Choosing The Right Boat Dock For Your Needs! Part-2

In Part-1 of "Choosing The Right Boat Dock For Your Needs" we gave you an intro into Stokes Dock Co. & the how to assess the water conditions at your waterfront project destination. Now that we have those results, we can now choose what type of materials can be used for your application.
Boat docks have been built out of many different materials throughout history. Until recently, the common materials used were wood, steel, aluminum & concrete. While each 1 has its benefits, each 1 also has its liabilities as well! Knowing both of these will not only allow you to choose the right materials for your project, it could also prevent you from wasting money on the wrong products or major repairs that end up costing you 2 or 3 times the original amount just because you wanted to save money! The worse thing that you could prevent from occuring is the danger that you, your family, your friends &/or your guests could be placed in due to your decision so making the right decision should be very important!
However, you can avoid all of these mistakes & more by simply listening, asking questions or better yet, utilize the expertise of Stokes Dock Co.'s Professional Sales Team to help you make that right decision! This is how we earned the great reputation that we have today & we hope to add your project & your compliments to that ever-growing list of clients!
Now, back to the subject-at-hand. With today's major advances in science, designs & technology, we are able to offer you materials that were never known until the last decade or so! For example, Stokes Dock Co., Inc. has teamed up with X-Treme Marine Concepts, Inc., X-Treme Marine Dock Systems & Strongwell, Inc. to introduce a new Marine-Coated Fiber Material that is light-weight, non-conductive & non-flammable! Also, pound for pound, this special-fiber material is stronger than aluminum, metal, fiberglass, stainless steel & carbon-fiber while still remaining structurally rigid in order to provide a stable-base & solid substructure to build from! This is just 1 of the many new & exciting products that we are researching & developing for our residential & commercial clients all over the nation!
While that product is still in the R&D stages, most boat docks are built from either wood, composite wood, aluminum, fiberglass, steel, concrete, plastic &/or the combination of the products. The type of water (Saltwater, Freshwater or Mix) will also determine what products you can or can't use. For example, Saltwater conditions will limit you to products that won't corrode, rust or become structurally harmed by the harsh conditions that the saltwater produces. The coatings you choose will help delay the process, but in the end, saltwater will corrode just about every product except for concrete, fiberglass, plastic & composite. However, these components have their weakness as well! For example, while concrete may seem like a good product to use in any water conditions, it's actually 1 of the worse products to use! While concrete may seem solid & indestructable product, it's actually more vulnerable than people think. Not only is concrete a porous product by design, it's also a very weak product. This is why we use steel inside the concrete! The steel skeleton is used to reinforce the concrete so that it doesn't crumble, crack or fail! However, since concrete is a porous product, the saltwater can now corrode or rust the steel away to nothing, making the concrete a complete structural-failure! Concrete floating docks & breakwater systems are becoming more & more popular! Again, because the concrete is a porous product, it not only damages the internal steel-structure that makes it strong, it's also very harmful to the foam locked inside the shell of the concrete! Depending on the type of chemicals & compounds that are found in your water, the foam will basically start to absorb the chemicals & begin to sink! This proves that each component has its strengths, but it also has its weakness that could prove disastrous to your waterfront project! Take your time & make sure to research every component, material, application, water condition, etc. before you make your final decision! It will definitely save you time, injuries, headaches & money! Don't rely on a sales pitch when you can have the best dock for your waterfront application! Stay tuned for Part-3 of "Choosing The Right Boat Dock For Your Needs" where we will start to discuss the different types of structures & what will work best for your application! For more info, please visit us at http://www.stokesdock.com or feel free to email me anytime at: shane@stokesdock.com
(Don't rely on Dock Companies that have used the same design, same materials &/or same techniques for decades now! We use the latest or most advanced technology & best materials in the industry in order to provide you with products & services for today's waterfront rather than yesterday's problems! This is just 1 of the many reasons why we are considered by clients all over the nation to be the industry-leader in quality, durability, advanced technology, proven techniques, versatility, performance, innovation & overall client satisfaction! Come see today what a difference Stokes Dock Co. can make to your waterfront experience!)