Enough With The Rust! Ways To Stop Your Stock Of Cold-Rolled Steel From Rusting
Cold-rolled steel is useful when it is in good shape, but unfortunately, it tends to rust easily when exposed to moisture. Trying to keep extra amounts of cold-rolled steel in stock can be challenging because of the rust problem, but there are ways to combat it. Some of these work whether the steel is indoors or outdoors, but some rely on the steel being indoors.
Home Remedies
You've got some home-remedy type tactics you can use to prevent rust on cold-rolled steel. Key is doing something that will keep moisture off the steel, either by coating the steel so moisture can't touch it, or by removing the moisture. Wiping the steel down with motor oil is one strategy; a thin but complete coating of oil will stop moisture in the air from touching the steel. Floor wax may work as well. Note that in both those cases, you may end up with residue that has to be cleaned off before the steel can be used. Another tactic is to store the steel in a room with a dehumidifier, but that works only if you have enough indoor storage space for all the steel.
Commercial Anti-Rust Products
There are commercial anti-rust products that you can buy to try to control the rust on your stock of steel. However, these can leave a waxy residue on the steel that many find unappealing. If you and your customers don't mind cleaning off the steel when it's time to use the steel, then the products could work. However, if you don't want to deal with cleaning off the residue, or if you have a lot of steel and don't want to pay the prices that the products can sometimes command, they might not be the best choice.
Relocation
This is definitely a harsh remedy, but it does work. If you are truly having too much trouble keeping everything from rusting, even with the help of a dehumidifier, you may want to look into moving your company to a drier climate. After all, it's moisture that's contributing to the rust, and if you live in a place where the environment is noticeably humid, that steel is going to be surrounded by moisture all the time. If you already live in a dry climate and are having a rust problem, check the area where you're storing the steel. It's possible that the airflow through the area is blocked, creating a more humid microclimate that's affecting the steel.
If you're having a problem with rusty steel, the first thing to do is check the environment it's in. Then, if you still aren't sure which remedy might be best, contact a manufacturer like A & C Metals - Sawing. They may know of an additional few tricks you can try, too.
