My old treated lumber dock has had it. This winter, our lake is to be lowered by ten feet. Thus, some long overdue expansion and replacement will take place. I plan to rip off the old treated 2×6’s that form the dock surface and replace them. Any opinions as to what material (other than concrete or steel) holds up best on a lake dock? In Texas, it will be exposed to temperatures from 100+ down to the 20’s. As a dock, it is subjected to water, wind, extreme sun.
Our dock, with a lift, serves as a entertaining and swimming deck. Thus, the appearance we want precludes concrete or steel.
I am considering “Trex” or some similar engineered decking. Does it hold up? Will it sag? It is more expensive than the treated lumber, but possibly worth the lower maintence and lacks the aresnic found in pressure treated wood. Any other suggestions? Thanks!!!!
Replies
Atlantic City replaced their boardwalk with Ipe. More expensive that PT but so much more long-lived that it was an easy decision (or at least that's what the reports I've read say).
A quick qestion- I have seen term Ipe used in the form a few times what is it. I have never seen it for sale here in Ontario is it a available only in some areas of North America.
george
Ipe is sometimes called "ironwood". Very dense- it won't float and sinks in water. Some more info in the link ............ http://ipe-wood.com/index.html
Ironwood is a generic term for any dense wood, specifically any that will skink in water.
There are hundreds species of "ironwood".
IRONWOODS is a trademark for an importer of IPE.
Another branded version of IPE is Pau Lope¯.
And the latin moniker
Ipe Tabebuia
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
There are a few retailers of Ipe that I know in Ontario: Cambridge, Sudbury and one in Stouffville (near Toronto). Let me know if you want details on their location(s).
Ipe is a beautiful wood, incredibly hard, dense, and very rot resistant. And in Ontario, expensive.
Regards,
Tim Ruttan
Yes please. Retailers of Ipe in (Stouffville and Cambridge) would be welcome for reference, as would other quality/price/selection/support comments you are willing to offer.
-S
Sorry for taking so long to respond...slipped my mind.
Ipe in Ontario is available at
Cambridge - http://www.forloversofwood.com/canada/
Stouffville - http://www.centurymill.com
Sudbury - http://www.woodsthebest.com/index.htm
I haven't dealt with Forloversofwood or Woodsthebest. Century Mill ipe was beautiful last time I used it (two years ago?). Anyway, quite expensive. Hard to mill, cut, etc. Easily double your labour.
Regards,
Tim Ruttan
try Olivers lumber http://www.oliverlumber.com
they are located in etobicoke and stock an astounding array of exotic hardwoods & such. Ipe is available tongue & grooved, and many other profiles, and surfaces
r2
Go with the Trex as long as you fasten it in accordance with their technical specs and its only spanning on 16" ctrs it will last practically forever
Bing
Be sure to check the synthetic wood manufacturers specs on the installation of their materials in a moist environment.
Several have limitations on land applications that spec out at least 12" clearance between deck boards and soil. Usually no ground contact at all...unless it is vinyl.
I have been impressed with a new product in our area named "Xtendex" made by Composite Building Materials, 200 Brock St., Barrie, Ontario, Canada 1-877-728-3498 or 1-705-728-3498 or http://www.extendex.com ! Just finished an 800 sq ft deck for a client this last week. The lead carpenter was impressed enough to check into buying it for his own proposed deck sometime this fall.
Seems to be more ridgid then trex or timbertch and has mores shapes, trims, posts etc, to essentially make everything above the substructure maintenance free.
.............Iron Helix
All the Trex info a person could want: http://www.trex.com/products/installation/pdf/Installation.pdf
My memory wants to tell me that trex is more expensive than PT--but that was the old PT. Trex does not want you to use it structurally, so, you'll need PT for that.
Which lake?
I would check out the new PVC material that they are using 0 Maintenance no splitters
Generally with decking lumber, you can figure costs based on PT pricing.
If PT is $5.00 then cedar is about 60% more ($8.00)
Trex is approx. 60% more than cedar and IPE about 40% more than trex
Everyone i've talked to about Trex has had nothing good to say about it. I even called their own technical service: "sorry sir we dont provide samples" and it took three days to get that response. Look into "EON" decking. Its light completely synthetic and becomes "tacky" when wet so you dont have to worry about slipping in wet locations. Its priced about the same as trex.
I have Trex on my 12' x 42' Deck, 3 years old . I have everything good to say about it and nothing bad to say about it. I will never havea wood deck again!
Is your deck on sleepers or is it more of the standard fare(Beams, joists then decking)? The people I spoke with said you need at least a 2x4 on edge under trex for a sleeper system. The problem on sleepers seems to be that, without proper underside ventilation the topside drys out quicker than the bottom and then causes warping. Unfortunately I cant speak from experience since i've yet to install either product but from all i've heard so far I have to spec "eon". At least they gave me a sample to show my customers.
Deck is 2x 10 hem fir painted joists 16" OC with 2"x6" trexs on top. The standard deck. used trex for railing, spend 60 mins in the spring & late fall with the power washer to get the dirt & such off, has a little fad to it but nothing like all of the past wood decks I have had .
You should certain reduce the chance of spliters in to bare feet with Trex or similar composite decking. Trex claims its decking gives good traction when wet but I have no direct experience with it. I have heard that it feels much hotter, so bare feet may be dancing rather frantically in direct sun in hot weather.
PT is heavy and poisonous and splintyery
The composites are heavy and get awfully hot on bare skin and some are slippery when wet. Some are structural and most not.
I would consider Port Orford cedar if I were building what you describe. It is comfortable under foot, resists rot, and is not as heavy as all the other woods described.
I'm commenting much on the weight because when they started building the floats here from PT, they had to re-design to add more floatation to elevat above waterline
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untreated wood suitable for decks may not cut it for use as dock material pt makes a special dock material which is treated at a higher pressure rate (psi) in the tank, greater absorption of the chemicals lot of dock material are also 3x goods rather than 2x ...it depends on your usage, wetness and how heavy duty check with manfacturers
I've had Trex deck over soil for >10 years without deterioration and on my dock for 5 years without deterioration. My dock is not a floating dock but is on pilings 4 feet above the water line. Smooth, not slippery. No splinters and not too hot considering I'm in Florida. Here where there is daily rain then hot sun drying out horizontal surfaces I would not use wood on a deck. I'm happy with it and will probably use it for fascia when I reside my house.