For over a century, zinc has enhanced the longevity and performance of steel.

Zinc coatings provide the most effective and economical way of protecting steel against corrosion. More recently, steel is finding increased worldwide use as a framing element in new residential construction. This document addresses anticipated long-term performance.

In North America, light-gauge, cold-formed steel was first used in the 1930's and there is no documentation of failure due to corrosion when the building envelope has been maintained in a sound condition. To go beyond this anecdotal history it has been necessary to conduct tests in actual homes with diverse climates and a range of construction practices.

To date all test results, worldwide, indicate that there is little corrosion in residential construction under normal conditions. Minor corrosion, if present, will not adversely affect the anticipated life of a structure. Some conditions of exposure to salt water ions can be more severe than average, but have been noted with recommendations for their mitigation.

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