For Waterfront Property Owners, It’s All About ‘Safety First’

March 14, 2017 by gibson Leave a Comment

Owning a waterfront property in Florida, or other coastal towns throughout the U.S., can certainly feel like a privilege; but with great perks, comes great responsibility! Keeping your waterfront property, and all that comes with it, well-maintained can help keep your friends, family and visitors safe, allowing you to enjoy all that mother nature has to offer.

Keep Your Waterfront Property Safe

Having worked in the marine construction industry for over 30 years, we here at Gibson Marine have truly “seen it all.” From failing, or dilapidated seawalls, rotting or leaning docks and decks, rusted or broken boat lifts, and worse, we have seen what can happen when outdoor structures are ignored or neglected. Each of these conditions, mentioned above, not only create eye sores for your neighbors, but grave safety concerns for anyone attempting to use or walk on these structures. However, we’ve yet to come across a seawall, dock, deck or boat lift we couldn’t fix! Below, we’ve compiled some of the major concerns we face as waterfront property owners, and when you should leave the repairs to the experts!

Seawalls

A seawall acts as your first line of defense, and is an invaluable structure for homeowners on the water. While we recommend regular cleaning, maintenance and monitoring of your seawall, a major storm or invisible damage can result in a severely compromised seawall that needs professional attention ASAP. If you feel that your seawall might be damaged, it’s always better to call an expert to come out and take a look at it – better safe than sorry!

Common causes of damage to seawalls:

Example of a damaged seawall in need of repair

Natural wear and tear over time
Storm surge/hurricanes
Lack of maintenance
Changing water flow
Improper installation

Docks and/or Decks

While seawalls act as the first line of defense for your waterfront property, they oftentimes go unnoticed. However, your backyard deck, (and if you have one) dock are often where most the activity happens in your outdoor space, and is usually what guests and visitors see first. Docks and decks can rot or break after time and if they aren’t protected with pressure-treated lumber or built with quality materials, they immediately become a safety hazard to your family or visitors.

While there is a lot that a homeowner can do to protect their dock or deck against damage, if rot sets in, it’s time to call in the professionals. Some common signs that it might be time to call the professionals are:

Example of damaged deck in need of repair

Rotting or broken wood
Bowing or loose beams
Termites
Nails or screws won’t hold

Boat Lifts

Every good boatowner knows just how important it is to take care of your investment with regular maintenance, cleaning and long-term care. If you’re fortunate enough to live on the water as a boatowner, it’s imperative that you invest in a boat lift. Boat lifts are central to upkeep and is one of the best ways to proactively maintain the hull. A boat’s hull is obviously subjected to the most potential abuse; particularly if left in the water for extended periods of time. The eventual corrosive effects of elements like algae, moss, and salt water can wear away at the finish, something no boatowner wants to see.

Protecting and maintaining your boat lift is one in the same with protecting and maintaining your boat. Here are some of the common causes of damage to your boat lift:

Excessive chafe on the cables
Over-extending the life of your cables
Improper maintenance/care of lift beams
Cracked bunks
Improperly greased gears, drive units, pulleys, etc.

If any of these warning signs sound familiar to you, it might be time to give us a call. Safety is something that should be on the forefront of every waterfront property owner’s mind, and maintaining your seawalls, docks and decks, and boat lifts is a big part of staying safe!

Do-It-Yourself Docks

December 17, 2015 by gibson Leave a Comment

The DIY Revolution. The two best things to happen to homeowners in the history of residential housing: HGTV and Home Depot.

Then came the rise of the “kits” — everything you needed to install anything from interior doors to exterior sheds could be purchased in one shrink-wrapped parcel that contained all necessary bolts, anchors, and brackets.

This was followed by YouTube with videos of regular people transforming their kitchens, converting garages into apartments, and even creating a relaxation oasis out of a tiny fenced yard. On your monitor, step-by-step instructions for a full-on DIY Weekend. All lofty goals, all contributed to pride of ownership and in some cases, enabled cost savings.

But should a line be drawn as to what people who are not contractors (or professionals in a particular industry) try to construct? If you could buy a kit on Amazon, would you build your own car? Your own boat? Your own dock at the water’s edge?

Yes, we have been in the marine construction industry for over thirty years. We know what it takes to install a solid, (seaworthy if you will), structure. We are also big on consumer education and want our clients to know how to inspect their docks, decking, and seawalls for changes to their integrity that could cause a breach and mark the beginning of structural damage.

When we build our docks, we are known for our beautiful designs and integrating structures to suit a home’s architecture. But we are about safety first. And we want you to be too. That is why we advocate having your dock built by a professional.

These are our top seven reasons against a DIY Deck:

You are talking about a structure that is on the water upon which people will walk. This is not a fence that surrounds your vegetable garden. Safety is paramount.
You likely don’t have the right tools. You can rent them, but if it is something you need to rent, you likely do not have the proficiency to use them as you don’t already own them.
Installing the supporting posts (or pilings) in the water to sustain your dock or pier necessitates jetting with water, or driving with a pile driver. It’s a big job.
You require an excellent understanding of the soil characteristics. Is the earth at your water’s edge solid enough to be load-bearing? Can it even support the weight of the equipment needed to drive the piles?
Installing a dock requires solid calculations so it stays installed.
You need to be certain you are conforming to safety codes and filing all the appropriate permits with your county or homeowners’ association.
You need professional grade materials. Whether pressure-treated wood or PVC, marine-certified supplies must be used and then fastened with the exact type and quantity of fasteners for that material.

