- Patina’s great until you realize “character” means “replace half the deck screws.”
- Tried coated screws—cheaper upfront, but I still had to swap a bunch out after a few years.
- Stainless is pricey but honestly, less hassle long-term.
- Grease just turned everything into a magnet for sand and gunk... not worth it for me near the beach.
- If you’re close to salt spray, shortcuts seem to bite back faster than you’d hope.
Stainless is a pain on the wallet, but man, I’ve never regretted paying extra for it. I tried to cheap out once with “marine coated” stuff—half of it was toast after two seasons. The salt here just finds every shortcut and eats it alive. Grease sounded smart in theory, but yeah, sand sticks to everything and then you’re just grinding it into the metal.
Honestly, sometimes I wish more folks would think about using alternative materials altogether. I know it’s not always doable, but composite decking or even some of the new recycled plastic stuff can save so much hassle down the line. Less rust, less maintenance, and if you pick something light-colored, it doesn’t get as hot either (bonus for bare feet).
It’s frustrating that the “character” we talk about with patina usually means “work.” But hey, at least you’re catching it early instead of letting things rot out from under you. That’s half the battle near the coast.
I hear you on the “marine coated” stuff—tried that route with some hardware on my dock and it was a mess by year three. Stainless has been worth the extra bucks for me, too. I’ve been eyeing some of those composite railings lately, but I’m still not sure how they hold up to UV over time. Anyone have experience with fading or brittleness after a few summers?
I put in composite railings on our back deck about five years ago, and honestly, they’ve held up better than I expected. We get a ton of sun and salt spray, but the color’s barely changed. Only thing is, they do get a bit chalky if I skip cleaning for too long. No brittleness yet, though—still feels solid.
I went with aluminum railings to save a few bucks, and honestly, I’m not sure I’d do it again. They looked sharp at first, but the salt air started eating away at the finish after just a couple years. I get the appeal of composite, but that chalky buildup you mentioned is what put me off—seems like it’d be a pain to keep up with. Maybe I just need to lower my expectations living this close to the ocean...
