Anti-corrosion protection by the sea: metal, fixings, rebar, air conditioners
Anti-corrosion protection by the sea is needed for everything metal in a house: railings, carport frames, gates, fixings, outdoor units and reinforcement in concrete. We choose marine-grade stainless steel and hot-dip galvanising, paint with zinc-rich primer and enamel, treat site welds and repair concrete with rusting reinforcement. Anti-corrosion painting of steelwork from 45 ₾ per m².
from 45 ₾/m²anti-corrosion painting of steelwork: zinc-rich primer and enamel, per m². The final price is confirmed once agreed.
- Timeline: anti-corrosion protection of a house usually takes 1–3 weeks, concrete repair with rebar longer
- Warranty: Anti-corrosion works carry a 2-year warranty
Who it’s for
Railings and balustrades are rusting at the welds
Fixings and brackets leave rust streaks on the facade
Concrete is falling off balcony edges and the rebar shows
An air conditioner outdoor unit by the sea has quickly rotted
You are building a house by the sea and want the right metal from the start
What’s included
- inspection of metal and concrete, a report
- choice of metals and coatings for a marine environment
- rust removal and converter
- zinc-rich primer and enamel
- replacing fixings with stainless steel
- concrete repair with rebar protection
- treatment of air conditioner outdoor units
- a schedule of inspections and touch-ups
Anti-corrosion protection by the sea: why metal rusts faster
Anti-corrosion protection by the sea is needed for everything metal in and around a house. Salty air settles on surfaces, the salt attracts moisture, and a film of salt water stays on the metal almost all the time. In these conditions ordinary painted steel rusts within a few years, black steel fixings within one or two seasons, and cheap stainless steel gets rusty spots. The closer to the water and the more wind off the sea, the faster corrosion goes. Protection is easiest to build in during construction, by choosing the right metal and coating, rather than fighting rust later.
What rusts and how we protect it
| Element | What happens | How we protect it |
|---|---|---|
| Railings, balustrades, stairs | Rust at welds and fixings | Marine-grade stainless steel, hot-dip galvanising with paint |
| Carport, canopy and gate frames | Paint flakes, ends and welds rust | Zinc-rich primer and enamel, on-site treatment of welds |
| Fixings and brackets | Rust streaks on the facade | Stainless fixings, isolating dissimilar metals from each other |
| Air conditioner outdoor units | The heat exchanger and casing rot | Units with anti-corrosion coating, washing, treatment |
| Reinforcement in concrete | Cracks and spalling on balconies and columns | Concrete cover, repair with rebar protection |
Metals and coatings
- marine-grade stainless steel, not ordinary food-grade;
- hot-dip galvanising for steel frames, with paint on top;
- zinc-rich primer and enamel for structures that cannot be galvanised;
- aluminium with powder coating or anodising rated for a marine climate;
- isolating washers between dissimilar metals to prevent galvanic corrosion.
The most common mistake: a steel structure is well painted, but site welds are left untreated, and rust starts at the joints. So every weld, cut and hole made on site is treated straight away. Glass balustrades and their fixings by the sea are made only of stainless steel; more on the glass railings page.
Reinforcement in concrete
Salt gets into concrete through cracks and thin cover, the reinforcement rusts, expands and bursts the concrete from inside. That is how spalling appears on balcony edges, cornices and columns. So by the sea we make the concrete cover over the reinforcement no less than the design value and watch it during pouring; more on the reinforcement and seismic belts page. If the reinforcement is already rusting, we break out the concrete to clean metal, clean it, apply a protective coating and rebuild with repair mortar.
Air conditioners, gates and carports
By the sea we choose air conditioner outdoor units with an anti-corrosion coating on the heat exchanger and wash the salt off once a season; more about air conditioning on the air conditioning page. Gates, fences and carport frames are made of galvanised metal with paint; more about carports on the canopies and carports page. Once a year we inspect the metal, touch up chips and replace rusting fixings with stainless ones.
