My experience of powder coated gear externally is that it's brilliant up until it gets a bit of damage that breaks the plastic skin. After that it's just a waiting game as it starts to come away due to the oxidisation of the metal lifting it up where the weather can get in.
Home galvanising with zinc paint is a mixed bag as well. I've had really good results on some bits and others I've dug the brush in too hard on the second coat and have rusty tram lines now. No rust creeping any further though.
Front part will be covered in iroko wood, and its up on castors.
The weld mesh has got me stumped though, wether it will last long enough as they are going to hang plants off it.
Just don't want the hassle of driving this thing around, when I'm doing it for cheap.
I'd be tempted to just go for a normal paint job (or powder coat if that's what you have access to) as it's off the deck and has wooden protection to an extent.
The weldmesh would be better for being galvanized as it's got moist plants against it all the time. I think you can get it pregalved so that would save some work?
How thick is the metal ? if it's 3mm it will probably last a lifetime with nothing done to it at all if all the box ends are sealed. Make the weldmesh with hooks so it can be lifted off and replaced and just give it all a coat of paint.
I made up these gates for the yard out of 50x50x3mm box and tec screwed timber to the front, all its had is one coat of red oxide. They are over fifteen years old now and no sign of rust, ignore the later addition of landrover halfshaft converted into a drop bolt
People get so hung up about rust,If it's off the ground & the air can get around it ,then it can be decades before there's holes ,however it's worse in a marine/ polluted environment,where you fix wood against steel there's a problem as the air can't circulate to dry it,can you place a rubber grommet as a spacer between wood & screw,allowing the screw to pass thru grommet.
I'm finding regularly the garden ironwork I make ( solid bar) customers are choosing natural which pleases me,as I like that look especially on hand forged.
Totally hate powder coat outside. Two- four years and it will blister Imo. Far better painting it.
Mild steel left totally untreated rusts 1 mm every ten years. Bit more to it than that tough because it does not take into account water an muck trap areas
Currently looking at not galvanising a lot more of my ironwork and different paints and primers. Quality of the Galv has gone down, service is appaling and am having to raise prices to cover this to the point I don't feel it very worthwhile for the client. Zinc prices are rocketing at present to boot so it will only get worse.
You can get pre dipped mesh for the back. You can either weld this on or as you say tek screw it.
If you hadn't already made the frame I would have suggested making it out of lengths of already dipped box too. Then you only have the welds to touch up with galvafroid.
Personally, I'd go with paint. It's cheap, easy to apply and prepped well, as good, if not better, than powder coat. The biggest advantage in your situation is you can hand over the remains of the tin of paint to the new owner. Then, they can touch up or buy a new tin and recoat it as they see fit.
What about proper marine type epoxy paints like Jotun epoxy aluminium? Supposed to be good for 20 years in the North Sea. Needs to be brushed unless you have an electric airless spray like a Graco.
Well, its all a learning curve, (at the clients expense!)
No Im happy enough with the powder coat. Looks hard. So hopefully should last them few years.
Just attaching wood now at local woodworkers - iroko.
Couple of teething problems attaching back panel, but getting there.