Epoxy can help, sure, but honestly, near saltwater you're fighting a losing battle with metal roofs. Seen plenty of epoxy-coated roofs start peeling after 4-5 years. I'd seriously consider aluminum or copper—or better yet, green roofs if your structure can handle it.
Yeah, epoxy's decent but it's kinda like putting a band-aid on a leaky boat—buys you some time, but eventually you're swimming. Had a client once who insisted on epoxy-coated steel roofing right by the beach. Looked great at first, but five years later it was peeling like sunburn after spring break. Aluminum's solid, copper even better (if your wallet can handle it). Green roofs are awesome too, just make sure your structure won't buckle under the extra weight...seen that happen once, wasn't pretty.
Yeah, epoxy coatings near the ocean are definitely a short-term fix. Honestly, I'm surprised it even lasted five years—I've seen some start peeling way sooner. Aluminum's pretty reliable, but I've noticed it can still pit and corrode if it's not properly treated. Copper's beautiful, ages gracefully, and lasts forever, but the price tag is a tough pill to swallow. What about stainless steel? Marine-grade stainless can be pricey too, but I've seen it hold up surprisingly well in coastal environments...wonder if anyone here's tried it.
Marine-grade stainless steel can be solid, but it's not bulletproof. I've managed properties where we installed stainless fixtures thinking they'd last forever, and while they held up better than aluminum, we still saw some corrosion around welds and fasteners within a few years. Honestly, I've had better luck with coated galvanized steel—provided the coating's high-quality and properly maintained. It's cheaper than stainless, and if you schedule regular inspections and touch-ups, it'll surprise you how long it can last near saltwater.
"Honestly, I've had better luck with coated galvanized steel—provided the coating's high-quality and properly maintained."
Interesting point, but even galvanized steel coatings can fail quicker than you'd expect near saltwater. I've seen aluminum-zinc alloys (Galvalume) hold up surprisingly well—might be worth considering as another alternative.