You nailed it—nothing out here is really set-and-forget. I’ve tried saving a few bucks by sticking with galvanized hardware, and as long as I keep up with rinsing and checking for rust, it’s held up fine. It’s a bit of work, but way cheaper than replacing everything every couple years.
I’ve tried saving a few bucks by sticking with galvanized hardware, and as long as I keep up with rinsing and checking for rust, it’s held up fine. It’s a bit of work, but way cheaper than replacing everything every couple years.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve gotta say, my luck with galvanized stuff hasn’t been so hot. Maybe it’s just my spot—closer to the water, or maybe the salt spray is extra aggressive here—but even with regular rinsing, I still end up chasing spots of rust around like I’m playing whack-a-mole. One summer I thought I was ahead of it, then the first big storm hit and suddenly all my deck screws looked like they’d aged ten years overnight.
I do agree it’s way cheaper upfront, and if you’re willing to keep an eye on things, you can stretch the life out a bit. But after a few seasons of crawling around with a wire brush and a can of Rust-Oleum, I started swapping out the worst offenders for stainless when they finally gave up the ghost. Not cheap, but at least I’m not spending every spring on my hands and knees anymore.
Funny thing is, my neighbor swears by some kind of marine wax he puts on his hinges. Says it keeps the salt off. Tried it once—ended up with sticky hands and still got rust. Maybe there’s some secret trick I missed.
Anyway, I guess it comes down to how much time you want to spend maintaining versus just biting the bullet on pricier hardware. For me, I’ll still use galvanized in spots that aren’t right in the spray zone, but anything that gets hammered by the wind off the bay? Stainless or bust.
One summer I thought I was ahead of it, then the first big storm hit and suddenly all my deck screws looked like they’d aged ten years overnight.
Man, I feel this. I tried to cheap out with galvanized on my gate latches, thinking “how bad could it get?” Fast forward to hurricane season and I’m out there with a screwdriver every other week. Stainless is pricey, but honestly, my knees have thanked me since making the switch. Still use galvanized for stuff tucked under the eaves, but anything that gets a whiff of salt air? Not worth the hassle. Anyone else notice certain brands rust faster than others, or is that just me being unlucky?
- Totally get the “how bad could it get?” mindset—been there, regretted that.
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Couldn’t agree more. Salt eats everything.“anything that gets a whiff of salt air? Not worth the hassle.”
- I’ve noticed some brands flake out faster too. Might be the coating thickness or just bad luck.
- Stainless is a wallet hit, but my back and sanity are grateful. Galvanized is fine for stuff that never sees rain, but outside? Forget it.
- Pro tip: I started using a dab of marine grease on fasteners—messy, but slows the rust.
Marine grease is a lifesaver, but man, it gets everywhere if you’re not careful. I’ve tried those so-called “weatherproof” fasteners too—some brands just don’t hold up, no matter what the label says. Stainless is pricey, but I’d rather pay once than replace rusted junk every year. Has anyone had luck with those ceramic-coated screws? I keep seeing them at the hardware store, but I’m skeptical they’ll last in salty air.
