Treated wood on dock

[chucker34]

We were going to buy a new aluminum roll-in dock this year but my wife's car gave out so we bought a new one of those instead. : ) Anyway, I'm looking to put new decking on the old wood and steel sectional dock we have right now because many of those boards feel weak (frame seems fine). Not looking to put cedar on it as it is pricey and I'm thinking we'll only use this dock for this summer and maybe next. I looked into the new aresnic free treated lumber at menards and figured I would only have to spend about $100 to do this.

Does anyone have any thoughts on if this type of lumber is safe for the environment or for kids to play on? I see its made of mostly copper based chemicals, none of which the EPA says is supposedly dangerous. The EPA also lists it as an acceptable alternative to the old arsenic based wood and Menards is selling it for docks. Of course, they also once sold the old arsenic based wood for docks too!

Just interested in any thoughts. Thanks!

[burl]

Just remember you have to carry this in and out of the lake each season.The treated wood gets very heavy when wet and dry.We made ours out of cedar and have 14 sections to put out,i am sore for a week after.Burl

[Eric Wettschreck]

The new treated lumber, I believe it's AC2, is being made to replace the old arsinic treated lumber. It's safe for your kiddos and such.

Like what was said earlier, it's heavy. Eat your Wheaties.

[Yukon Don]

Chucker,

My parents have a dock like this with treated lumber and when it gets wet it's very slipery and dangerous should little kids be running on it. I know that dock company's have different composit decking as a replacement but very expensive ($100.00) for a 4X8 foot section. If it were me I would not put down the treated wood. Some people will tell you to glue on skid resistant sheets but they come loose as soon as it gets wet. Just my 2 cents.

[chucker34]

Thanks for the responses. Yukon Don, that's a very valid concern about it being slippery when wet. My father-in-law, who parks his boat and boat lift there, had the same concern. I'm guessing a cheaper type of wood given a coating of deck stain would be slippery too. I just don't want to spend a lot on something we might have for a season or two more. It's an old dock that I'm guessing I'll have to give away when it's time for it to go.

[Walleye Guy]

If you are only going to use it a year or two who have many options. You could go with untreated pine with a couple coats of outdooor poly. You could go treated or cedar as well. One thing I would think about is you next dock. I would buy a roll in with fixed aluminum decking. However you MAY be able to make removable decking (planks) that you could put on some of the new aluminum frames that are available. My neighbor has a dock where he removes the top sections each fall before he pulls out the roller frame. Granted I don't know the dimension of your dock sections, but it may be something you want to think about.

[tashit]

My uncle has the same dock where he removes the top sections. I like it a lot. It looks really nice and it's easy to put in and take out.

[leechlake]

Chucker, for over 50 years my folks have had a 135 foot long dock on a lake up north. The deck has always been non treated 2X10's and the last ones we put on 12 years ago. The dock stays in the lake year long. For one or two years you do not need treated (or 5 or 6). We do not stain or treat it in any way. The only maintenance is to sometimes replace or straighten the end posts if the ice has done any damage.

On a seperate note the old treated CCA (copper, chromium, arsenic)is about as dangerous as any stain you use to finish wood. I agree the cca sounds like a lethal cocktail but it isn't and I wouldn't worry about the new treated compounds either.

[chucker34]

Thanks. I will think about the unfinished pine, though I would probably still put a coat or two of poly on it. Would that make it slippery? As for the dock itself, it sat unused in the corner of my father-in-law's garage - hence dry rot sat in on the planking last summer. But the frame still seems fine. In any case, it has 3 eight foot sections that are 40 inches wide. I actually had a dock picked out - a 32 foot hewitt roll-a-dock with a solid alumninum deck. I think I will go with that next year (if everything goes right) when boat show prices kick in again. There was actually a dock for sale in the local paper the other night for $600 - aluminum, roll-in with cedar paneling, 32 foot long with 8 foot L on the end and an 8 foot ramp. We don't get the paper until evening and you guessed it. I'm sure it sold that morning.

[Gus]

When you poly the wood sprinkle some fine sand (sandblasting or such sand) and it should give you some grip.

[bottomdweller]

chucker heres my input, we have a steel rollin dock. replaced the deck with treated plwood and stapled on outdoor carpet. been good for 12 years now. the aluminum docks are very nice and light, but they do crack in places and are not as strong. just my two cents.