That orange Cheeto dust look is way too familiar... I learned the hard way with galvanized nails on a shed roof near the bay. Ever try those ceramic-coated screws? I heard they hold up okay, but not sure if they beat 316 in the long run.
- Been there with the orange stains—galvanized just doesn’t cut it on my coastal shed either.
- Tried ceramic-coated screws a couple years back for a little deck project. They held up better than plain galv but I still saw some spots starting to bubble after two winters.
- 316 stainless is pricey, but honestly, I’ve never had one fail or even show rust, even right by the salt marsh.
- If you’re on a budget, ceramic’s not bad for less critical stuff, but for anything structural or long-term, I’d bite the bullet and go 316.
- Wish I’d learned that lesson before replacing half my fasteners...
316 stainless is pricey, but honestly, I’ve never had one fail or even show rust, even right by the salt marsh.
Same here—bit the bullet on 316 for my deck railings after going through two rounds of “coastal rated” hardware that still rusted out. It stings at checkout, but I haven’t had to touch them since. For stuff like fencing or trim where it’s not as critical, I’ll still use ceramic, but anything load-bearing gets stainless now. Learned that lesson the hard way after a few snapped screws...
Yeah, 316 is a wallet-buster, but after watching “marine grade” screws turn orange in under a year, I’m done with shortcuts. My neighbor tried galvanized for his porch—looked fine until the first nor’easter. Now he’s got rust stripes down his siding... lesson learned. For anything that actually matters, stainless all the way.
Man, I hear you on the 316 sticker shock, but I’ve seen what happens when folks cheap out—rust stains, popped fasteners, and then you’re back up there fixing it all over again. I’ve had a couple clients try “coated” screws on their beach houses, thinking they’d save a few bucks… two years later, they’re calling me with a screwdriver in one hand and a pile of rusty screws in the other. Have you ever messed with those ceramic-coated fasteners, or is it just not worth the gamble where you’re at?
