The fact is hot-dip galvanized steel is less expensive than paint. Empirical cost and performance data provided by the paint industry show initial and life-cycle galvanizing costs are lower. Additionally, time to the job site is shorter because galvanizing is done regardless of weather conditions and requires no field touch-up, unlike paint. Because galvanized steel performs for 75 years or more without maintenance, there are no indirect costs (traffic delays, business interruption, structural failure) caused by road closures, as is normal for paint used on bridges, railing, sign/light poles, etc.

Developed in 2009 as part of a Talking Points series for legislators and the general public, this one-page handout is a visual breakdown of the costs of hot-dip galvanizing and two paint coating systems. Initial cost, life-cycle costs, schedule cost, and indirect cost are all compared.