A dock walkway is essential for connecting people to a waterside dock. The walkway provides a safe setup that will get people from the shore to the dock and back, which is essential when you consider how some docks can bob up and down as the water moves. REDD Team can produce aluminum walkway systems for your dock today. Our layouts can provide the materials necessary to get a walkway ready, plus our aluminum surfaces will last for years.
Why Use Aluminum?
You can use various metals for a dock walkway system, but aluminum is the ideal choice for many reasons:
- Aluminum is strong enough to handle mass amounts of weight. A typical aluminum dock walkway can support about 90 pounds of weight per linear foot or at least 400 pounds in a 12×12-inch area. The capacity is suitable for most situations.
- Since aluminum surfaces feature natural aluminum oxide coatings, the actual aluminum material will not get in contact with water and trigger a reaction. This point means that the metal will not corrode or weaken. The body can also handle various temperatures.
- Aluminum’s surface is smooth and can be accentuated with gripping features and fabrics to provide a slip-free body.
How Will Your Walkway Look?
A walkway will feature a straight flat line in most situations. You can request a walkway with a slight bend if necessary. Some walkways may also include risers at the bottom for when you need to adjust how it fits with a floating dock.
There are a few additional things to spot in a walkway:
- Your walkway can be a few feet wide on average. About three to five feet of width is good enough, although you can look for something wider if you need help moving marine equipment or water vehicles on the spot.
- The handrails should be high enough to protect everyone, especially when the walkway starts going over the water. The rails should be at least three feet high.
- Some grooves or openings on the bottom are necessary to provide a gripping surface where the walkway will prevent slipping. A mesh-like metal design can work well, as it keeps water from accumulating and sticking.
Your walkway’s design can work as you see fit, so make sure you are careful when getting it ready. The walkway should have a good body that handles well and doesn’t cause any struggles to make it work.
What About Changing Water Levels?
Water levels can change for various reasons, and this point can be a problem for floating docks. But an aluminum dock walkway can include a roller kit if necessary. You can add a roller to the bottom of the walkway frame to let it rest on top of the dock frame. The surface can roll in or out along the dock, changing as the water level shifts. This feature provides a more convenient approach to keeping the walkway level with the rest of the dock.
Ask us at REDD Team about how our aluminum dock walkway setups can work, as these systems will be critical for getting people in and out of various spots. You can hire us for help whether you’re producing a walkway for a fully-constructed or floating dock. Call us at (800) 648-3696 to learn more, or schedule an appointment on our website.
