Choosing between Galvanized and Stainless Steel for Wire Rope, Cable and Strand products often comes down to one critical issue: long-term performance and reliability. This decision not only impacts the functionality of your entire project, but choosing the right option improves longevity and limits future maintenance needs.
When choosing Cable, Strand or Wire Rope materials, a few factors come into play. Cost, breaking strength, corrosion and abrasion resistance, durability and more must be considered to ensure you’re choosing the right product for your next project.
Continue reading below to learn more about both material options, the advantages that they present and what common applications are most suited to either Galvanized or Stainless Steel.
Galvanized Steel
Galvanized Steel consists of carbon steel with a zinc coating, used to add extra protection. Our domestically manufactured Galvanized products provide additional corrosion resistance compared to bare carbon steel products. The individual strands are coated with zinc to reduce the steel wire’s exposure to potentially corrosive environments.
Galvanized products add weight and durability to lighter materials to become a competitive alternative to Stainless Steel. This material is useful for heavy-duty lifting and suspension tasks.
Although breaking and tensile strength may not be typically high, this product material does offer longevity and durability as the core materials are protected in their application.
Main Advantages
- Galvanized Steel is very cost-effective, offering a cheaper solution in applications that do not require the robust durability of Stainless Steel.
- In less severe environments, the zinc coating acts as a protective layer and provides initial corrosion and rust resistance.
- As a more lightweight option than Stainless Steel, Galvanized Steel provides a great strength-to-weight ratio.
Stainless Steel
One of our most commonly sold materials, with multiple alloys available, Stainless Steel has excellent versatility and strength to handle the difficult conditions of industries we serve.
For added versatility, we have multiple Stainless alloys available to cater to different needs. Our Cable, Strand Wire Rope products are available in 302, 304, 305 and 316 grades depending on the construction and grade, to offer the material qualities specific to different applications.
302 is highlighted by high strength, 304 provides a good balance of properties, 305 enhances formability and 316 is best in severe environments with high corrosion risks.
Our wire product lines are also available in countless other Stainless alloys. For a full list of our alloys, along with chemical compositions and more, visit our alloy page here.
Main Advantages
- The superior corrosion resistance of Stainless Steel promotes versatility across various demanding industries.
- Stainless Steel possesses high strength and durability to promote the long-lasting performance you need.
- With no need for re-coating and very little need for treatment, Stainless Steel is considered a very low maintenance material option.
Common Application of Materials
Having information on each material and knowing their advantages can be beneficial, but now it’s time to decide which one suits your project best. Let’s look at a few of the industries we serve and the material choices that make the most sense for each.
- Automotive
- Body panels and chassis parts where lightweight options are best would typically use Galvanized Steel.
- High pressure applications like engine components or suspension springs would use Stainless for its high strength and durability.
- Construction
- Applications such as roofing or structural steel where a coating should be enough to protect the material, and ease of installation is important, lightweight Galvanized Steel can be used for its great strength-to-weight ratio.
- Consumer Goods
- Home appliances, outdoor furniture and more where cost-effectiveness is more important than sheer strength and durability can use Galvanized Steel, with the aesthetic appeal of the coating playing a role as well.
- Marine
- For Marine applications where a main concern is saltwater corrosion affecting the longevity and performance of a product, Stainless Steel is the smarter choice.
- Mining/Oil and Gas
- For similar reasons, both of these industries fit more with the strengths of Stainless Steel. The high pressure, toxic environments, and temperature changes of the downhole applications in Oil and Gas plants as well as mines can compromise materials that don’t possess chemical resistance and high strength.
Choosing Between Galvanized and Stainless
To summarize, many of the applications where Galvanized is chosen over Stainless Steel involve a lesser need for strength and corrosion resistance, and a focus on lightweight material, longevity, and a protective coating while also getting a more budget friendly option.
Stainless is the better choice for high breaking strengths, high pressure applications and corrosive or damp environments. Its versatility and durability make it a common material across countless applications and industries.
If you’re still not sure about your specific application, and what materials you may require, contact our knowledgeable sales team at [email protected] and we can help find the solution catered to your exact needs!
Investing in our Premium Materials
Regardless of your project requirements, our custom manufacturing, expertise, and premium materials mean we can always find you a solution. Both our Galvanized and Stainless Steel products provide reliability that you can trust.
If you’re ready to make your material choice and start your next project, Request a Quote with us today!
