Here's the failure order of a coastal fence, and it surprises people: hinges and latches go first, then screws and brackets, then post caps, and the boards last. The fence dies at its metal.
Why salt air is different
Salt is hygroscopic — it pulls moisture out of the air and holds it against metal. A screw head with salt film on it is effectively wet around the clock, even on a sunny day. That's why hardware a mile from the Gulf ages years faster than the same hardware inland, and why the cheap zinc-plated screws in a big-box gate kit can show rust bleed in the first year.
The corrosion pecking order
- Standard zinc-plated steel: first to go. Fine inland, wrong here.
- Electro-galvanized: thin coating, modest improvement.
- Hot-dip galvanized: thick zinc layer, a genuine coastal performer.
- Stainless steel (304, and 316 nearest the water): the answer for hinges, latches, and screws where the fence meets the most salt.
There's also a trap worth knowing: mixing metals. A stainless screw through a plain steel bracket creates galvanic corrosion — the cheaper metal sacrifices itself faster. Hardware needs to be chosen as a system, not piece by piece.
What to ask any fence installer
Ask what specific hardware goes on your gates. If the answer is "standard hardware," you've learned what you needed to know. We spec hot-dip galvanized or stainless throughout, installed per the manufacturer's published instructions.
More on coastal fencing: why posts lean in sand, the material comparison, and our fencing service page.