Try your hand at taping and spackling (it is actually harder to do than it looks!) or installing a floating floor in your family room; but when it comes to water structures, you want to consider imposing some DIY limitations. Those are the times when a marine construction specialist is your best don’t-do-it-yourself resource.

Natural Dock Cleaning

October 22, 2015 by gibson Leave a Comment

Simplicity is beauty – whether you are building a wood dock in Florida, or maintaining one. Although they require a bit more care, many owners of waterfront homes prefer this traditional material to composite decking or extruded PVC.

Because wood docks absorb the beautiful Florida sun, they present a gentle tactile, nice to walk on. Aesthetically, they showcase a rustic appeal. Along with rope rails and wood benches, you can truly create a unique ambiance with wood decking. Depending on the area in which you live and the overall décor of your outdoor space, this organic material can naturally integrate for a cohesive feel alongside your property’s shoreline.

The one caveat regarding wooden dock construction is that they require more maintenance than their plastic counterparts. While the assumption is more associated expense and the need to contend with cleaners that are potential pollutants (you will find these chemical-based dock cleaning products displayed with the paint thinners and solvents in the home improvement store), you do have options.

You can keep a wood dock looking great with natural products that are better for you and the environment. There is no need to deal with harsh chemicals or go to the expense of buying bottles of solutions.

Baking soda for example is a renowned stain remover. Vinegar and water are a formidable combo. A seemingly innocuous product that likely has a place in every pantry, vinegar is acid-based. It is powerful, yet biodegradable. White vinegar is also probably one of the most inexpensive items you can purchase at the supermarket.

Reader’s Digest offers up almost one hundred uses for vinegar in the home and garden and provides this great wood dock cleaning tip to help keep mildew at bay:

“Keep some full-strength white vinegar in a recycled spray bottle and use it wherever you see any mildew growth. The stain will wipe right off most surfaces, and the vinegar will keep it from coming back for a while.

Remove mildew from wood decks and wood patio furniture by sponging them off with a solution of 1 cup ammonia, 1/2 cup white vinegar, and 1/4 cup baking soda mixed in 1 gallon (3.7 liters) water. Keep an old toothbrush on hand to work the solution into corners and other tight spaces.”

While there is certainly a consumer vertical chockful of chlorine-free and nontoxic formulas to clean wooden docks that won’t harm plants, people or pets – they are pricey. Many offer cautions to wear gloves due to the mixture’s high acidity and to be careful of slippery surfaces while using the product.

We love the dock designs that can be constructed of pressure-treated lumber. Wood docks provide the perfect palette to reflect deck lighting. Wood also showcases beautifully, whether a home’s architecture is contemporary or traditional.

They may require a little more love to keep looking good and extending their functional life, but wood docks are here to stay. Especially when you consider vinegar as part of a regular maintenance routine: the easy, affordable, organic, environmentally-friendly solution for cleaning wood docks.

How to Properly Care For Your Dock

September 24, 2015 by gibson Leave a Comment

Loving life at the water’s edge? There’s nothing better. Whether you’ve just moved into your first waterfront home or are exploring a possible update to your boat dock’s construction, you’ll find there are options to suit every design taste and functionality.

Besides the array of dock accessories like child safety fences and hazard prevention power pedestals for stowing electrical cables, there are tons of choices for outfitting your boat dock:

Underwater deck lighting
Jet ski lifts
Ladders, rails, and flat piling caps
Custom benches and seating
Boat lifts of all shapes and sizes

The foundation for your outdoor oasis is, of course, the decking you choose for your dock system. Floating or fixed, a look at the variety of dock construction materials proves an interesting exploration into the form, fashion, function, and care of your deck materials.

There are a range of materials from which to choose; each with their own characteristics:

Hardwood decking and softwood decking
Composite or plastic decking

Wood Decks

These are a classic. Wood decks are warm, welcoming, and typically integrate beautifully as a bridge between your property’s landscaping and its water access.

While hardwoods contain natural oils and organic compounds that do help protect them to an extent from insects and decay, maintaining their “natural beauty” comes at a little cost/sweat equity.

You’ll probably want to pressure wash annually, but we recommend consulting with a Florida dock professional first. We have seen homeowners inflict damage to their docks by setting their power washer to full blast and using the same type of attachment they would to clean concrete.

Wood Deck Power Washing Tips

Don’t place the power wash tip too close — you probably want to be about a foot away
There are all kinds of nozzle attachments for pressure washers – use the fan tip for a less concentrated force
Do not use pressure over 1200 – 1500 PSI or you may actually etch the wood
If the wood is a cedar or a pine, you will want to be more in the 500 – 600 PSI range

Wood Deck Sealing

Again, consult a dock pro to confirm how often you should apply a coat of finish or stain and what type to use. Re-apply every three to four years is a good rule of thumb to maintain water resistance and surface integrity.

Composite or Extruded PVC Decking

At the other end of the maintenance spectrum you will find composite decking. As the name implies, this decking is fabricated from a combination of wood fibers and plastic.

Composite decking includes elements like recycled inorganic materials (polyethylene/polypropylene) combined with organic materials such as wood fibers.

Although not as susceptible as wood, these surfaces are not exempt from mold/mildew in damp or shaded areas; so composite docks should still be cleaned regularly.

PVC decking is typically made from a combination of polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene. The boards that will comprise the dock can be injection molded, rotationally molded, or extruded to tailor its build.

Your custom-built dock can make a unique contribution to your home’s shoreline. Consideration of the materials used is the first and best decision for years of enjoyment.

Contact Gibson Marine for more tips and tricks on how to keep your boat dock, and deck in great shape for years to come!