I hear you on the zinc-plated stuff—tried it on some deck rail brackets a few years back, and they started bubbling with rust stains after the first winter. Hot-dip galvanized has lasted a little longer for me, but even then, the salt air eventually gets to it. Stainless is expensive, but I’ve learned the hard way that it’s worth it for anything that’s going to be exposed. Sometimes feels like you’re just buying time with anything else.
I get the temptation to go with cheaper hardware, especially when you’re staring at the price tag for stainless. But honestly, I’ve tried to cut corners with “marine grade” galvanized stuff and it still ended up looking like a science experiment after a couple seasons. The salt air just doesn’t play fair. Stainless hurts the wallet up front, but I’d rather pay once than keep replacing rusted junk every year. Still, I wish there was a middle ground that actually held up—maybe powder coating? Anyone had luck with that?
Powder coating sounded like a good idea to me too, but I tried it on some gate hardware and the salty air just found its way in through the tiniest chip. Looked great for about a year, then rust city. Anyone else have better luck or is it just me with the cursed sea breeze?
Yeah, I’ve had the same problem—powder coating looks sharp at first, but one scratch and the salt air just sneaks in. I tried it on some railings and within a year, rust started bubbling up under the coating. I’ve heard some folks swear by hot-dip galvanizing before painting, but even then, the ocean seems to find a way. Maybe it’s just the price we pay for that sea view… or maybe I’m just not sealing the edges well enough. Either way, I feel your pain.
That salt air is brutal, isn’t it? Even with good prep, it sneaks in anywhere there’s the tiniest gap or chip. I’ve seen folks try marine-grade primers and still get rust within a couple years. Sometimes I wonder if stainless is the only real answer, but the price tag hurts.
