How to Choose the Right Dock Floats for Your Waterfront Property
Floating docks are popular for many residential waterfront properties because of their versatility, relative ease of maintenance and cost-effectiveness. If you plan to install a floating dock, you’ll need to ensure you have sufficient support to keep your design afloat. Here are some other considerations to keep in mind when assessing your dock float needs.
5 Things to Consider When Choosing Dock Floats
Your overall dock design, size and configuration will guide what you need in terms of dock floats and accessories. Here are a few additional things to account for when determining your specific dock design needs.
- Installation considerations – Before choosing a floating dock, consider your shoreline conditions and your comfort and ability to do the installation work yourself. You’ll want to be sure you properly anchor your floating dock to shore and safely stabilize the dock. At RDS Dock Hardware, we’re always here to answer your questions as well as assist with installation.
- Type of dock floats you need – Generally, there are foam-filled and air-filled dock floats. Foam-filled floats like our 2’x4’x12” Formex float consist of a solid block of expanded polystyrene foam, which is encased in a plastic shell and made of high molecular weight high-density polyethylene. They offer the versatility to meet most, if not all, dock designs.
- Buoyancy requirements for your design – Next, you’ll need to assess buoyancy based on the size and type of dock floats you select. You can learn more about how to calculate dock flotation requirements here.
- Additional dock hardware needs – To connect your floating dock components, you’ll need durable dock hardware, including dock connectors and anchor rings.
- Ongoing maintenance requirements – Floating docks are relatively low maintenance, which is a win for most people. Regular cleaning of the dock surface is a good practice, however, as is ensuring you properly winterize your floating dock.
To learn more about the specific dock hardware and flotation needs you should have for your floating dock design, contact us at RDS Dock Hardware to ask your questions.
