What Are the Different Types of Residential Docks?

If you’re thinking about building a dock for your waterfront residential property, there are a lot of things to consider. You will need to decide what building materials to use, e.g., aluminum, composite decking, or wood. Additionally, you will need to obtain approval and permits from the pertinent authorities. Having made these decisions, you will need to determine whether to build the dock yourself or hire professional marine services Palm Beach County.

Another important decision you will have to make is what sort of dock you need. There are several types to choose from, and each has advantages and disadvantages. To help you make an informed decision, here is an overview of the different varieties to choose from.

Floating Dock

A floating dock is so called because of the polyethylene or Styrofoam blocks on which it floats, creating a raft-like structure. It is secured in place with flexible post tension cables that are secured to fixed pilings near shore. Its buoyancy and flexibility can help it to withstand a storm or prevent it from damaging a boat if it makes contact. However, it could submerge in rough water and can harm aquatic plant life since it tends to block sunlight to the water below.

Permanent Dock

If you want to build additional structures on top of your dock, such as a boat house, a permanent dock may suit your purposes. It also provides stability as it is not vulnerable to movement of the water. However, a permanent dock can be more expensive and may not be environmentally friendly.

Pipe Dock

A pipe dock consists of pipes that rest on the lakebed under the water to which three- to five-foot-wide pieces of decking attach in a run. Pipe docks are easy to remove, relatively inexpensive, and friendly to underwater plant life because they do not block as much of the sun. However, pipe docks are best for small boats. A large vessel may need more protection than a pipe dock can provide.