Yeah, that salty air finds every weak spot, no matter how careful you are. I’ve tried the marine primers too—looked great for a while, but sure enough, rust came creeping back after a couple seasons. Stainless is tempting, but man, it’s a hit to the wallet. Have you ever looked into powder coating? I’ve heard mixed things, but maybe it’s worth a shot before going all-in on stainless.
Powder coating can help, but it’s not a magic bullet for coastal spots. I’ve seen it hold up okay on some hardware, but once the coating chips or gets scratched, rust sneaks in fast, especially with all that salt in the air. If you go that route, prep is everything—clean down to bare metal, use a good zinc primer, then the powder coat. Still, if the budget allows, stainless saves a lot of headaches down the line—just hurts up front. For most folks I work with, it’s a trade-off between cost now and hassle later.
Powder coating does look nice at first, but I’ve had mixed results with it too, especially living just a few blocks from the water. Even the tiniest chip and you’re back to square one with rust creeping in. I totally agree that prep is everything—if you skip sanding or don’t get every bit of old paint off, it just doesn’t last.
One thing I’d add: after powder coating, I like to run a bead of clear silicone around any seams or screw heads. It’s not perfect, but it helps keep saltwater from sneaking underneath. Also, rinsing hardware down with fresh water every so often (especially after storms) seems to slow things down a bit.
Stainless is definitely easier long-term, though my wallet complains every time I buy it. For stuff like railings or gates where you really want to set it and forget it, stainless is worth the pain up front. For smaller bits, I sometimes compromise and just plan on touching up powder coat every couple years... not ideal but better than replacing everything constantly.
That’s a good tip about the silicone—never thought to try that. I’ve always just crossed my fingers and hoped the powder coat would hold up, but like you said, one tiny chip and it’s game over. I’ve been tempted to try galvanizing for some stuff, but not sure if it’d really last any better with all the salt in the air. Has anyone actually had luck with that, or is it just as much hassle as powder coating in the long run?
Galvanizing’s a mixed bag near the ocean, honestly. I’ve worked on a few coastal projects where we tried hot-dip galvanized fasteners and flashing, thinking it’d be bulletproof. It definitely holds up better than plain steel, but salt air is relentless. After a few years, you start seeing white rust and eventually it’ll creep under the coating if there’s any scratch or cut edge. Still, I’d say it’s less fussy than powder coat—at least you don’t have to worry about a single chip turning into a rust bloom overnight.
One thing I’ve noticed: if you go the galvanizing route, pay attention to how stuff’s cut and installed. Exposed edges are always the weak spot. We’ve started hitting those with a zinc-rich spray paint as a touch-up, which helps a bit. It’s not a perfect solution, but it buys you some time. Honestly, nothing’s truly maintenance-free out here, but galvanizing plus some TLC seems to outlast powder coat in my experience. Just gotta keep an eye on it, especially after storms.
