Abstract: A plating chamber holds a reducing or inert atmosphere heated to a temperature suited for plating or galvanizing. A pair of power-driven coating rolls are horizontally disposed in the plating chamber, one roll contacting the top surface of a metal strip to be plated and the other contacting the bottom surface. A molten coating metal is continuously supplied so as to form a uniform film of the metal on the peripheral surface of each coating roll. By means of deflector rolls horizontally disposed in the plating chamber, a metal strip heated to a temperature suited for plating continuously travels through the chamber. A surface of the strip becomes plated on contacting the peripheral surface of the coating roll on which the film of the molten coating metal has been formed. The coating rolls can be drawn away from the surface of the strip by shifting the deflector or coating rolls, so that plating can be applied to one, both or neither side of the strip as desired.