Hi All

I've just had my replacement bulkhead blasted and zinc sprayed at the blasters. The process being a protective coating of zinc in molten particles is flame sprayed onto clean, prepared surfaces through a hand held gun. It's a winter home project but I have LVLP spray guns and compressor.

I've removed all the old seam sealer (blasting was done gently to avoid warping) treated all seams with metalmorphosis and resealed with Zinc 182 to the seams prior to resealing with Dinitrol 401 brushable seam sealer.

Question is what comes next? I want to put stone chip on the lower outer side of the foot wells and lower section of the bulkhead, I presume no point in adding etch primer over the Zince spray? is it a case of high build to give a bit of depth for flatting down then on to top coats and clear and shall I apply the stone chip direct to the Zinc after seam sealing?

Cheers guys.

To get paint to adhere to a galvanic thermal metal spray you would normally use a mordant solution such as T Wash.
https://www.galvanizing.org.uk/painting-galvanized-steel/
If you need more detailed info I can ask a friend who is a Level 3 paint inspector.

That's what I'm not sure about, its not the typical galv finish, that's dipped at 450 degrees into molten zinc the finish is bright like the below.


Click image to enlarge

This is mine below, dull finish almost like primer, if it's sanded it brightens a little here and there. The finish is rough under hand (needs flatting back a little) but a good key and base for the next stage. I don't think adhesion will be an issue.


Click image to enlarge

This is the link to what and where it was done. They've done a cracking job, very careful not to warp anything, just not sure what product it actually needs.

http://www.blastreat.co.uk/wp/zinc-spray/

We use it at work to build up old or out of spec steel, the potential issue for me would be that things like bulkheads rot from the inside out.
Aluminium has almost all the advantages of Zinc without the main disadvantage, which is weight of the finished coating.
What did the company recommend?

Retropower use this process, it is shown on the Gordon Murray's MK1 Escort series. One of the episodes shows the zinc spraying and then details the paint process afterwards - definitely worth a watch for you

You want galv in one from buzzweld and I would use fx2k liner for the stone chip or raptor

Www.buzzweld.com 2008 110 2.4 XS Utility (Hagrid)
2002 90 TD5 Hardtop (Sully) Sold
1998 300TDi D1 (Billy) Sold

Thanks for the responses, especially the videos, already watched a few more!

Moneypit, they just said it was a good sacrificial base, the two videos Hank kindly posted confirm this and on the chassis of the escort advise the Zinc will corrode instead of the steel even if exposed through the stone chip. I bought the stone chip today, UPOL Gravitex, I've had excellent results with this before.

The product I'm unsure about is what I paint on over the externally visible parts of the bulkhead, pillars corners vents etc. I'm guessing a 2k epoxy to weather proof then topcoat but does the Zinc need a barrier coat?

Shotblast (light)
Than epoxy primer