Remember the good times you had on your dock while staying at your lake house last summer? Well, that time of the year is about to arrive again, so about heading over to your vacation house and making sure that everything is in good shape? One thing we know for sure is that your dock might need a little TLC.
Your dock is the gateway to fun. It allows you to cannonball into the lake, jump into your boat and push your brother into the water while he’s stuck removing one leg of his pants. Whether you have a standard wood dock or a floating dock, follow the below maintenance tips to get it ready for summer:
Replace Broken Boards
Imagine arriving at your lake house, ready to jump into the water. You don your swimsuit, grab your towel and then walk outside. Seeing the sparkling blue expanse of water, you run at full speed, and just as you are about to reach the end, you feel a sharp pain underneath your foot. You stop to inspect it and see a splinter stuck in your foot.
This problem is common with wood docks, even when stained for protection from sunlight and water. First, inspect the walkway and replace any broken or splintered boards when you arrive at your lake house.
Tighten the Hardware
From bolts to hinges and any part with a screw, tighten it! Nobody likes a wobbly dock. Moreover, even a single loose screw can weaken a specific section of the dock if too much pressure is put on it.
Don’t forget to oil the hardware, so you don’t hear squeaking sounds while relaxing in your chair and listening to music.
Clean the Wood Ladders
The wood ladders or rungs that lead into the water often start wearing down after a while. To clean the f659+ormer, remove the screws and take it out of the water. Scrub the steps to remove any algae that might have made them slipper and then install it again. To clean the latter, get it out of the water and use sandpaper to remove any splinters.
Install Bumpers
Even seasoned boaters often bump their boat into the dock while parking it. This can chip away the corners and cause the side wood to splinter. This is where fenders and bumpers and come in. Install them on the side where you usually dock your boat. If the bumpers are made of rubber, make sure they are in good shape and durable to withstand the weight of any boat size.
If you own multiple boats and other watercrafts such as kayaks and canoes, a great way to keep them organized and the dock looking less crowded is to get a shed constructed where you can store them. This way, you can protect your watercraft from the heat of the glaring sun in summer and the cool breeze in winter.
If you are looking for quality floating docks for boats or do-it-yourself docks, visit the Nor Col EZ Dock website. They offer different types of plastic docks in Manitoba for residential, commercial, and industrial use. For more information, call on (800) 654-8168.
