Dock pilings are one of the most important components of successful dock construction. Pilings are large poles that are driven into the ground below a body of water and are intended to stabilize the structure of a dock, providing a sturdy and durable foundation that can withstand exposure to water. Piling caps are a necessary component of any dock piling. These helpful tools serve a number of purposes, including making your dock look good – and helping to keep it that way over time.
Before you undergo your next dock construction project, here are a few things to know about dock piling caps and why you need them.
Decorative Value
Piling caps can clean up any chipping or damage from cutting the piling, making your dock more visually appealing and adding aesthetic value. Additionally, piling caps can be made from a number of various materials, and can allow you to customize the look of your dock to make it your own.
Prevent Water Damage
Piling caps can prevent water from damaging your dock pilings. When it comes to concrete pilings, water getting into the interior of the pipe as a result of rain can cause rust and additional damage that can erode the structure of your dock. In wood pilings, water can be absorbed inside the piling and rot from the inside out. Installing a piling cap can help to prevent these issues and keep your dock in great shape for years to come.
Common Mistakes
When making important renovations to your dock pilings, it is important to avoid screwing items such as piling caps into the pilings themselves when working with certain materials. For example, concrete pilings can crack or break when piling caps are screwed on top. While this might seem like no big deal to some contractors, this is unfortunately one of the quickest ways to guarantee that water will be let into your dock pilings, causing damage. Instead, your contractor should use glue to attach a piling cap. When working with timber dock pilings, screwing caps into the structure is ok; just be sure to use stainless steel screws to avoid rotting!
When undergoing dock construction or renovation projects such as adding caps to your dock pilings, the experts at Rapid Permits can help oversee your project design to ensure that everything is done correctly in order to save you time, money, and stress when constructing or upgrading your dock.
For more information on our services and how we can make the process of installing piling caps as simple as possible, contact us today!
