I hear you on the “marine grade” label—sometimes it feels like you’re just paying extra for a fancy sticker. I’ve seen a lot of folks get frustrated with how quickly rust comes back, especially near the coast. Are you wire-brushing or using a grinder to get all the old stuff off? In my experience, if you don’t get down to clean metal, even the best paint won’t last long. Powder coating does seem to hold up better, but yeah, it’s pricey and not always practical for bigger surfaces. Honestly, sometimes I wonder if regular touch-ups are just part of the deal when you’re this close to salt air.
Yeah, I get what you mean about “marine grade” sometimes feeling a bit overrated. When we moved in last year, I was shocked by how fast the metal fixtures started showing rust—didn’t matter what the label said. Tried spot-sanding and priming, but it’s like a never-ending battle. I haven’t tried powder coating yet since our gutters are huge, but regular touch-ups seem unavoidable. Maybe it’s just part of living near the ocean... kind of like always sweeping sand out of the house.
