Water damage is one of the biggest risks to metal components. Corrosion and rust often takes time to build up, but once it does, the damage can be irreversible.
While metal doors in most areas of the UK can keep corrosion at bay thanks to finishes that protect against adverse weather, the most they usually have to deal with is weather. Even in our rainy climate, that’s nothing compared to the impact wet conditions have on steel doors in more extreme environments, such as on an oil rig or ship.
Doors don’t even need to be battered by waves each day to feel the effects of corrosion – coastal areas will generally see more corrosion than landlocked areas, as humidity is much higher near the coast. Saltwater is also far more corrosive than fresh water – and the combination of salt and humid air means metal will corrode 10 times faster than it would elsewhere.
While a weather-resistant steel door is hardly going to rust overnight in a coastal town or a warehouse close to the docks, it nonetheless doesn’t quite offer the best protection from corrosion in a coastal or maritime setting.
Steel doors for coastal properties and maritime usage
Specialised marine-grade steel doors offer maximum resistance to the damage caused by harsh conditions, using zinc-coated, galvanised and stainless steel to ensure optimum protection, with additional weather seals around the thresholds to keep water out, and marine-quality paint finishes that mean the colour will hold up as well as the metal.
They have become essential for use at oil rigs, and a wide range of commercial and industrial coastal locations, resisting the wear and tear that would cause a regular steel door to become irreparably damaged. They are also popular choices for swimming pools across the UK, which face similar challenges when it comes to water damage.
While a wide range of industrial doors will perform well in wetter environments and climates, they will require more oversight and maintenance to keep them from being damaged, and will likely provide a shorter lifespan when compared to a door that has been carefully tailored to perform in these conditions.
If you have any questions regarding marine-grade doors, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us – the NGF team have a great deal of experience manufacturing these doors to a wide variety of specifications, as well as installing them at sites across the UK – and just off its shorelines.
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