Repairing Galvanised Steel with FerPrime Grey

Repairing Corroded Galvanised Steel with FerPrime Grey

Although galvanized coatings are highly abrasion resistant - damage may occur once the galvanized steel leaves the galvanizer’s facility due to extremely rough handling, installation techniques, or in-service conditions. 

Sometimes, small areas of the galvanized item may be uncoated due to contaminants on the steel.

There are three accepted repair methods for Galvanised Steel

• Applying zinc-rich paint
• Coating with zinc solder
• Spraying with molten zinc (metalizing)
  

Here we are looking at “applying a zinc-rich paint”.

This method is often quite erroneously called “cold galvanizing,” and is appropriate for touch up and repair. As with the application of any paint, procedures are important and should be carried out prior to painting

• remove loose scale, rust, oxides, dust etc
  
• remove organic soils such as oil, cutting fluids, grease etc
  
• remove any zinc high spots
  

Once the surface has been prepared, Ferprime Grey can be applied

Ferprime Grey is applied directly to the untreated or rusty steel, which is then converted to a grey, zinc rich, resinous layer that resists further corrosion and protects the underlying surfaces.

Ferprime Grey is brushed onto the surface and if correctly applied will give a coating thickness of around 20 to 30 microns. Ferprime is a water based product and drying times will vary according to local temperature and humidity. Normally surfaces are touch dry ready to re-coat in around 10 minutes to 2 hours. Note that Ferprime is a reactive primer, and time must be allowed for the product to convert any rust to a grey organic complex.

If the Ferprime is not to be painted over, it is advisable to apply a second coat after the initial coating has touch dried. This will give a final coating thickness of around 60 microns, which should be adequate for most conditions.


Ferprime can be thinned down with water if required to enable use in spray equipment. The amount of water to be added will depend on the type of spray equipment being used.


FerPrime Grey can be purchased HERE