<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-07-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000055805</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NORTH AMERICAN GALVANIZING &amp; COATINGS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NGA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001194618</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SUNUNU JOHN H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>5314 S YALE AVENUE SUITE 1000</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>TULSA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OK</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>74135</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>COMMON STOCK, $.10 PAR</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-07-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1808</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>72093</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>BY THE COMPANY'S DIRECTOR STOCK UNIT TRUST</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>COMMON STOCK, $.10 PAR</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>123796</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">DIRECTOR COMPENSATION EARNED IN 2008 PLUS A MATCHING AMOUNT FROM THE COMPANY WAS DEFERRED UNDER THE DIRECTOR STOCK UNIT PROGRAM.  THE DEFERRED AMOUNTS WERE CONVERTED INTO THE RIGHT TO RECEIVE 1,808 SHARES OF COMPANY STOCK ON OR SHORTLY AFTER JULY 1, 2014.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/S/ JOHN H. SUNUNU BY BETH B. HOOD, ATTORNEY-IN-FACT</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-07-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
