studding outside, zinc plated or stainless steel

[happyhero]

Hi when you use studding outside, ie on fence repairs, building kids play centres etc, obviously stainless steel is better, although more expensive but how good will zinc plated be considering you will often cut it to length which ever type you use?

Zinc plated is presumably done to resist moisture etc, so will it last years and years, or will it become corroded quite quickly, when getting wet every day, or out in the damp nights etc?

What I want to try and establish, that is if you say zinc plated will last a while, is whether it is false economy or not to use it, ie should I pay the extra every time for the stainless steel for outside use?

Any advice appreciated.

 

[JohnD]

the zinc plating is very thin, so you need to paint it for protection or it will rust outdoors and be quite difficult to undo later. you only need to do this at the end where the nuts are.

you might consider putting Copaslip grease on the thread before doing it up, but clean it off the part you paint.