I’ve noticed the same thing—rinsing and covers seem to do more than any chemical I’ve tried. On roofs, we see salt creep under flashings and into seams no matter what. Has anyone tried using sacrificial zinc strips for outdoor gear, like folks do on metal roofs? Curious if that’d help with grills or patio stuff.
Has anyone tried using sacrificial zinc strips for outdoor gear, like folks do on metal roofs? Curious if that’d help with grills or patio stuff.
- Zinc strips work wonders on roofs, but I’m not sure they’d do much for grills or patio furniture. The idea is the zinc slowly corrodes instead of the steel, but it needs rainwater to wash the zinc ions over the surface. Most grills and patio stuff don’t get rained on the same way a roof does.
- Tried sticking a chunk of zinc near my old smoker once (just for kicks). Didn’t notice any difference—still got rust spots where the paint chipped. Maybe if you could somehow attach it so water runs over both? But then you’re basically building a mini roof…
- Covers and regular rinsing seem to be the only things that really slow down salt air damage for me too. Chemicals are hit or miss—WD-40 helps short term, but it’s messy.
- If you’re handy, maybe experiment with a zinc strip on something cheap first? I’d love to hear if anyone actually got it to work outside of roofing.
Salt air just finds a way, doesn’t it?
Salt air just finds a way, doesn’t it?
Ain’t that the truth. I’ve seen so many “clever” fixes over the years, but salt air always wins in the end. I get the theory behind zinc strips—works great on roofs where you’ve got constant runoff, but with patio stuff, it’s a different story. Most grills and furniture just don’t get enough water flow for the zinc to do its job. I’ve inspected plenty of places where folks tried attaching zinc blocks to their railings or even under deck chairs. Honestly, I never saw much difference. The rust still showed up, especially anywhere the coating was chipped or scratched.
Covers help, but only if you’re religious about using them. Even then, moisture gets trapped underneath sometimes and you end up with rust in weird spots. I’ve had better luck with regular rinsing, especially after a windy day, but it’s a chore. WD-40 and similar sprays are a temporary fix at best—messy and they attract dust.
If you’re experimenting, I’d say don’t expect miracles. Salt air is just relentless. Sometimes, all you can do is slow it down and accept a little patina as part of coastal living.
The rust still showed up, especially anywhere the coating was chipped or scratched.
That’s been my experience too. I tried those zinc strips on a small shed roof, and they worked fine up top, but anything metal down below—railings, hinges—still got rusty. Even stainless hardware starts to pit after a few seasons near the ocean. I’ve started leaning toward powder-coated aluminum for outdoor stuff. Not perfect, but it holds up better than most. Still, like you said, salt air just finds a way...
I get what you mean about powder-coated aluminum—definitely better than plain steel, but I’ve still seen it bubble up if there’s even a tiny scratch. I tried using marine-grade stainless on a gate once, thinking it’d be bulletproof, but after two winters right by the beach, there were little rust spots anyway. Seems like no matter what, salt air just wins out eventually...
