If you can taste salt on a windy day, your hinges, screws and letterbox can feel it too. Homes within a few kilometres of the coast age faster than those inland.
What salt does
Salt-laden air speeds up rust and corrosion on bare steel, cheap fixings, garden tools and metalwork. It also attacks paint finishes, dulls surfaces and eats into masonry and concrete over time. Wind pushes it further inland than people expect.
Choose the right hardware
- Stainless steel for fixings, hinges and brackets where possible
- Hot-dip galvanised for posts, bolts and larger fittings
- Powder-coated aluminium for letterboxes and frames
Cheap zinc-plated screws can streak and fail in a season or two near the beach. The extra cost of better hardware is small compared with replacing the job.
Rinse it off
Rinsing exposed metal, windows and outdoor furniture with fresh water every so often washes off the salt before it builds up. Rain does some of it, but sheltered areas under eaves stay salty.
Decks and timber
Timber near the coast copes better when sealed and cleaned regularly. Fixings in decks are common failure points. See mould on decks and fences.
Gardens
Salt wind scorches the exposed side of hedges. Choosing coastal-tolerant plants and planting windbreaks helps. Mulch holds moisture in sandy soil.
Installs that last
When we install a clothesline or letterbox near the coast, hardware choice is part of the job. Ask if you're unsure what suits your spot.
Quick checks each year
- Hinges, latches and gate hardware
- Fixings on decks, fences and handrails
- The base of letterbox and clothesline posts
- Window frames and tracks