Waterfront Projects Done Right
Three years into my career as a marine contractor, I pulled a brand-new aluminum dock frame out of the water after just eighteen months. It looked like someone had taken a belt sander to it. Pitting everywhere. Structural integrity already compromised. The culprit was galvanic corrosion — and the owner had no idea it was … Read more
I’ve watched grown adults do the barefoot hot-coal shuffle across a dock more times than I can count. They step out of the cabin, coffee in hand, ready to enjoy a Gulf Coast morning — and within three steps they’re hopping like the deck is on fire. Because honestly? It kind of is. If your … Read more
I want to tell you about a dock I built in 2019 on Perdido Bay. The client wanted to save a few bucks on hardware, so I sourced 304 stainless fasteners instead of 316. I explained the difference. He said “stainless is stainless.” Eighteen months later, I got a call. The decking screws had turned … Read more
Three years ago, I pulled apart a dock I’d originally built in 2019 — right on the edge of Perdido Bay, Alabama. I built one section with composite decking, one with #1 grade pressure treated southern yellow pine, and one with ipe hardwood. All three sections sat in the same salt air, took the same … Read more
Most people assume you need a barge, a crane, and a five-figure budget to replace dock pilings. I spent twenty years as a marine contractor on the Gulf Coast, and I’m here to tell you that’s simply not true. If you want to replace dock pilings DIY without barge equipment, it absolutely can be done … Read more
Three years ago, a neighbor called me in a panic. His dock was rotting through — boards sagging, screws pulling loose, the whole surface a liability. He’d gotten quotes ranging from $4,200 to $7,800 just for labor. I told him to hold off. We planned a redeck dock cost materials weekend project together, knocked it … Read more
I’ve built and torn apart more docks than I can count over twenty years on the Gulf Coast. And the single question I get asked most — from neighbors, clients, and now readers — is floating vs fixed dock which is better. My honest answer: it depends entirely on your water depth, and I can … Read more
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