I went with 316 for all my exterior door hardware, but even then, after our first winter by the coast, I noticed a few tiny rust spots starting up.
Funny how “marine grade” doesn’t always mean what you think it will. I’ve seen 316 hold up better than most, but if you’re right on the water, salt spray finds a way. In my experience, even the best stainless starts to show tea staining or those little orange freckles after a season or two—especially if there’s not much rain to wash things off naturally.
As for rinsing, I’ll admit: weekly sounds like a lot. I’ve heard some folks swear by it, but in reality, most people just don’t have the time or patience. Around here (Cape Ann), I see people do a quick hose-down every couple of weeks during the worst of the salt season, then maybe monthly once things dry out. It helps, but nothing’s perfect. If you skip it for a while, you’ll notice.
Ceramic coatings—now that’s interesting. I know they’re big in the car world (and on some metal roofs lately), but I haven’t seen anyone use them on door hardware yet. My gut says they might help with water beading and make cleanup easier, but hinges and handles get so much contact and movement that I wonder how long it would last before wearing through. Plus, most of those coatings are designed for painted or smooth metal surfaces. Hardware gets all sorts of nicks and scratches.
If you do try it out, let us know how it holds up. For now, I’m sticking with regular rinses and a bit of marine wax when I remember—nothing fancy, just enough to keep things from getting crusty too fast. And yeah... sometimes you just have to accept a little patina as part of living near the ocean.
We switched to 316 on a few of our coastal properties too, and honestly, the difference is marginal once you’re right up against the ocean. Even with regular rinsing, I still see surface rust pop up—especially on high-touch handles. Tried a couple of so-called “marine” waxes last year, but the effect was short-lived. At this point, I just budget for hardware replacement every few years... seems inevitable.
Had a similar thing happen with some stainless fasteners on a job right by the water. We thought 316 would be the magic fix, but after a couple of seasons, those tiny orange spots still showed up. I tried scrubbing with Bar Keepers Friend, which helped for a bit, but it’s like the salt just wins in the end. Starting to think nothing’s truly “rust-proof” out there...
I’ve run into the same thing with 316, and honestly, it’s kind of frustrating. Here’s what I’ve tried: first, I rinse everything down with fresh water after storms or high-spray days. Then, I’ll go over the fasteners with a microfiber cloth—seems to help a bit, but not perfect. I’ve also started using a thin layer of Boeshield T-9 on exposed hardware. It’s not a cure-all, but it slows things down. Maybe nothing’s truly rust-proof, but regular TLC seems to buy some time. Anyone else notice that even the tiniest scratches make it worse?
Yeah, those little scratches are brutal. I’ve seen it on gutters and even some “marine grade” stuff—once the surface is compromised, it’s like the salt just zeroes in. I get why people swear by 316, but honestly, nothing holds up forever out here. I’ve tried T-9 too, but after a few months, it’s back to square one if you don’t keep up with it. Sometimes I wonder if powder coating or even plastic caps would help more, but then you’re fighting UV damage instead. Just feels like a constant battle with the elements.
