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Dock Owners - cedar vs synthetic help needed!


RayRay

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Hello Crew, 

Its been a while since I posted here but I know there are some lakehome/cabin owners that may be able to help me out. We recently moved on to a lake and are purchasing a new dock. We are torn between high quality no knot cedar and a synthetic (titan) dock system. Here is a link to the type of dock we are going to purchase with a boathouse. http://www.niccumdocks.com/boathouses.php We are not planning on putting this dock in and out ourselves so you can eliminate that factor.  What are your thoughts, pros/cons? Thank you in advance.

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I think either wood or Titan type decking are fine - depending on the conditions.  If the dock will be shaded and/or under trees most of the day then synthetic might be the best because you get less "slime" and cleaning is easier.  If comfort and cool surface (when the sun hits it) are important then wood is probably a better choice.  Other things to consider are wave action and bottom.  If you have a lot of big waves that will wet the decking then wood can get slippery.  If the bottom is uneven or deep AND you don't have much wave action look at floating systems.

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I see now you're on Forest Lake.  Probably a shallow shore line and lots of waves and rollers.  Synthetic or Aluminum would be best choices.  Boat show is in 2 weeks.  Good place to take your shoes off and walk around on the options.

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+1 on, synthetic all the way. My synthetic and aluminum dock is now going to start it's twenty first year and still looks very good.  I could power wash it this summer and it will lock like new.  Look around some mighty nice looking synthetic stuff out.  Wood takes way more maintenance just to stay looking good. Its going to lose the nice coloring without constant upkeep. And in the end its not going to last as long. But that is JMHO.  Floe does have nice things. 

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Floe are nice docks but you can't have a full size boathouse with them. We have always wanted the boathouse for maximum protection from the elements.

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+1 on aluminum. Looks just as good as the wood and so easy to clean. Can get a tad hot in the summer, but toss a little water on it and its good to go.

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Our family cabin has a synthetic dock and the only issue we have is it gets hot.  Splash some water or lay a towel down and viola, no problem.  We are getting ready to rip all the wood off of the deck and replace with synthetic.  Winters are brutal on wood here. 

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My neighbor has re-done his dock. He ripped off all the wood and replaced it with that composite crap. Here in the Florida sun you'll burn your feet during the summer months on that.

I have to do my dock and will definitely go cedar all the way!

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1 hour ago, Chaabo said:

My neighbor has re-done his dock. He ripped off all the wood and replaced it with that composite crap. Here in the Florida sun you'll burn your feet during the summer months on that.

I have to do my dock and will definitely go cedar all the way!

Not all composites are created alike!  The cheep stuff is as most things you get what you pay for. Also color will have an effect.  My docks are white, never hot. Even the big yellow dog will lay out on the dock. He hats warm bedding.

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4 hours ago, oldjeep said:

Why not?  They make roll in, floating and stationary docks like everyone else.

 I have never seen a floe dock with a boathouse. All the boathouses here are made by local dock companies and you have different choices when it comes to the deck surface.

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you can still buy a wood dock? jk...jk... plastic or aluminum all da way! easy to power wash all the dirt and grime off...

 

The only stuff i do not like is the Thruflow, i dont think anyone who has purchased this stuff has ever walked on it bare foot....it hurts the feet, too large of holes etc.. still cant figure out how they are selling so much... granted its great for steps leading into the water and boat lift walk-on-guide ons for traction and letting water through but for the dock i cant imagine having to use my flip flops all the time. 

dont get me wrong though cedar looks classy but way to much work and thus why most fail to do the upkeep on them to keep them looking great. 

i suppose if you were down in sunny FL the heat might be a thing but most "GOOD" synthetics take care of this problem if not better than wood now. 

good luck

Edited by The Hulk
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I think it was two years ago we last went down to the boat show. But we saw some synthetics and aluminum that look so close to cedar you would not be able to tell one from the other at five feet away. Why not have both?  What I don't know is how it will stand up to sun for years.

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  • 2 months later...

Looks good.

I used to have a huge mahogany deck at our old house, which looked gorgeous.  It got old cleaning and staining it every year.  I don't miss the maintenance with the new house having a synthetic deck.

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