As with anything worth building, it’s essential to design dock structures with an emphasis on longevity. That’s the message Philipp Spoerndli of Nordcap Steel Docks wants to share with everyone.
“It’s a must to have an experienced professional design a dock structure that will still be in great shape 40 to 50 years down the road,” says Philipp, who has 34 years of experience designing and building steel docks.
Whether Nordcap is doing the installation, or another contractor is, Philipp will create a solid design with all the necessary details to do the job right.
It starts with the foundation. Always use round piles as dock supports – they are much more resistant to ice damage than I-beams. And ensure that the pile walls are at least 0.4 inches thick.
Then it’s time to fill the piles with concrete to eliminate oxygen, which prevents rust. Ensure every pile is driven to bedrock. This guarantees a level dock for decades.
“In locations with 12 feet or more overburden (gravel or compacted sand from the lakebed to bedrock), brace with batter piles on a 25- to 45-degree angle,” explains Philipp.
Match your underwater bracing to your piles: use hollow structural section (HHS) steel tubing and fill them with concrete like the piles. This will ensure your piles will still be braced after 40 to 50 years – as opposed to angle bracing which will rust twice as fast as HHS.
Be aware of prevailing wind and consequently your possible ice flow during ice-out season in April. Design the dock structure to be braced based on site conditions and exposure.
“Sandblast and epoxy coat all of your underwater steel before installation,” he says. “A 10 to 12 mil coat of epoxy will add at least 20 years to the life of a structure. It is also good practice to rustproof to the top of the crosser (a horizontal beam on top of piles 8 to 15 inches above water level) with epoxy coating before the crosser installation, as water levels can rise up to and over top of the crosser at times.”
As well, always ensure your steel connections are fully welded by qualified personnel. Pay special attention to proper splicing of pile sections, as these are critical connections.
Post-construction tips
If you plan to use a de-icer to protect your investment, Philipp recommends using it with caution. “Use a thermostat/timer on your de-icer,” he says. “Short, frequent run times are best.”
Using a cycle of 30 minutes on, 90 minutes off will keep the total run time to six hours daily – enough to prevent ice from forming right around your dock, but not enough to impact the lake or cause safety concerns for others. Philipp also says it’s important to keep up on gentle maintenance annually and to remember why you have a dock in the first place.
“Wash off the dock in late May or early June to remove any pollen or mildew that may be on the surface,” he says. “And don’t forget to enjoy it! There is no better place to be than on a dock in the summer!”
TEXT CHRIS OCCHIUZZI
PHOTOS ANDREW FEARMAN
