If you have installed a boat dock on your beautiful waterfront property, you need to keep it in top condition to preserve its value for years. Harsh weather can have an impact on docks. Not only is fixing a damaged and worn out boat dock expensive and can take away from the beauty of your home. If you have a boat dock, routine maintenance is key in keeping it in top condition.
Here are a few useful tips on how you can keep your floating dock looking good from the very first day:
1. Apply Fresh Stain or Paint
Poor weather conditions, such as rain, wind, sun, snow, and water, can take a toll on your boat dock. Your boat dock is exposed to these outdoor elements all year round. Over time, the layers of stain or paint will begin to fade or peel off. Make sure to reapply stain or paint on boating docks every one to two years.
2. Maintain Proper Floatation
If you do not maintain proper floatation, your boat dock will slowly begin to sink to the bottom. If you notice that an area of your floating dock has begun to droop or is floating lower than it should, you need to repair either one of the dock fingers or main dock. Most probably, you will need to replace one of your dock floats.
3. Conduct Annual Inspection
Get in the routine of performing an annual inspection of your boat dock. What should you look for? Keep an eye on rotting beans or decking boards, loose dock fingers, decking boards, or cleats, worn out connection points or broken welds, cracks or splits in fascia. Remember, these are the symptoms of a larger problem.
By catching them early, you can fix them easily. If you allow these signs to aggravate, you will be looking at major repairs. No amount of repairs can fix the damage, you will need to replace your floating dock. If repairs have become a short-term solution, it is time to get a new one instead of wasting money on countless repairs on problems that will keep on resurfacing.
4. Clear Snow from Your Boat Dock
If you live in an area where it snows, do not let the snow pile up on your boat dock because it will collapse from all the weight. If it snows, remove it from your dock. Heavy snow can damage certain areas of your boat dock. It can even cause it to go partially under water.
5. Pull the Boat Hoists Up
Floating docks for boats need to be looked after even more, especially if you use boat hoists. People who store their boat out of water use a boat hoist. Poorly maintained boat hoists can cause damage to your boat dock. Inspect the cross members and connection points on your boat hoist to ensure they are in good condition. Always put your boat hoist in the up position.
If your damaged floating dock is beyond repair, contact EZ Dock Texas at 800-654-8168 for a quote. We will install a new dock on your waterfront property. We are currently serving clients in the areas of Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.
