Short answer: if it's going indoors or it's a short-life job, painted black steel is fine. If it's outdoors, exposed, or anywhere within a few kilometres of the coast, go galvanised. The middle ground — most Gold Coast patios, sheds and gates — is usually DuraGal.
The four finishes you'll see at the yard
- Painted (black) — a thin shop primer over raw steel. Cheap, but it's protection in name only.
- DuraGal — a pre-galvanised in-line zinc coating. Clean finish, paints well, ideal for general Gold Coast use.
- ALLGAL — a heavier pre-galvanised structural section with thicker zinc than standard DuraGal. A step up in life for the same shape.
- Hot-dip galvanised — the finished steel is dunked in molten zinc. Thick, tough, the longest-lasting finish you can buy off the shelf.
Side by side
| Painted | DuraGal / ALLGAL | Hot-dip galvanised | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $ (cheapest) | $$ | $$$ |
| Indoor use | Yes | Yes | Yes (overkill) |
| Outdoor (inland) | Topcoat needed | Yes | Yes |
| Coastal (within 1km) | Not recommended | OK with topcoat | Best choice |
| Maintenance | Re-paint regularly | Light — paint as needed | Effectively none |
| Touch-up after cutting | Brush primer + paint | Cold-gal spray on cut ends | Cold-gal spray on cut ends |
| Typical lifespan outdoors | 5–10 years if maintained | 15–25 years | 30–50+ years |
When painted is fine
Painted steel is the right pick for indoor structural work, hidden bracing inside a wall or floor, shop fittings, and short-term projects. It's also the standard for jobs that will be powder-coated or wet-painted afterwards — you don't pay for galv you're about to bury under paint.
When to step up to DuraGal or ALLGAL
DuraGal is the default for most outdoor steelwork on the Gold Coast: patios, posts, sheds, light gates, balustrading. ALLGAL is the same idea with more zinc, so it lasts longer in the same conditions. Either welds and paints cleanly, and a quick squirt of cold-gal on the cut ends keeps the protection continuous.
When hot-dip is worth the money
If you're within a kilometre of the beach (Palm Beach, Currumbin, Tugun, Kingscliff), or building something you never want to touch again — heavy gates, pool fences, marine handrails, jetty hardware — hot-dip galvanising is the only finish that earns its keep. We arrange dipping through our local galvaniser as part of the fab job, so you get the steel back ready to install.
One thing people get wrong
Galv steel still rusts at the cut ends if you don't touch them up. Two minutes with a cold-gal spray can after every cut or weld will add years to the job. Cheap insurance.
Not sure which way to go? Ring the yard or drop in — we'll talk through where it's going and what makes sense.
Browse painted and galvanised stock at the yard.
