Powder coating and zinc primer is such a solid combo, I totally agree. I tried something similar a few years back, though I’ll admit I skipped the clear sealer at first. Big mistake—by the second summer, the salt air had started to chew up the bottom rails. Ended up sanding and resealing, which was a pain, but it definitely bought me some extra years. Your method might’ve saved me a weekend of elbow grease.
You’re dead right about glass being gorgeous but high-maintenance. My neighbor’s got a glass pool fence and it looks amazing when it’s clean, but honestly, between the fingerprints, water spots, and the occasional seagull “gift,” it’s a full-time job. She jokes that her squeegee is basically glued to her hand. Meanwhile, my kids are always leaning bikes or pool noodles up against our aluminum fence, and it just shrugs it off.
I do get tempted by the look of glass sometimes, especially when I see those perfect Instagram yards, but then I remember we live here, you know? It’s not a showroom. I’d rather put in that extra effort upfront with aluminum and not have to think about it every time the wind kicks up.
If you’re on a budget—or just don’t want another thing to clean—your approach makes a ton of sense. A little prep goes a long way. It’s all about making what you’ve got work for your space and your sanity.
Honestly, you nailed it—life isn’t an Instagram feed, and who’s got time to polish glass every weekend? I’m with you on the aluminum. The “set it and forget it” approach just makes sense, especially if you’ve got salty air or wild kids. Why make more work for yourself?
I totally get the appeal of aluminum—less fuss, more time for actual living. But I’ve always wondered, does it hold up as well over decades? My place is pushing 100 years old, and I worry about modern materials looking out of place. Anyone else run into that with an older home?
I worry about modern materials looking out of place. Anyone else run into that with an older home?
Oh man, totally get that. My house is a 1920s mishmash and every time I try to update something, I feel like I'm betraying the ghosts of past owners. Aluminum’s easy, but next to all the old brick and wood? Sometimes it feels like putting sneakers on a tuxedo. But hey, at least you don’t have to repaint it every other year...
Sometimes it feels like putting sneakers on a tuxedo.
That’s a perfect way to put it. I’ve tried both glass and aluminum around my old Craftsman, and honestly, glass blends in better than I expected. It kind of disappears, so the old brick still gets to be the star. Aluminum’s low-maintenance, sure, but it can look a bit too “new build” if you know what I mean. Still, not having to sand and repaint every summer is tempting...
