Learn More About Zinc

Thinking about using Zinc for your next project? While often hidden as a plating on screws, pure zinc is a beautiful and functional architectural metal. To help you discover its uses, here are five important factors regarding Zinc:

1. The "Living" Patina Like copper, zinc is a living metal. It reacts with the air to form a protective, matte gray patina (zinc carbonate). This layer is self-healing; if scratched, the metal re-oxidizes to cover the damage, making it incredibly long-lasting.
2. Sacrificial Protection Zinc is chemically more active than steel or aluminum. This makes it the perfect "sacrificial anode." In marine environments, zinc anodes are bolted to boat hulls; the zinc corrodes instead of the expensive boat parts.
3. Formability Zinc sheet is malleable and easy to work with standard tools. It is widely used for bar tops and countertops because it can be bent around edges easily and provides a unique, rustic industrial aesthetic.
4. Low Melting Point Zinc melts at a relatively low temperature (~787°F). This makes it the primary metal for die-casting (Zamak alloys) used to make Matchbox cars, zippers, and faucet handles.
5. Eco-Friendly and Recyclable Zinc is 100% recyclable. Because of its low melting point, recycling zinc requires a fraction of the energy needed for other metals, making it a sustainable choice for building materials.

Some common uses for Zinc:

1. Countertops and bar tops
2. Roofing and gutters
3. Sacrificial anodes (marine)
4. Die-cast toys and hardware
5. Organ pipes
6. Batteries

How Online Metals Can Help You Online Metals makes it easy to find exactly what materials you need. With the widest selection of Zinc sheet and rod in the U.S., we deliver both to businesses and homes with no minimum orders. We offer high-tolerance custom cuts, all supported by our first-in-class customer support, fast order processing, and economical on-time delivery.