Aluminum Floating Docks – Understanding Your Needs

Whether commercial or residential, it is essential to understand the difference between floating and stationary docks before you can best select what fits your specific needs.  Floating docks are constructed and placed over large airtight float drums that will allow it to float on the surface of the water. They are unique and practical because the dock can move with the water levels in the surrounding environment, making them well suited for areas with constant water level changes. If your dock houses boats, you know that the distance off the water to the top of the boat will always be the same no matter the water level.  Their counterpart, the stationary dock is supported by pilings or legs which do not allow for fluctuation in the water; hence they are fixed. Though the legs can be manually re-adjusted at different levels, it is limited to their length.

Taking a good look at your environment will be vital in making an informed decision, some things you want to consider are:

  • Budget – how much are you willing to spend on maintaining your dock?
  • Surface conditions of the water – heavy boat traffic? Storms?
  • Water level fluctuation – does the water level frequently change?
  • Can the dock be permanent, or should it be removable?
  • The water depth of where the dock will be placed.
  • Installation – how will it be installed?

Though we offer many varieties of docks at Technidock, one of our key products is the aluminum floating dock. There are many advantages to constructing the floating docks out of aluminum.  It is lightweight and requires no maintenance and the fact that it does not rust, rot, or decay speaks to its longevity, therefore keeping future costs to a minimum. If you ask us what makes our docks such high quality, the answer is because they are 100% welded. Welding cuts down on the use of bolts and other connectors thus eliminating the need to replace those parts.

We get a lot of questions here at the office about our floating docks and have found that there are many misconceptions regarding them.  One thing we frequently run across is the fact that many believe it is a simple process to turn a stationary dock into a floating dock. That is not the case. There is much more to it! Stationary docks are typically very narrow. If the dock is going straight out, you will need a broader section to help with the stability.  If you intend to go off the sides of the floating dock with sections, then the central section can be narrower.

Another misconception is that the floating dock can be stabilized with pipes on each side of the dock.  However, that doesn’t work well either. Pipes are used to hold the docks in place.  The pipe holders are only designed to stop the dock from floating away. You do not want to restrict the pipe with pipe holders, otherwise it could get hung up and bind the dock.

If you have questions or we can help you with this decision process in any way, please feel free to contact us.  We take pride in all the products we manufacture here at Technidock.  Our engineering and welding practices are performed for strength and longevity to give you a product that stands the test of time.