Method and device for coating a continuously moving metal strip, according to which said strip, after having received its coating, is heated in a heating section, especially for evaporating solvents and for drying or curing the coating, and then cooled in water. A continuous series of sheet-metal elements is provided between the inlet of the tunnel furnace and the outlet of the water cooler so as to make the whole assembly gas-tight, and a device for atmosphere separation by injection of a gas at a temperature above the dew point of the solvents is placed between the outlet of the tunnel furnace and the inlet of the water cooler.