How much anti-corrosion protection costs
Anti-corrosion painting of steelwork with zinc-rich primer and enamel costs from 45 ₾ per m², restoring rusty structures with rust removal and converter from 63 ₾ per m². Repairing concrete with corroded rebar from 230 ₾ per m², repairing a balcony slab edge from 175 ₾ per linear metre. Replacing fixings with stainless steel from 48 ₾ per point, anti-corrosion treatment of an air conditioner outdoor unit from 300 ₾. A water-repellent treatment of a concrete facade from 19 ₾ per m², a corrosion survey of steel and rebar with a report from 720 ₾. The final cost is set after an inspection and an agreed estimate.
Stages and timelines
-
Inspection
1–2 days
Metal, fixings, concrete, units.
-
Plan
2–3 days
What to clean, paint, replace.
-
Preparation
3–7 days
Rust removal, breaking out concrete.
-
Protection
1–2 weeks
Primer, enamel, repair mortars.
-
Monitoring
once a year
Inspection after a season, touch-ups.
Local specifics in Batumi
On the seafront in Batumi salty air and storm spray reach the upper floors. Metal that lasts for decades inland starts rusting here within a couple of seasons, and unpainted galvanising loses its protection faster. High humidity almost all year keeps the salt film on the surface wet, and corrosion does not stop even in summer.
The wind off the sea blows onto west and north-west facades, and metal on those sides rusts noticeably faster. The further from the shore and the higher into the hills, the milder the conditions, but on slopes above the sea the wind carries salt several hundred metres inland. So for houses by the sea we specify more durable coatings and more frequent inspections.
Materials and brands
Marine-grade stainless steel, hot-dip galvanised sections and tubes. Zinc-rich primers, epoxy and polyurethane enamels, rust converters. Stainless fixings, isolating washers and gaskets between dissimilar metals. Concrete repair mortars, rebar protective coatings, penetrating corrosion inhibitors. Water repellents for concrete, heat exchanger cleaning products.
What makes up the cost
Timeline: anti-corrosion protection of a house usually takes 1–3 weeks, concrete repair with rebar longer
- area of metal and degree of corrosion
What raises the cost
- the seafront and the windward side
- work at height and from scaffolding
- concrete repair with rusting rebar
- complex welded structures
What lowers the cost
- choosing the right metal during construction
- regular inspections and touch-ups
We prepare the exact estimate from measurements and photos. It’s free and comes with no obligation.
Get an estimateGuarantees
Anti-corrosion works carry a 2-year warranty. Coatings and repair mortars carry the manufacturer's warranty, subject to an annual inspection. Photos of the metal before and after treatment go into the building file.
Questions and answers
How much does anti-corrosion protection by the sea cost?
Anti-corrosion painting of steelwork costs from 45 ₾ per m², restoring rusty structures from 63 ₾ per m², repairing concrete with corroded rebar from 230 ₾ per m². Replacing fixings with stainless steel from 48 ₾ per point. The final cost is set after an inspection and an agreed estimate.
Why does stainless steel rust by the sea too?
Because stainless steel comes in different grades. An ordinary food-grade one gets rusty spots by the sea, especially where rain does not reach and salt builds up. For railings, fixings and posts we use a marine grade and wash it with fresh water every few months.
What should be done if concrete is falling off a balcony?
The reinforcement is rusting: it expands and bursts the concrete. The concrete must be broken out to clean metal, the rebar cleaned, coated with a protective product and rebuilt with repair mortar. Simply filling the crack from outside will not help: the rust will continue inside. If the spalling is large, a structural engineer looks first.
Can rusty metal simply be painted?
No. Paint over rust flakes off within a season. We remove rust down to sound metal, treat it with a converter, prime with zinc-rich primer and apply two coats of enamel. If the metal has rusted through or lost a noticeable part of its thickness, the element is replaced, and railings and fixings are checked for strength before painting.
How often should metal by the sea be inspected?
Once a year, ideally in spring after the winter storms. We look at welds, fixings, ends and places where water and salt collect, touch up chips and replace rusting fixings. Air conditioner outdoor units are washed free of salt once a season. If the owner lives abroad, we send photos after the inspection.
Further reading
Send photos of the rust and where it is: we will price the repair and protection within 24 hours
We reply within an hour during business hours. Message us or leave a request: we’ll call you back, go over the details and suggest the next step.
Mon–Fri 10:00–19:00, Sat 11:00–16:00