Dock with a Boat Lift

by Frank in Okeechobee
(Okeechobee, Florida)

Can I use pressure treated lumber from my local home improvement center to build a dock with a boat lift or do I need to use specially treated wood that will be driven into the canal bed and exposed to water for the life of the dock?

I'm receiving mixed responses and I'm just not sure now.

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Oct 18, 2009
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Pressure treated Posts for Boat Lift
by: Editor - Rich Bergman

A boat lift requires structural posts around the perimeter that are set deep into the ground below and may also need engineered footings to prevent them from sinking under load.

But being constantly submerged and completely surrounded by moist soil means it is the perfect environment for wood to rot. I think the exception might be if there is no oxygen available because you can have hardwood logs that fell out of log booms hundreds of years ago and because of the cold water and or lack of oxygen they are perfectly preserved.

You really need to find a very high grade pressure treated lumber that is designed to handle this kind of situation. I don't think standard pressure treated lumber could handle this kind environment. It would have to be really soaked deeply with chemicals and you may also have some environmental issues to be worried about.

So if there is someone out there who is more of an expert on the processes and chemicals used in pressure treating lumber please help out here.

Get this decision right or I am sure those posts won't last as long as you are hoping they will.

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