Maintenance is just part of the deal near the coast, no way around it.
That’s the truth. I tried saving a few bucks with 304 hardware on my deck—regretted it within a year. Even 316 needs regular rinsing here. Galvanized isn’t pretty, but it’s held up better than I expected. Sometimes you just have to pick your battles and budget for touch-ups.
- Had the same issue with 304 on my gate hinges—looked fine for a few months, then the rust spots started popping up.
- Swapped to 316, but honestly, even that gets tea staining unless I hose it down every week or two.
- Tried powder-coated steel for some brackets. Not perfect, but the coating’s lasted longer than I expected.
- Galvanized stuff is ugly, yeah, but it’s been the least hassle for me. Sometimes function just wins out over looks near the ocean...
- If I could do it over, I’d probably just budget for more frequent replacements or touch-ups instead of chasing the “forever” solution.
- Noticed the same deal with 304—looked all shiny at first, then little orange freckles everywhere after the first winter.
- 316's better, but yeah, that brownish tea stain is stubborn. I’ve heard some folks swear by regular cleaning with just soapy water, but who’s got time to baby gate hinges every week?
- Tried powder-coated stuff for a shed latch. The coating held up fine until I nicked it with the mower—now there’s a rust streak right at the chip.
- Galvanized always looks like it belongs on a farm fence, but honestly, it’s the only thing on my place that hasn’t needed constant attention. Kind of agree, ugly wins sometimes.
- Been wondering about those zinc spray touch-up cans—anyone tried them on small rust spots? Do they actually slow things down or just cover it up for a bit?
- Also, has anyone messed with marine-grade hardware, like what they use on boats? Is it really that much better, or just pricier?
- Curious if anyone’s had luck with clear protective sprays or waxes? Heard mixed things, but never tried them myself.
- Seems like nothing’s truly “forever” near salt air... just a matter of how much work you wanna put in.
I’ve been fighting the same battle since we moved out here—salt air just eats everything, no matter what the label says. I tried those zinc spray cans on a couple of rusty spots on my gate hinges last year. They’re decent for slowing things down, but honestly, it’s more of a band-aid than a cure. If you catch the rust early, wire brush it off, hit it with the zinc, and then maybe a topcoat, you’ll get another season or two before it starts creeping back. But if the rust’s already deep, it just bubbles up under the spray eventually.
Marine-grade hardware is a mixed bag. I swapped out all my deck screws for 316 stainless a few years ago—definitely pricier, but they’re holding up way better than the regular stuff. Still, even those get that weird tea-stain look after a while. I guess nothing’s truly immune, but the marine stuff does seem to buy you more time between cleanups. If you’re only replacing a few things, it might be worth the splurge, but for a whole fence or shed? That gets expensive fast.
I’ve tried a couple of those clear sprays and waxes too. The sprays are easy, but I found they wear off pretty quick, especially on anything that gets touched or rained on. Wax actually worked better for me on my outdoor light fixtures—just a thin coat every few months, and it seems to help keep the rust at bay. It’s not a miracle, but it’s less work than scrubbing everything down with soapy water every week.
Galvanized is ugly, yeah, but I’m with you—it’s the only thing that doesn’t need constant babysitting. I’ve just learned to live with the look. At this point, I figure it’s all about picking your battles and deciding what you want to spend your time (and money) on. If you find something that actually lasts out here, let me know... I’ll buy stock in it.
Galvanized is ugly, yeah, but I’m with you—it’s the only thing that doesn’t need constant babysitting. I’ve just learned to live with the look.
That’s been my experience too—galvanized isn’t winning any beauty contests, but it’s the only thing that doesn’t have me out there every other weekend with a wire brush and a can of something. I tried to fight it at first, went all-in on “coastal rated” paints and those fancy clear coatings. Like you said, they’re fine for a few months, but once the salt gets under the surface, it’s game over.
One thing I’ve started doing is a yearly “rust patrol” in early spring. Here’s my routine: I walk around with a stiff brush and a flashlight (for those sneaky spots under railings), knock off any surface rust, then hit it with a rust converter spray. After that dries, I’ll do a primer and then whatever topcoat matches best—usually just flat black or gray. It’s not glamorous, but it keeps things from getting out of hand.
I did splurge on 316 stainless for the gate latches and some deck hardware after the third set of regular screws basically dissolved in two years. You’re right about the tea-staining—mine have that too, but at least they’re still solid. The cost adds up fast if you try to do everything in marine-grade though. For stuff that’s mostly hidden or not structural, I just stick with galvanized and call it good.
Funny enough, I tried car wax on my outdoor light fixtures after reading about it on another forum. Didn’t expect much, but it actually made a difference—water beads up instead of sitting there and leaving those nasty marks. Needs redoing every few months, but way less hassle than replacing fixtures.
If anyone ever invents hardware that actually shrugs off salt air for more than five years, they’ll make a fortune. Until then, I guess we just keep patching things up and picking our battles...
