A boat dock can be a valuable and practical part of your property. Unfortunately, it will be subjected to harsh conditions that can lead to it eventually suffering damages that will need to be replaced.
Rotted Planks And Supports
For individuals that own wood docks, the risk of some of the planks and wooden supports rotting can be a significant concern. Once a component of the dock has started to become visibly rotted, the damage may be too severe to repair without fully replacing the rotting components. In addition to having the visibly rotted components replaced, you should also have the entire dock inspected as there could be a risk that there is additional rot in areas that you are unable to see. This is especially important with the supports as they will be located partially underwater and beneath the dock where you may not be able to easily get a good look at it.
Unstable Foundation
Foundation issues can be another reason that a person would need to have major repairs done to their docks. When the foundation of a dock starts to become unstable, it can create a number of different problems. Depending on the damage that has occurred, this could even result in the dock collapsing into the water. Unlike structures that are built on land, the foundation of a dock will be a series of pilings that have been securely anchored in the soil. If the area under the dock has experienced erosion from strong storms or intense tides, it could potentially cause some of the pilings to come loose. While this is a serious problem, the process of repairing it may be easier than you expect as the problem is likely to be limited to a handful of these pilings.
Widespread Corrosion
Metal is a common material that is used in the creation of a dock. Even wood docks will make extensive use of metal. The metal that is used in your dock will be treated to be corrosion resistant, but it is possible for rust to gradually develop on these components over the years. If the corrosion is not removed and the metal sealed, it can make it weak enough to be unable to support the weight that it is needing to hold up. When the metal components can not have the corrosion removed, a professional dock repair service will be able to safely and effectively replace these components to restore the integrity of the dock.