Thread: Zinc Plating

Zinc plated hardware is silver in colour. I believe the gold colouring is from yellow chromate passivation. I could wrong of course...... this is just from memory. Why not do a search online.

Zinc plating is just that - a clear zinc colour. If you want it 'gold' or black in colour, then specify 'gold passivated' or 'black passivated'.

It can be both depending on the process used..

You have hot dipped galvanising and electroplated zinc coatings

hot dipped galvanising is the steel is chemically cleaned then dipped into molten zinc for a short period of time...The outside layer is pure zinc and is quite thick, hot dipped galvanising is the best treatment for long term protection

Electroplated zinc is a much much thinner coating of zinc, as it is thinner and zinc is soft they then treat the zinc coating with a chromate treatment which covers the zinc with a hard non porous film...This chromate film can be clear or iridescent or a variety of colours..The standard colour is clear so it is the colour of the zinc coating..

Electroplated zinc is not well suited for outdoor use, it will rust rather quickly..

Many thanks for the replies. Seems that either colour option can apply?

The reason it's important is that these are connector bolts that have their heads exposed on the timber furniture. In this case I need the "grey/silver/zinc" colour, not the "yellow/gold/brass" colour that is more common.


Here's the debate with the supplier so far -


me : these are not the colour shown on your website for your zinc-plated connector bolts.

supplier: but these are what you ordered.

me: yes but on the understanding they were grey as per the picture, not yellow.

supplier : well that is what colour zinc plating is IE yellow



Can you see the drift here ?

I'm tempted just to get out the Penetrol and paint and do my own modifications.

Originally Posted by bosun

Many thanks for the replies. Seems that either colour option can apply?

The reason it's important is that these are connector bolts that have their heads exposed on the timber furniture. In this case I need the "grey/silver/zinc" colour, not the "yellow/gold/brass" colour that is more common.


Here's the debate with the supplier so far -


me : these are not the colour shown on your website for your zinc-plated connector bolts.

supplier: but these are what you ordered.

me: yes but on the understanding they were grey as per the picture, not yellow.

supplier : well that is what colour zinc plating is IE yellow



Can you see the drift here ?

I'm tempted just to get out the Penetrol and paint and do my own modifications.

To be fair to the supplier I bet to 99% of his customers colour does not matter, and he took it for granted that colour would not be a concern for your order as well...