STAINLESS VS GALVANIZED—WORTH THE SPLURGE?
I’m right by the coast and honestly, I kind of laughed at the idea of stainless screws at first. Figured galvanized would be “good enough.” A year in and I’m already seeing orange streaks under a few fasteners... not ideal. Stainless is more expensive, but I’m starting to think it’s worth it for peace of mind (and less crawling around the roof later). Anyone else notice that even “marine grade” stuff sometimes doesn’t last as long as you’d hope? Salt air is relentless.
A year in and I’m already seeing orange streaks under a few fasteners... not ideal.
That sounds about right for coastal living. I had the same mindset—galvanized seemed like a no-brainer, especially when you see the price difference at the hardware store. But after two winters, I started noticing those rusty trails on my deck railings and even a couple of screws that basically crumbled when I tried to back them out. The salt air just eats through anything that isn’t up to snuff.
I get what you mean about “marine grade” too. I bought some “marine” galvanized joist hangers for a little shed project, thinking they’d hold up better. Nope. By the end of the second year, they were pitted and streaky. Maybe it’s just marketing, or maybe my spot is extra rough (I’m about 300 yards from the water), but either way, it didn’t live up to the hype.
Stainless is definitely pricier, but after replacing half my deck screws and a handful of brackets, I kind of wish I’d just bit the bullet from the start. The labor alone—crawling around with a drill and trying not to drop screws through the cracks—was enough to convince me. Plus, once rust gets going, it stains everything around it.
One thing I did try was hitting some of the galvanized stuff with a clear spray sealant before installing. It helped a bit, but honestly, it’s just delaying the inevitable if you’re right on the coast.
If you’re planning to stay in your place for a while, stainless is probably worth it for anything exposed. For stuff that’s totally sheltered or temporary, maybe not as big a deal. But yeah... salt air doesn’t mess around.
The salt air just eats through anything that isn’t up to snuff.
That lines up with what I see during inspections near the coast—galvanized hardware just doesn’t hold up long-term, even if it’s labeled “marine.” I’ve noticed that once rust starts, it can actually accelerate on nearby fasteners too, almost like a chain reaction. Did you notice any issues with hidden connectors or stuff under decking? Sometimes the worst corrosion is where you can’t see it until it’s pretty far gone. Stainless is expensive, but I’d say for anything structural or exposed, it’s usually worth the upfront cost.
I’ve definitely run into hidden rust on the joist hangers under my deck—looked fine from the side, but when I pulled a board, the connector was flaking apart. It’s wild how fast it can sneak up. I started using stainless for anything I can’t easily check, but I’m still not sure about the best way to protect stuff like post bases that sit right on concrete. Anyone tried those plastic isolators or some kind of sealant under hardware? I’m not convinced they make much difference, but maybe I’m missing something...
Anyone tried those plastic isolators or some kind of sealant under hardware? I’m not convinced they make much difference, but maybe I’m missing something...
- Tried the plastic isolators (Simpson makes a few). They help a bit, but honestly, if you’ve got salt air and water pooling, nothing’s perfect.
- Sealant under hardware—tried polyurethane caulk once. It slowed rust for a year or two, but eventually water found its way in and just sat there. Maybe made it worse?
- Stainless is great, but even that can get tea-stained after a while near the ocean. Galvanized stuff just doesn’t last for me.
- I started using those little composite shims under post bases. Raises them up 1/4" or so, lets water drain out. Not a cure-all, but better than nothing.
- Also tried painting the bottom of post bases with marine epoxy. Messy, but seems to help if you’re careful.
Honestly, I haven’t found a silver bullet. Everything’s just about buying a little more time before the next round of repairs. If you find something that actually works long-term, I’d love to hear it...
