"Within two summers, the thing looked like it came off a sunken pirate ship... rust patches everywhere."
Haha, yep, stainless steel isn't exactly the superhero people think it is—especially near saltwater. Copper flashing's definitely solid advice, but if you're on a budget, galvanized steel with a heavy-duty coating can hold up decently too. Just make sure to rinse it regularly with fresh water, or you'll be back to pirate ship aesthetics faster than you can say "arrr matey."
Galvanized steel can work, but it's a constant battle. Had a similar setup at my place—worked okay, but eventually switched to aluminum flashing. Way less hassle, and still budget-friendly enough. Good luck with yours, sounds like you're on the right track.
"Galvanized steel can work, but it's a constant battle."
Yeah, learned this the hard way myself. First year in our coastal home, thought galvanized would hold up fine... nope. Switched to aluminum flashing last summer—huge improvement. Easier to maintain, less rust drama, and honestly didn't cost much more. Definitely recommend aluminum if you're near saltwater. Good luck!
- Had galvanized flashing on my shed roof near the beach—thought it'd be fine, but nope.
- Rust spots popped up within months, even with regular rinsing.
- Tried aluminum next, definitely better, but still saw some corrosion after a couple years.
- Ended up going stainless steel... pricier upfront, but zero rust issues since.
- Aluminum's decent, but don't expect miracles if you're super close to salt spray.
- Honestly, nothing's totally maintenance-free near the ocean. Learned to just accept some upkeep as part of coastal living.
Yeah, stainless steel is definitely the way to go if you're right by the ocean. Learned that lesson myself after a few frustrating experiences. Galvanized metal just doesn't hold up at all—salt air eats through it like it's nothing. Aluminum's better, but still not bulletproof.
One thing I've found helpful, even with stainless steel, is giving it a quick rinse every now and then. I know you mentioned regular rinsing didn't save your galvanized flashing, but with stainless, it actually makes a noticeable difference. Salt buildup can still dull the finish over time, even if it doesn't rust outright.
Another tip: when installing stainless flashing or hardware near the ocean, make sure you're using stainless fasteners too. Sounds obvious, but I've seen people use regular screws or nails with stainless flashing and wonder why they're still getting rust streaks. Mixing metals near salt spray is just asking for trouble.
Also, if anyone's reading this and thinking about copper—it's beautiful stuff, but be prepared for that green patina to show up pretty quickly near saltwater. Some folks love that look (I do), but others are surprised when their shiny copper turns greenish-blue in no time flat.
Bottom line though... coastal living means accepting some level of maintenance no matter what materials you choose. Stainless steel is about as close as you'll get to worry-free metal roofing or flashing near salt air—but even then, a little TLC goes a long way.
