Still, I do wonder if fiberglass or even uPVC might age better by the water... aluminum just seems to need constant babysitting.
I’ve had similar frustrations with aluminum near the coast. The constant touch-ups get old fast. Swapped a few windows for fiberglass a few years back—honestly, they’ve shrugged off salt and sun way better. The upfront cost stung, but less maintenance has been a relief. uPVC was tempting, but I worried about warping with our temperature swings. Guess it’s always a tradeoff.
uPVC was tempting, but I worried about warping with our temperature swings. Guess it’s always a tradeoff.
Yeah, I get that. We tried uPVC in the back room and honestly, it held up okay, but those weird hot-cold snaps did make them creak a bit. Fiberglass has been way less hassle for us—pretty much just hose them off every few months. The price tag hurt at first, but not having to scrape or paint is worth it for me. Aluminum just felt like a chore every spring...
Fiberglass has been way less hassle for us—pretty much just hose them off every few months. The price tag hurt at first, but not having to scrape or paint is worth it for me.
I’ll second the fiberglass route—bit of sticker shock up front, but honestly, not having to babysit them through every salty breeze has been a relief. My neighbor swore by aluminum, but he’s always out there with touch-up paint... not for me.
not having to babysit them through every salty breeze has been a relief
Couldn’t agree more. I put in fiberglass frames five years back—still look new, zero peeling. The upfront cost stings, but factoring in all the maintenance I’m *not* doing, it’s paid off. Aluminum just doesn’t hold up here, even with constant upkeep.
Yeah, fiberglass is a solid call. I swapped out old vinyl for fiberglass on the windward side—night and day difference. The salt just eats up anything metal around here. Only thing I’d say is, if you’re picky about color, options can be kind of limited... but durability-wise, hard to beat.
Can’t argue with fiberglass for salty air—holds up way better than aluminum or standard vinyl in my experience. I do wish there were more color choices, though. Sometimes you’re stuck with white or beige unless you want to pay extra. If you’re after a specific look, some brands will custom-paint, but that can drive the cost up. Overall, though, I’d pick durability over color any day near the ocean.
I hear you on fiberglass, but I’ve actually had decent luck with high-end vinyl too, even right on the coast. Maybe I just got lucky, but it’s held up better than I expected—plus way more color options if you look around. The trick seems to be making sure it’s the marine-grade stuff, not the cheap big-box windows. Still, fiberglass does seem to outlast everything else when it comes to salt spray. Just wish the price didn’t sting so much...
Funny, I had the same skepticism about vinyl at first, but I’ve actually been surprised too. We put in marine-grade vinyl sliders about six years ago—literally a block from the ocean—and they still look almost new. I was bracing for warping or that weird yellowing, but nada so far. I do rinse them down every few months, though, so maybe that helps?
Fiberglass is definitely the gold standard, but man, those quotes made my jaw drop. I think I’d have to start charging admission to my living room just to pay for them. The color thing you mentioned with vinyl is a big plus too—fiberglass around here is usually just white or off-white, which is kind of blah.
One thing I noticed: the hardware seems to go before the frames do. Had to swap out some handles and locks already thanks to the salt air. If only someone would invent “ocean-proof” metal...
One thing I noticed: the hardware seems to go before the frames do. Had to swap out some handles and locks already thanks to the salt air.
That’s the weak link, for sure. I’ve seen some folks have better luck with stainless steel, but even that gets pitted over time. Have you tried any of those powder-coated hardware options? Curious if they hold up any better near the ocean.
Have you tried any of those powder-coated hardware options? Curious if they hold up any better near the ocean.
I’m in a similar spot—our place is just two blocks from the water, so salt’s basically everywhere. I swapped all the window locks and handles with powder-coated brass last fall (they’re not cheap, but I was tired of rust stains). So far, they’re definitely holding up better than the original zinc hardware, but I can already see a couple tiny spots where the coating’s starting to chip. Once that happens, rust sneaks in pretty fast.
Stainless steel worked okay for us on door hardware, but you’re right, it still pits eventually. I’ve read that marine-grade (316) stainless is supposed to last longer, but it’s pricey and not always easy to find for windows.
One thing that helped: I wipe down the hardware with fresh water every couple weeks. Bit of a pain, but it seems to slow things down. Haven’t found anything truly “maintenance free” yet—seems like it’s always a tradeoff between cost and how often you want to replace stuff.