

Galvanized steel resists corrosion because of the zinc coating covering the carbon steel. The zinc layer serves two purposes:

1. It prevents oxygen from coming into contact with the steel, therefore reducing the possibility of corrosion.
2. Even if the zinc coating were to experience minor damage and expose small amounts of iron to the atmosphere, the nearby zinc on the rest of the coating is more reactive than steel. This makes the zinc more likely to attract an oxygen molecule than the iron, which prevents rust from forming on the steel.

Applications of Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is typically used in applications where the risk of corrosion is a major concern and not permissible. Areas of use for stainless steel include:

Food processing equipment

Pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment

Aerospace engine components

Kitchen appliances

Certain types of fasteners

Applications of Galvanized Steel

Galvanized steel is used for applications where corrosion is not desirable, but small amounts may be permissible and aesthetics are not much of a concern. Applications for galvanized steel include:

Duct work

Automotive components

Some types of fasteners

Structural beams

Metal cabinetry

Railing

Walkways

Traffic signs

Electric poles

Which Kind of Steel Stands up Better?

As you look through the characteristics of these two types of steel, you can see they are very different from each other. Both kinds of steel are applicable to a huge range of products, but one type will always be a better choice than the other.

There are situations in which you need to stay away from stainless steel. This product stands up to salt water, but it is quickly degraded after exposure to chlorinated water. You also need to avoid any design in which two stainless steel components generate friction against each other. They can weld themselves together.

As great as galvanized steel is, there are also situations in which the choice of galvanized steel needs additional consideration. Usually, steel should be welded before it is galvanized, not after. Welding steel after it has been galvanized burns away the protective layer of zinc at the weld. It may be necessary to regalvanize galvanized steel after it is welded to protect the joint.

If you are building the rocket that will send the Space Force to Mars, you will probably need to work with stainless steel. You will also need stainless steel if you get a contract to build an ocean-bound submarine. But for most down to earth uses of steel on land, your most economical choice, in terms of both material and labor costs and life of the project, will be galvanized steel.

Ask the Professionals for Help

Whether you choose stainless steel or galvanized steel pipes, seek help from professionals. Wanzhi Steel is one of the top steel pipe manufacturers in China, with extensive experience in manufacturing and exporting. At Wanzhi Steel you can buy quality steel pipe products. Our professional staff will help you with your project. Contact us now for a steel pipe solution.