×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

fully closing a steel support - problems?

fully closing a steel support - problems?

fully closing a steel support - problems?

(OP)
I'm fabricating 4  steel columns that will serve as a replacement for 4 wooden posts which support a roof similar to a carport.

It will need to be welded onto a baseplate (with bolt holes), and I intend to weld the upper end shut as well.

This won't be hot dipped nor powdercoated afterwards, only painted.
Should I worry about any moisture inside, as I'll do this at home, no special controlled environment nor the ability of drying the inside to a 100% dry.

The upper end will be protected for the rain by the roof.
So should I have weep holes, those at the bottom are more likely to see water entering from rain "ricoshet", and I can't really paint the inside. According to me I'd be better off without.

Your thoughts?

RE: fully closing a steel support - problems?

Put a small weephole in the baseplate. Better safe than sorry.

RE: fully closing a steel support - problems?

I would leave it sealed.

RE: fully closing a steel support - problems?

(OP)
I would prefer sealed too, but what would the "sorry" option mean?
If there was an initial small amount of water inside, how much would/could it corrode?
Rust = oxides, so once all the water is transformed into oxides, it should stop rusting, no?

RE: fully closing a steel support - problems?

Rust is a reaction with oxygen in air. Water just facilitates the reaction.

RE: fully closing a steel support - problems?

Keep it sealed.  Slight corrosion inside will consume remaining oxygen and further corrosion will cease.

RE: fully closing a steel support - problems?

Sealed.  
Extra paint near the bottom, or gutters and downspouts to deal with rain ricochet.

 

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

RE: fully closing a steel support - problems?

(OP)
Thanks for your thoughts...
Sealed it will be.

I'll blow through the steel columns with a hair dryer for piece of mind...

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources