5 Reasons Dock-Makers Use Aluminum

There’s a lot of reasons why many of us dock-makers choose to use this special material in our constructions

Aluminum’s unique characteristic make it a very versatile building material when combined with other elements like magnesium and silicon. Our docks use a combination of aluminum 6061 and 6063, both containing magnesium and silicon as alloying elements. Aluminum alloy is the perfect material for building lake docks because of these qualities:

1. Lightweight

One of the most unique characteristics of aluminum is its low atomic weight and density. This means aluminum is incredibly lightweight for its strength and malleability. When choosing a material to build our docks, it was incredibly important for us to choose a material that is lightweight to allow our customers to easily maneuver the dock in and out of the water.

2. Long-lasting and Durable

Aluminum is naturally corrosion resistant. We couldn’t compromise on this point. Docks should stand the test of time, and with an aluminum frame, we are confident that our docks will.

3. Malleable

Aluminum is the 2nd most malleable material (malleable: able to be hammered or pressed permanently out of shape without breaking or cracking) making it the perfect material for casting, machining and forming. As a fixture in an aquatic environment, our docks are put under a lot of stress which it built to deal with. By design, on the very rare occasion that the dock is put under tremendous stress (i.e. a hurricane, flood, etc.), the dock is far more likely to bend than to break.

4. Sustainable & Non-corrosive

Aluminum is non-toxic, so it won’t hurt the natural environments its put into. Most municipalities have very stringent laws regarding what you can and can’t put into their lakes. All bodies of water, and lakes & ponds especially, hold incredibly delicate ecosystems. These habitats can easily be damaged beyond repair by harmful chemicals and invasive species. Aluminum is perfect material for preserving the health of natural habitats. Furthermore, it is the most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust (roughly 8.1%).

5. Aesthetically-pleasing

Beyond all of the above reasons, aluminum docks simply look good. They have a sleek and simple look to them and because of their natural resistance to corrosion they’re the perfect candidate for aquatic environments.

Takeaways

Aluminum is a very versatile metal with unique characteristics. These characteristics make it an ideal choice not only for docks but also for aircraft fuselages and high-speed railways. As dock-makers we care most about its lightweight characteristics, malleability, corrosion-resistance and non-toxicity. If you’re looking to purchase or add on to your existing dock, leave us a message here, or if you’re interested in becoming a dealer of Shore Side Dock products, click here.