Most property owners whose homes are on the water have at least considered installing a dock. Those who hesitate to do so often assume that maintaining a boat dock in Port Charlotte FL must be prohibitively time-consuming or expensive. After all, just about anyone who’s grown up on the coast has seen what happens to wood when it’s exposed to water for prolonged periods.
Upkeep may have been an issue in years past, as docks often cracked, splintered, or warped. Today’s property owners have better options at their disposal than their predecessors, though. They can read on to find out about a few different materials that have become popular in the dock building industry that would have been unheard of just a few generations in the past.
Pressure Treated Wood
Pressure treated wood docks can be constructed in just about any shape and size. Unlike the untreated wood docks of the past, these more modern alternatives are much less susceptible to the elements. Plus, they can be painted to match a home’s exterior decor.
Composite Decking
Composite decking combines plastic and wood to create an impressively durable material that offers a fantastic alternative to traditional wood. Once it’s installed, it will be just about maintenance-free, too. The primary downsides of composite decking are that it can get slippery and that it can get hot in the summer.
Vinyl-Based Boards
Building a vinyl-based boat dock in Port Charlotte FL is quite affordable. In Florida, vinyl boards are a very practical material for docks since they will rarely be exposed to the kinds of cold weather that cause vinyl to become brittle and wind up sustaining damage. Like composite decking, vinyl boards require very little maintenance but unlike the composite material, they are nonporous and less slippery.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that all three of these materials offer unique practical and aesthetic advantages over the others, which can make it hard to choose between them. Property owners who still aren’t sure which of these materials will be best suited to meet their needs can always ask a professional dock builder for advice. Contact us with any questions today to get started.