When building a new deck or dock for a coastal or waterfront property, you want to invest in a building material that is made for longevity. When selecting a deck board, it’s important to choose one that is suited for a marine environment.
What Is Marine Grade Decking?
Marine grade deck boards are those that are designed to withstand the elements that are associated with a waterfront environment, such as water, salt, sand, and sun. Constant exposure to these elements can quick cause an unsuitable material to decay.
How To Choose Marine Grade Decking That Will Last
Here’s what should be taken into consideration when shopping for deck and dock boards.
Waterproof Boards
Wood boards, even those that are pressure treated, will eventually rot and weaken when exposed to humid environments or placed in water. This severely limits the amount of time that each board can be safely used. Wood dock boards need to be painted or stained to increase their longevity, adding to the yearly cost of upkeep.
Yearly maintenance costs also include the cost of replacing rotting boards.
The required maintenance and replacement costs can be eliminated by boards that are entirely waterproof, like plastic lumber. Plastc will never rot, swell, warp, or splinter when exposed to water. Plastic lumber doesn’t require any ongoing treatments to remain waterproof.
Environmentally Friendly
Green building materials don’t harm the surrounding environment.
Wood decking might seem like it’s environmentally friendly, however, wood used in marine environments is usually pressure treated. Pressure treated wood is made by infusing chemicals deep into the wood. These chemicals will leech into the soil and water.
Plastic lumber is chemical free and won’t harm the ecosystem. Many boards are made of recycled materials, sourced from plastic that was once ocean or land bound.
Dock Boards That Don’t Overheat
There’s nothing more uncomfortable than walking in bare feet over a dock or deck that is hot.
Wood composite decking is known for reaching extremely hot temperatures – up to 150°F on a summer day! This could easily cause burns on anyone unlucky enough to come into contact with the board.
Selecting the right HDPE board eliminates this concern entirely.
Marine Deck Boards For Any Project
Whether it’s a large scale marina or a small personal dock, Plastic Lumber Yard has the lumber needed to bring every marine project to life. Our team guides each client through the process of selecting the right product, determining how much to order, and can answer any installation questions.
Call or email today to get started: (610) 277-3900 or info@plasticlumberyard.com.
