How ThruFlow Decking Can Save Your Dock from Storm Surge Damage
How ThruFlow Decking Can Save Your Dock from Storm Surge Damage
For any property owner on the Gulf Coast, from Pensacola to Santa Rosa Beach, hurricane season brings a legitimate sense of dread. High winds and rain are damaging enough, but the most destructive force for any marine structure is storm surge. This powerful rise in sea level can lift a dock right off its pilings. Fortunately, modern decking technology offers a powerful defense.
Understanding Storm Surge and Uplift: The #1 Dock Killer
When a storm surge rolls in, the water level rises rapidly. With a traditional, solid-surface dock, that rising water has nowhere to go but up. It exerts immense hydrostatic pressure on the underside of your deck boards, creating a powerful uplift force. This force can be strong enough to rip planks, stringers, and the entire dock structure apart, resulting in catastrophic and costly damage.
The Grated Decking Solution: How ThruFlow Works
ThruFlow decking is an interlocking, grated panel system designed to completely neutralize this threat. Instead of presenting a solid wall against the rising water, ThruFlow's open grate design changes the game.
Reduces Uplift Pressure: The grated surface allows water to flow directly through the decking. This eliminates the buildup of hydrostatic pressure from below, dramatically reducing the dangerous uplift forces that destroy traditional docks during a storm. The open design allows your dock to weather the storm surge instead of fighting against it.
Minimizes Debris Impact: During a surge, floating debris can become a battering ram. The open design of ThruFlow panels helps prevent large debris from getting trapped under or against your dock, allowing it to pass through with the current.
Allows Sunlight for Marine Life: As an added environmental benefit, the grated panels allow sunlight to reach the water below, promoting the growth of vital seagrass and marine vegetation that solid docks would otherwise block.
Beyond Storm Protection: Everyday Benefits
While its storm-resistance is unmatched, ThruFlow decking also offers significant advantages for daily use on your dock.
Stays Cooler & Drier: The non-slip, grated surface allows water to pass through, keeping the walking area drier and safer. The polymer material also stays significantly cooler to the touch than wood or traditional composites in the hot Florida sun.
Zero Maintenance: Like other composites, ThruFlow is a durable polymer that will never rot, warp, splinter, or require staining. It's built to withstand the harsh saltwater environment for a lifetime.
Is Grated Decking Right for Your Pensacola Dock?
Given our location on the hurricane-prone Gulf Coast, investing in storm-resistant building materials is not a luxury—it's a necessity. ThruFlow and other grated decking options provide the ultimate peace of mind for any dock owner in Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, or Destin.
Don't wait for the next storm to test your dock's strength. Fortify your waterfront property by speaking with the experts at Emerald Coast Dock & Seawall about a ThruFlow decking installation today.
