What welding rod is best for galvanized steel?
Before we dive into answering this question with a straight answer, let us explain some things common to working with galvanized steel. Firstly, a lot of people new to the trade are surprised to learn that the term “galvanized” refers only to a coating and not a special type of steel.
So galvanized steel is simply regular steel (almost always mild steel) with a coating of zinc applied in a hot-dipping process. This coating is applied purely to promote corrosion resistance, which in turn prevents rust in out-door applications. For the most part, galvanized steel is used for structural weldments.
That said, all that is needed to weld galvanized steel like regular steel, is to grind off the coating before welding. Once clean, your best choice of welding rod would be 7018’s. After welding, make sure to spray the welded area with a cold-galvanizing spray.
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