Why should I use galvanised racking when building a structure outdoors?

Recently we lost an order for an outdoor install at a client’s brewery. When viewing our clients newly installed (used) storage system we realised it was designed and made for indoor only use.

When looking around you will see plenty of outdoor racking (and we see it regularly at clients’ sites) which is not galvanised. This is a dangerous shortcut in view of trying to save money because non galvanised steel will rust much faster than a galvanised product.

It is very important to understand that the galvanising process on steel is designed to bond to the surface to make it much more durable for longer term outdoor storage solutions. Powder coated products are surface painted and not treated in the same way and for this reason you cannot use powder coated product outdoors.

If you install powder coated pallet racking outdoors it will not take very long for the sun to penetrate the paint coating which will then force this to crack, then peel, then be completely removed. At this point in time you have completely unprotected steel which rust will rapidly penetrate into and the integrity of your structure will very quickly be compromised. You will first see the paint lose its colour very fast in the sunlight and that is the beginning of the process of losing the integrity of the product.

Do not shortcut the safety of your requirements by cutting costs and compromising your outdoor structure.