If you look at the typical list of steel buildings feature, you will definitely find galvanized girts, purlins, and C-sections. What does galvanized mean? Why is it important for these components to be galvanized?

Galvanization is the process of alloying steel with another metal, zinc, to protect it from corrosion. To put it plainly, steel is coated with zinc, which acts as a rust-resistant barrier. Actually, the zinc does not just coat the steel; it actually becomes part of it, permanently.

The coating formed is an alloy between the iron in steel and zinc, which makes it extremely resistant to mechanical damage.
The zinc coating reacts with the gases in the atmosphere as well as with the water vapor in the air, to form a thin solid, resistant, and water-proof layer of zinc carbonate. This impermeable layer adheres extremely well to the underlying zinc coating, preventing further corrosion to occur.

In other words, zinc takes the full brunt of the oxidation that is likely to occur when steel is exposed to corrosive environments. Zinc acts as the sacrificial anode to save the steel.

Galvanized steel has demonstrated to be an ideal construction material for structures that are expected to stand for many years. Because of its water and salt repellent characteristics, galvanized steel is often used in the construction of aircraft carriers and submarines.

Aside from providing superior protection against rust, zinc galvanizing also allows for stronger paint adhesion. A painted galvanized steel building have a much more longer life because paints provide added protection against corrosion.