Why Is Your Steel Structure Rusting So Fast? (And How To Fix It Permanently)

Rust marks have been found by many individuals to be present on their storage space, work area, or even arena, only a few years after their use. This is a common complaint for steel building owners and in most cases, rust could have been prevented.

The appearance of rust is a sign of aging and neglect on your building. Not only does rust reduce the structure’s strength and life expectancy by more than 50%, but also can incur substantial repair costs and possibly structural failure.

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5 Main Reasons Your Steel Structure Is Rusting Prematurely

1. Poor Quality Surface Preparation & Paint System

Many cheap manufacturers cut corners on surface preparation and use low-quality paint. They might:

• Bypass the use of correct sandblasting techniques to effectively eliminate all mill scale and other contaminates from the material
• Apply only one or two thin coats of paint when three to four coats would be the correct application
• Apply a general paint that was not made to be used in outdoor industrial settings and therefore will quickly deteriorate
• Not apply the appropriate primer coat

The result: The paint starts peeling and chipping within 2-3 years, exposing the bare steel to moisture and oxygen.

A good paint system should include:

• Sandblasting to SA 2.5 standard
• 1 coat of epoxy primer (50-80μm)
• 2 coats of polyurethane topcoat (80-120μm total)
• Total dry film thickness (DFT) of 130-200μm

This system will protect your steel for 15-20 years with minimal maintenance.

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2. Design Flaws That Trap Water & Dirt

No matter how well the paint system is applied, the presence of water accumulating inside the structure will eventually lead to failure.

Some examples of bad design that lead to corrosion are:

• No slope to the roof (5% minimum slope recommended)
• Missing or blocked gutters and downspouts
• Flat surfaces where water can pool
• Poor air movement inside of building causing humidity
• Sharp corners or edges where paint cannot get to properly

Water trapped in these areas will eventually seep through the paint and cause rust from the inside out.

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3. Harsh Environmental Conditions

Corrosiveness of Other Environments:

• Coastal Areas – Salt in the air causes metal to rust up to five times as fast as normal.
• Industrial Areas and Chemicals – Chemical plant emissions and other types of pollution can cause a rapid deterioration of any coating material.
• High Humidity Areas – Constant moisture in the air causes a rapid rate of corrosion.
• High Snow/Rain Areas – Often have prolonged exposure to water.

If your structure falls within any of these categories, you will need to use a much more durable type of corrosion protection system.

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4. Damage During Transportation & Installation

Steel items are susceptible to scratches and dents during the transport and installation process. Even minor scratches, while appearing small, present a good opportunity for moisture to get onto the steel surface area; rust will develop and begin to spread from the damaged area, under any paint that may be present on the steel surface. Another source of premature rusting occurs when installers do not touch up these scratches before the installation project is finished.

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5. Lack of Regular Maintenance

Quality steel buildings are susceptible to rust without frequent and adequate cleaning and maintenance.

Therefore, building ownersusers should：

• Conduct regular building inspections annually and look for signs of damage such as chips,scratches and places where the paint may be peeling.
• Periodically clean out gutters and downspouts to avoid the possibility of water building up in them.
• Apply paint to areas that were not painted because they were damaged immediately.
• Completely remove all salt, chemical and dirt residues from the steel surface.

A small steel rust spot could develop into a large scale rust case in some three years if these simple maintenance practices are not followed.

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How To Stop Your Steel Structure From Rusting

1. Choose The Right Corrosion Protection System

If you’re thinking about purchasing a steel building, the price isn’t everything you need to consider. You also want to find out about the corrosion protection system:

• What surface preparation standard is being used?
• How many coats of paint is the company using?
• What type of paint are they applying?
• What is the total dry film thickness?
• Do you sell buildings made of galvanized steel?

The best protection can be obtained by using hot-dip galvanizing along with paint system, and can last for nearly 30 years if in highly corrosive environment.

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2. Optimize The Building Design

Work with your manufacturer to design a building that minimizes water trapping:

• Ensure proper roof slope (minimum 5%)
• Install adequate gutters and downspouts
• Add ridge vents and wall vents to improve ventilation
• Use rounded edges instead of sharp corners
• Design for easy maintenance access

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3. Inspect During Transportation & Installation

• Inspect all steel components when they arrive at your site
• Note any scratches or dents and make sure they are touched up before installation
• Supervise the installation process to ensure proper handling of components
• Do a final inspection before accepting the project

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4. Implement A Regular Maintenance Schedule

Create a simple maintenance checklist and follow it:

• Quarterly: Clean gutters and downspouts
• Annually: Full visual inspection of the entire building
• As needed: Touch up any damaged paint immediately
• Every 5-10 years: Reapply topcoat if necessary

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Bingfa Steel’s Superior Corrosion Protection Solution

At Bingfa Steel, we understand that corrosion protection is the most important part of a steel building’s lifespan. That’s why we never cut corners on our paint systems.

All our steel structures come with:

• Sandblasting to SA 2.5 standard: Removes all mill scale, rust and impurities
• 3-coat paint system: Epoxy primer + 2 coats of polyurethane topcoat
• 150μm minimum total dry film thickness: Ensures long-lasting protection
• Color customization: Choose from 20+ standard colors
• Galvanized steel option: Available for coastal and industrial areas

We also provide detailed maintenance instructions and touch-up paint kits with every project, so you can keep your building looking new for decades.

Our steel buildings are designed to last 50+ years with proper maintenance, and we back them up with a 10-year warranty on our paint system.

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Conclusion

Rusting too soon usually happens because of low-quality materials, a flawed design, or not enough maintenance—not because of steel.

When you select a manufacturer with a good reputation that offers a high quality corrosion protection system, design your structure to the highest standards possible and establish and maintain a regular maintenance program, your steel building can be around for many years (generations) without concern of (prevention of) the rusting of your steel building.

If your existing steel construction exhibits corrosion issues, or you are planning a new steel structure and wish to prevent this type of issue, you will be pleased to know that we can help you with both.

Contact us today for a free consultation and quote. Engineers from our company will evaluate your circumstances, and they will recommend a corrosion protection solution tailored to your requirements.

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