Pasture Gates: Galvanized or Painted, which lasts longer?

[Charliezmom]

So which ones resist rusting longer…the powder coated/painted ones or the galvanized ones?

I’ve only ever used the painted ones and it seems like as soon as the paint gets scratched they rust. So now I’m considering galvanized but wasn’t sure if there was a significant difference.

[khall]

Galvanized. I have the 2 in diameter ones and other than some oops with horses/vehicles the gates are still going strong 10 yrs later.

[Calvincrowe]

Galvanized!

[HungarianHippo]

Galvanized, and I like that they’re typically much lighter than the painted steel gates- so much easier on my gate posts. (That does mean, though, they they dent more easily.)

ETA: But you can re-paint the painted gates. When a galvanized gate starts to rust, you’re kinda SOL

[clanter]

regarding powder coat… it depends upon the thickness of the coat and quality of the paint used… just because it is “powdered coated” doesn’t mean a darn thing

for galvanization … if hot dipped “after assembly” it ensures all wields are coated

if cold galvanized… that isn’t much better than taking a paint brush to it

[gumtree]

We have several of the heavy well made “mesh” powder coated (blue) gates that have been in use for over 10 years. They still look great. Even the cheaper light weight powder coated gates form Tractor Supply have held up well, paint wise. Can’t say the same for the unpainted galvanized, lots of rust colored areas. Don’t know what “quality” they were.

Personally I wouldn’t buy anything but the powder coated. Ours have stood the test of time.

[Charliezmom]

Thanks guys!

For the most part our “economy” powder coated gates are in good shape. We had one that was scratched up during delivery and I hadn’t ever gotten around to re-painting that spot and its rusted now. Other than that the gates look ok.

The sheds and house have galvanized roofing, I can’t help but wonder if that was more durable than a thin layer of paint.

[reubenT]

acidity will eat up the galvanization, but won’t touch the paint. But paint scratches easier, a thicker tougher paint job helps. So it depends on the environment which would be better. A couple years ago my brother and I took out a lot of galvanized chainlink hiway fence that was over 30 years old, still good solid fence except where it was buried and the soil acids ate it up. But it was a high grade fence, heavy pipe and very heavy coating.