Galvanized hardware with a heavy-duty coating can buy you a little time, but in my experience, nothing really holds up like stainless near salt air. Tried powder-coated stuff once—looked good for a year, then started bubbling. If you’re set on saving, maybe use stainless where it counts most and compromise elsewhere, but I’d be careful. Coastal weather finds every weak spot eventually.
I hear you on the stainless—salt air eats pretty much everything else for breakfast. That said, I get the urge to save where you can, especially when beach house renos seem to double in price every time you blink. I’ve had a few projects where I mixed it up: stainless for deck railings and anything structural, but used galvanized for things like fence hinges or interior brackets. It’s not perfect, but if you’re diligent about checking for rust and swapping stuff out before it gets bad, it can buy you a few years.
“If you’re set on saving, maybe use stainless where it counts most and compromise elsewhere, but I’d be careful. Coastal weather finds every weak spot eventually.”
That’s definitely true, but sometimes the budget just doesn’t stretch as far as we’d like. I’d argue it’s all about picking your battles. For example, I went with powder-coated light fixtures once because the price difference was wild. They started bubbling after about two years, but honestly, swapping out a few lights is way less of a headache (and expense) than replacing corroded fasteners in the framing or deck posts.
One thing I learned: never skimp on anything that’s hard to replace later. Spend on the stuff that’ll be a pain to fix down the line—like window hardware, exterior doors, and anything holding up weight. But if it’s something cosmetic or easy to swap out, I don’t mind saving a bit there and just keeping an eye on it.
Renovating a beach place is definitely a balancing act. The salt air will always win eventually, but if you’re smart about where you invest, you can stretch your budget without sacrificing peace of mind. Just gotta accept you’ll be doing a little more maintenance than you would inland... but hey, that’s the tradeoff for those ocean views, right?
Couldn’t agree more about picking your battles. I learned the hard way that swapping out rusty deck screws is a nightmare, but replacing a bubbled light fixture? That’s just a Saturday afternoon. Here’s my quick rule of thumb: anything you’d need a crowbar or sawzall to get at—don’t cheap out. Stuff like cabinet pulls or towel bars? Go budget and just keep an eye on ‘em. Salt air’s relentless, but if you plan for regular touch-ups, you can save where it makes sense without losing sleep.
Totally hear you on the salt air—stuff just doesn’t last like it does inland. I’ve swapped out more corroded hinges than I care to admit. Honestly, I think it’s worth splurging on anything that’s hard to replace or gets a ton of use, like exterior doors or window hardware. Curious, has anyone found a brand or finish that actually stands up to the sea breeze? I’ve tried “marine grade” and still ended up with pitting after a year or two...
I’ve tried “marine grade” and still ended up with pitting after a year or two...
Same here—“marine grade” sounds good on paper, but the reality is pretty underwhelming. I put in some pricey stainless handles last summer, and they’re already showing tiny rust spots. At this point, I’m convinced nothing’s truly immune, just maybe slower to go bad. I’ve had better luck with powder-coated aluminum for window hardware, but even that needs a wipe-down now and then. The salt just finds a way.
