Wood and concrete are two of the most commonly used materials in the market for marina construction. Carol Fulforce did some research on the US, UK and other dock builders to find out which material to use, wood or concrete?

There are currently four materials available on the market: wood and concrete, traditionally used, and "new material" plastics - PVC and recycled materials - which have only recently come into use. To answer the above questions, one considers cost, aesthetics, the geographic conditions of where the marina is located, and the owner's personal preferences. In fact, each material has its advantages and disadvantages.

The cheapest and most widely used in the world is wood. As one marina owner put it: "When you picture a marina, what comes to mind is a beautiful wooden deck surrounded by luxury yachts."

From an aesthetic point of view, wood is truly incomparable, especially when new.

As a pure natural material, wood is also the first choice for environmental protection requirements. Due to the development of wood processing technology, expensive hardwood has been replaced by processed pine wood, which can achieve the same durable effect, but the price is very low.

Therefore, general yacht docks are made of wood, while large docks and breakwaters should be made of cement. Wooden docks can last at least 30 years, but it also depends. If the seawater salinity is particularly high or the weather is very hot, the service life of the wood will be reduced. But for 10-15 years after construction, wooden piers do not necessarily require more maintenance than concrete piers.

Clive Kemp, the commercial director of Walcon Marine in the UK, believes that "boat owners prefer the surface of wood. Concrete will always produce some sand particles, which are attached to the soles of people's shoes and brought to their well-cared-for yachts. Wood gives people a good feeling, cement does not. , it's unattractive, it has a rough feel to it. Some people say that cement is less maintenance, and I don't quite agree with that."

As for the maintenance cost of the wooden pier, according to Clive's calculation, it is actually lower than people imagined. There is no need to spend any maintenance costs in the first three years. In the next five years, a 400-berth marina will cost £250 a year to paint, and from the ninth year, it will cost £2,500 a year. Therefore, in the 15th-20th year, the maintenance cost per berth is only £5 per year!

  Maintenance of cement piers is simple due to the necessity of new technology of concrete that is less prone to cracking at extremely high temperatures. However, no matter how low maintenance costs are, one has to consider the cost of concrete marinas. Many homeowners don't think it is necessary to spend so much money on concrete structures. In North America, wooden (often yellow cedar) marinas are still the first choice for owners, such as in British Columbia, Alaska and parts of the Northeast.

The reason why cement docks are not popular in the market is that it is not easy to repair the deck, and the entire pontoon must be replaced; unlike wood, where it can be damaged, it can be replaced at that place. Tim Mason, the owner of the largest yacht marina in Britain, said: "Boat owners like wooden docks. Our dock has been used for 15 years. Now the wooden deck is resurfaced, and the whole dock is like new. Moreover, bare feet are on the wooden boards." It's very comfortable and doesn't burn your feet like concrete." Another UK owner, Dan Hughes, said: "We'd rather use a wooden dock, it's perfect for our needs and it's much cheaper. It's not too much of a hassle to maintain and we use it every year. A special paint brush."