Stephen Conway is an expert at fixing all kinds of structures. However, he knew he must be creative in order to save an old duck hunting camp along the Alligator River in North Carolina. The camp’s owners approached him with a big problem. Their beloved, remote weekend getaway was in danger of disappearing.
Fifteen duck camps sit along a section of the river near Columbia, NC. Over the past 20 years, high water and fires destroyed nearly half of the camps. The owner of one of these properties turned to Conway’s company, Southeastern Marine Contractors, to keep their vacation home from washing away. “These homes are completely surrounded by water and have really settled,” says Conway. “When a strong wind blows, waves actually crash right into the home!”
Conway knew he would have to raise the house in order to save it. He immediately ruled out using standard wood pilings. Although the could have used standard wood, it would only be a temporary fix because parasitic marine borers would start to destroy the underwater wood almost immediately. Construction experts and coastal property owners have long been on the receiving end of the damage caused by the marine borers known as shipworms and gribbles. These crustaceans and mollusks are tiny, but they have enormous appetites. They can eat through more than two inches of timber a year, quickly destroying a structure. “It’s a big problem on the coastline,” Conway says. “They eat the hearts right out of regular wood piling in just a couple of years. Once they get at it, say ‘goodbye’ to your wood. It’s all downhill from there.”
He then considered using concrete for the job, but that would require prohibitively heavy equipment. The home’s inaccessible island location would make even getting a crane to the home a difficult and expensive proposition. Conway needed a solution that would be both permanent and cost effective. “I thought ‘Wait a minute! Crane Materials International has a product that could do the job’,” he says. “It dawned on me that we could raise the house with TimberGuard pilings.”
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Based on technology that has been performing for the U.S. Navy for nearly 50 years, Crane Material International’s patent pending breakthrough, TimberGuard, is an exclusive, high performance product that combines timber piling with a protective polymer barrier providing dramatically longer service life. “No one wants to see their docks, piers, and marinas deteriorate because of hungry shipworms and gribbles. The technology is effective because marine borers don’t like to eat the plastic,” says John Irvine, President of Crane Materials International. “We are proud to play a role in protecting our customers’ investments.”
Until TimberGuard, wrapping was the typical solution, only to cover damage that has already occurred to piles. Fixing deteriorated wood is expensive and often requires frequent maintenance. In contrast, TimberGuard actually helps prevent damage from ever taking place. TimberGuard is the first product created by applying polymer to timbers in a continuous sleeve, reducing the chance of infestation.
For the first time, private property owners have an economical, long-term solution to defending their structures against the tough marine environment, protecting real estate values and providing peace of mind. In addition, TimberGuard is available in attractive colors, making it a great choice for an endless variety of applications.
Conway’s clients now talk about someday taking their grandchildren to the secluded duck hunting camp. That dream seemed unlikely before Conway introduced them to TimberGuard. “They are extremely happy with TimberGuard. And so am I. TimberGuard is a true problem solver!"
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