Cribs vs. Steel Docks? This is a question I get asked all the time. First, I will be clear that the docks that we build are crib. We have steel workers for the times that we do steel and we complete the top with our craftsmen. So, which is better? The answer is – it depends. The best solution is determined on an individual basis.
Crib docks are not all created equal, and nor are
steel docks.
We focus on strength in our woord docks. We use douglas fir instead of the less expensive hemlock which is prone to splitting in lower rounds. Hardware store common spikes have little ability to hold your new or aging dock down in the now too common floods. The use of wharf spikes or drift spikes and the method in which we use them combined with notches help mitigate the chances for damage. It is also critical to fill them with stone. Wood docks have proven themselves for over a century.
I recently re-built a dock at an Olde Muskoka cottage. The original timbers pulled from bottom rounds circa 1915 were starting to compromise the integrity of the original steel spikes. Wood kept fully submerged does not rot. Tt actually helps preserve it. The steel spikes however, don’t last forever.
So, what does this mean?
Over a hundred years was a pretty good run! Wood crib docks are repairable and have the ability to protect your boats from wave action, weather from mother nature, or from boaters. A negative to some crib docks is the potential for settling, whereas steel does not. Cribs are not suitable for deep water (over 10 feet), they also are not ideal in soft bottoms. If you choose a steel dock, or your situation requires it, the thickness of the steel matters. Our lakes are acidic, and in many cases we have stray voltage problems that cause electrolysis. The thicker the steel the longer it takes to rust through. Many steel docks that are less than 20 years old are failing. Once they fail they cannot be repaired. It is a matter of starting over with new. This is a particular problem when a structure is above.
Wood Pros
- Repairable
- The cribs will last indefinitely
- Wave protection
- Typically less expensive than steel
Wood Cons
- Not always allowed due to fish habitats
- Can settle
- Not cost effective in deep water
- Not stable in very soft bottoms
Steel Pros
- Will not settle
- Excellent in deep water
- Built correctly will last a few decades
Steel Cons
- Steel rusts all the way to the bottom, and is accelerated near the surface. Painting or epoxy coating is not a solution to prevent this.
- The thickness of the steel matters, you are buying time… the thicker it is the longer it takes to rust through.
- The sleepers need to be synthetic as pressure treated lumber has a copper content and the dissimilar metals cause the material your deck boards are held on by to degrade rapidly.
- Steel must be bubbled in the winter.
See our dock projects here.