Yeah, I hear you on the coatings. I’ve done the whole routine—wire brush, primer, topcoat, and then a clear sealer for good measure. Looked great for a while, but after a couple winters, the rust started creeping back in around the bolts and seams. Stainless is expensive up front, but swapping out hardware bit by bit has saved me a ton of hassle. If you’re sticking with coatings, I found that rinsing things off with fresh water every so often helps a little... not a miracle fix, but it slows down the salt buildup.
That’s pretty much been my experience too—no matter how careful you are with prep and coatings, the salt air finds a way in eventually. I’ve spent more hours than I care to admit chasing rust on fasteners and seams, especially on older metal roofs. Swapping to stainless hardware is a pain up front, but honestly, it’s the only thing that’s really held up for me long-term. The price stings, but not having to redo everything every couple years is worth it.
I do think rinsing helps a bit, especially after storms when the salt spray is thick. It’s not a cure-all, like you said, but it buys you some time. One thing I started doing was hitting the seams with a little extra sealant after painting—seems to slow down the creeping rust around those tricky spots. Still, nothing’s totally maintenance-free near the ocean... just gotta pick your battles and stay ahead of it where you can.
Swapping to stainless hardware is a pain up front, but honestly, it’s the only thing that’s really held up for me long-term.
Couldn’t agree more—stainless fasteners are a game changer, even if the initial cost hurts. I’ve also seen some folks try zinc-rich primers under their coatings, but results seem mixed. Has anyone here had luck with those sacrificial anode strips on metal roofs? Curious if they actually make a difference or just add another maintenance item...
