Even with marine-grade stuff, you gotta stay on top of it.
That’s the truth. I manage a few buildings right on the coast, and I swear, salt air is like a ninja—gets into places you wouldn’t even think to check. First time I had to deal with it, I figured stainless would be enough. Nope. Year later, I’m up there with a contractor, and we’re both staring at these little rust trails running down from the screws. It’s always the tiniest spots that end up causing the biggest headaches.
I haven’t tried butyl tape under flashings yet, but now you’ve got me curious. What’s worked for me is using those rubber washers under the screw heads—kind of like what they do on metal roofs. It’s not perfect, but it buys us a few extra years before things start looking rough again.
Funny thing is, I had one owner who insisted on copper flashing everywhere because “it’ll last forever.” Well, it did outlast the galvanized stuff, but then we started getting green streaks down the stucco. Not exactly the look she was going for... Sometimes feels like you’re just picking your battles.
One thing I’ve learned: regular inspections are key. Even if you do everything right up front, that salt finds a way in eventually. We do a walk every spring and fall—just looking for any early signs of trouble so we can catch it before it turns into a full-blown leak.
And yeah, swapping out hardware is tedious, but I’d rather do that than deal with water damage calls in the middle of a storm. Never thought I’d know so much about screws and sealants, but here we are.
I’ve got a little place about half a mile from the beach, and honestly, I underestimated how fast those fasteners can corrode. Even the “stainless” ones started showing rust after a couple years. Tried switching to silicon bronze on a section—pricey, but holding up better so far. Regular rinsing helps, but it’s definitely a constant battle.
Yeah, salt air is brutal. I’m about a quarter mile from the water and went through the same thing—thought stainless would be enough, but nope. Started seeing those little orange spots after just a couple rainy seasons. Ended up replacing a bunch of screws on my deck railings with hot-dipped galvanized, but even those don’t last forever out here.
Silicon bronze is solid, but man, the price stings. I’ve also tried coating fasteners with a marine-grade sealant before installing—helps a bit, but it’s not foolproof. Rinsing works if you remember to do it, but honestly, who’s out there hosing down their roof every week? It’s just one of those things you have to factor in living this close to the ocean. If I ever redo the roof, I’m seriously considering aluminum or copper for anything exposed. Costs more upfront, but less hassle down the line.
Copper’s the gold standard, but my wallet cries just thinking about it. I’ve had better luck with aluminum for exposed stuff—still not cheap, but at least it doesn’t rust out in two years. Tried rinsing once… ended up soaked and cranky. Salt air wins every time.
My wallet straight-up weeps at copper prices too. I went with aluminum for my gutters and flashing, but now I’m wondering—has anyone tried that zinc stuff? I’ve heard it holds up decently in salty air, but I’m not sure if it’s just hype. Also, rinsing the roof... yeah, I tried that once. Ended up more soaked than the shingles.
