Does Valmont-Newmark coat the inside of the poles with galvanizing or paint?
A. During the galvanizing process the entire pole is immersed in the bath of molten zinc. Because the pole is immersed in both the cleaning solutions, flux and zinc, the inside surface is adequately cleaned and a good layer of zinc bonds to the pole. This process protects the pole inside and out. On painted poles, only the outside of the pole can be painted. Due to their small size there is no way to mechanically clean the inside of the pole adequately for the paint to bond to the surface. This is why non-galvanized painted steel poles need to be sealed, to prevent moisture from reaching the interior surface and causing corrosion. If paint over galvanizing is specified there is no need to be concerned about the interior as the zinc will provide protection.
