Title: Roofing near the ocean—did you know salt air eats metal?
Yeah, the salt air is brutal. I swapped out a bunch of deck screws for “marine grade” stainless last year and they still started to pit after one winter. I’m convinced the only thing that really lasts is plastic or maybe copper, but who can afford that? As for sedum, I actually put some on my shed roof—doesn’t turn it into an igloo or anything, but it does seem to take the edge off in summer, and the birds love it. Not sure it’s worth the hassle for a main house roof though.
I've seen a lot of folks swear by copper, but even that can get weird green streaks after a while near salty air. Stainless is supposed to hold up, but I’ve noticed the same pitting you mentioned. Have you looked into coated fasteners? Some of the newer poly-coated screws seem to last longer, though they’re not cheap either. Plastic’s great for some things, but I’ve seen it get brittle and crack from UV after a few years. Maybe nothing’s really “forever” by the ocean… it’s more about picking what fails slowest.
That’s the thing, right? Everything’s just on a timer out here. I’ve watched copper turn green in less than a year, and stainless that’s supposed to be “marine grade” still gets those weird little rust freckles. I’ve tried the coated fasteners—those ones with the thick poly layer—and they do seem to last longer, but I always wonder what’s actually under the coating. Like, is it just cheap steel hiding under a fancy jacket? And if the coating chips, does it just start rusting from the inside out?
Plastic’s a whole other headache. I’ve seen those UV-rated plastics get chalky and brittle after a couple summers, especially on south-facing roofs. Maybe it’s better than nothing, but I wouldn’t trust it for anything structural. Ever seen a plastic vent pipe snap off in a windstorm? Not fun.
I keep coming back to the idea that maybe the best you can do is slow the decay and plan for maintenance. I mean, even the “forever” stuff like slate or tile needs its fasteners replaced eventually. Has anyone actually found something that holds up for more than a decade without some kind of weird failure? Or is it just about picking your battles and budgeting for repairs every few years?
Sometimes I wonder if the real answer is just to embrace the patina and call it “coastal charm.” Or maybe just move inland...
Yeah, I hear you on the “marine grade” stainless. First time I saw those little rust spots, I thought I’d messed something up. Turns out, even the good stuff just slows it down. I’ve seen folks swear by hot-dipped galvanized fasteners, but even those get crusty after a while.
Plastic’s a gamble too. We had a vent cap just crumble in my hands last summer—felt like chalk. I guess it’s all about picking what fails slowest and just keeping an eye on it. Coastal charm is real, though… at least the seagulls seem to like it.
Yeah, those “marine grade” claims only go so far. I swapped out some deck screws for stainless a couple years back, thinking I was set, but now they’ve got those tiny orange freckles too. Tried zinc-coated before that—didn’t last a season. I’ve started hitting anything metal with a coat of Boeshield or CorrosionX every spring. Not perfect, but it buys some time. Plastic’s hit or miss for me too—UV just eats it alive here. Sometimes feels like you’re just choosing what you want to replace next.
