I do wonder if the whole “316 or bust” thing is a little overhyped for some stuff, though? Like, I get it for railings and anything exposed, but for stuff under the eaves? I cheaped out on a few brackets under the porch and, fingers crossed, they’re holding up. Maybe the breeze just skips that side of the house.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve seen salt air find its way into places you’d swear were protected. Under my eaves, I thought I was being smart using “marine grade” fasteners only where I could see them. Two years later, I had weird rust patterns bleeding down the siding from brackets I thought were safe. Turns out, wind-driven rain and salt mist don’t really care about overhangs.
That said, I don’t think you need to go full 316 everywhere, but anything that’s even remotely exposed or could get wet is at risk. I’d rather overbuild a bit than deal with hidden corrosion down the line. The cost stings up front, but chasing rust stains and replacing hardware gets old fast.
And yeah, hosing things off helps a little, but it’s not a magic fix. Salt just clings to everything. At this point, I just accept that “distressed coastal chic” is the default look for anything metal around here.
At this point, I just accept that “distressed coastal chic” is the default look for anything metal around here.
That’s honestly the vibe my whole porch is going for at this point—rust as an accent color. I totally get not wanting to shell out for 316 everywhere. I did the same with some “hidden” hardware and, so far, it’s a toss-up. Maybe we just got lucky with the wind direction? Or maybe the salt’s just biding its time... Either way, fingers crossed for both of us.
Yeah, I hear you about not wanting to pay for 316 everywhere—especially when you’re just trying to keep the budget in check. I’ve noticed even the “coated” stuff doesn’t always hold up if it’s anywhere the wind can drive the salt. Tried using zinc spray on some brackets last year... it helped a bit, but now I’m seeing spots again. Sometimes feels like no matter what you pick, the ocean wins eventually.
Sometimes feels like no matter what you pick, the ocean wins eventually.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had decent luck with hot-dip galvanized hardware, even right on the coast. It’s not perfect, but it’s held up better for me than some of the pricier coated stuff. Maybe worth a shot if you haven’t tried it yet. The trick is making sure there aren’t any scratches or nicks, though—one little spot and the rust creeps in.
Yeah, the ocean is relentless… I swear it’s like it has a personal vendetta against anything metal on my roof. I’ve tried hot-dip galvanized too and it’s definitely outlasted some of the fancy “marine-grade” stuff I paid extra for. Still, I’ve noticed even the tiniest scratch turns into a rust magnet. Lately I’ve been leaning into more natural materials—like a living roof with sedum—since plants don’t seem to mind the salt as much. Not everyone’s thing, but it’s been surprisingly low maintenance for me so far.
