Florida residents dealing with devastation take advantage of new polymer protected wood products when rebuilding their docks.
Captiva Island, Florida is often referred to as “paradise”. The small sliver of land provides breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico, sugar sand beaches, and a small downtown full of unique restaurants and stores.
However, last summer, Hurricane Charley pummeled the idyllic retreat, causing wide-spread damage. The hurricane sheared off roofs, destroyed many of the area’s beloved Australian pines, and mangled boats and docks. The powerful winds were a terrible reminder of why structures along the water need to be as strong as possible. Although hurricanes destroy even sturdy structures, wood that is already rotting and weakened is usually the first to collapse.
“Deteriorated wood is a big problem,” says Mike Jones, a contractor with SteMic Marine Construction. “And marine borers are the number one reason underwater wood weakens and docks fall down.”
Marine borers, like shipworms and gribbles, are small animals that live in sea water and eat wood. They can cause serious damage and weaken structures by allowing water to pass through the holes they have created. Eventually, the pests can eat straight through timber, causing it to collapse. Not only is this an expensive hassle for property owners, it can create coastal erosion by destroying bulkheads and docks. Too often, the damage is not noticed until the wood is beyond repair.
After repeatedly seeing the extensive destruction caused by marine borers, Jones began looking for something new that could help minimize infestation. He was pleased to discover TimberGuard, a patent pending product from Crane Materials International (CMI). TimberGuard is made by encasing wood in a continuous, heavy-duty polymer sleeve. The protective layer is seamless, so the chance of pests infiltrating the wood is dramatically reduced. Nearly 50 years ago, the U.S. Navy discovered that polymer encasements create conditions in the wood that is not indicative to a borer attack. CMI took that research and created a product that can benefit both commercial and private property owners.
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Jones is currently in the process of building four docks for a large, private residence along Captiva Island’s beautiful Roosevelt Channel. His clients wanted something that would help in the fight against the tough marine environment and still be aesthetically pleasing. Jones suggested TimberGuard pilings and they enthusiastically agreed.
CMI’s Sales Manager, Susan Svensson helped Jones coordinate the project. “This client didn’t want to have to deal with pests. They wanted to build the longest lasting structure possible using the best materials on the market, so they chose TimberGuard. It was a no-brainer,” she says.
Before learning about TimberGuard, Jones tried to minimize infestation by using other products and methods, but nothing provided success. “We wrapped piles with a thin layer of plastic. But that is not the best solution. That kind of wrapping slows marine borers down, but not completely. Plus, wrapping before installation costs a lot of money,” says Jones. “TimberGuard is different because the wood comes already protected. It’s going to last for a long, long time. I definitely think this is a much better solution than just wrapping wood.”
So far, Jones’ crew has finished two of the four docks along the Roosevelt Channel. When completed, the docks will consist of 150 TimberGuard piles. Jones reports that the job is going smoothly and he continues to be impressed by how easy TimberGuard is to install. He now hopes to use TimberGuard on many of his future projects.
“Our clients love it,” Jones says. “It’s nice because not only does TimberGuard work well, it also looks great. It comes in several colors. They chose white and are very pleased with its appearance. We’ve used CMI products before, but this is the first time we’ve worked with TimberGuard. I know it won’t be the last. As soon as their neighbors see this product, I’m sure they’ll be asking for it too. I’m looking forward to using TimberGuard again.”
For the first time, private property owners have an economical, long-term solution to help in the defense of their structures against relentless marine conditions. TimberGuard protects investments and provides peace of mind.
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