What is Galvanized Steel Coil?

Galvanized steel coil is a special type of steel coil used in a number of different applications within fabrication and manufacturing environments. Steel coil of any kind is flat stock that is thin enough to be rolled into a coil or wound into a continuous roll. It is also able to be rolled out flat and cut at any length or shape needed. Having the steel coil galvanized helps the user by allowing it to be applied in outdoor fabrication projects.

Galvanized steel coil can be used outside because of its natural ability to avoid rust or corrosion. The coil itself is usually available in different dimensions. It may range from from 6 inches to 24 inches wide (15 cm to 51 cm), and up to 10 feet (3 m) long when rolled out flat.

The galvanized steel coil that most construction workers use is often found in roofing applications. There, it is used as a protective cover or barrier over ridges and valleys in the roof system. The coil is rolled out flat on the roof, and bent either over the top of a ridge or into the crease in a valley, to protect the seam in the roof’s sheeting from exposure to the elements. It also creates a watershed for the runoff of rain and melting snow or ice.

When used in roofing, there is typically a sealant applied to the underside of the coil. The sealing is applied before it is nailed down to the roof. It prevents any watershed from being able to seep underneath the coil stock.

Other exterior applications for galvanized coil stock are usually formed at a sheet metal brake. There, the coil stock is cut to length and then bended and hemmed at the right angles and measurements to form curbing or fascia for building elements that may deteriorate due to exposure to outdoor elements. The installer using the coil should know beforehand, however, that these applications should not involve treated lumber products, because the chemicals in treated lumber will cause the coil stock to disintegrate.

Still other uses for galvanized steel coil involve manufacturing environments where thicker coils are used for the manufacturing of smaller parts. The smaller parts are cut and shaped out of the coil as it’s rolled into a stamp-and-press machine. Galvanized steel coil can also be welded and seamed, so it can be used for different tank fabrications that don’t involve corrosive materials. The uses for steel in coil stock form are numerous and expansive, because of the manipulability of the material and its natural resistance to the elements that other types of steel or metal aren’t able to withstand.