Boat dock pilings: wood vs. concrete vs. composite — what we use on Florida lakes

A dock is a deck that lives in water. The piling is the thing fighting that water 24/7. Pick the piling wrong and the deck above it is just a delivery system for repair calls. Here is what we use on Orlando-area lakes.

Pressure-treated southern yellow pine — the default

Treated to .60 CCA retention (the marine-grade spec), 8-10 inch diameter, driven 8-12 feet into the lake bed depending on what we hit. Around 25 to 35 years of useful life on a fresh-water lake before the section between waterline and mud line starts to lose meat.

• Cost: the cheapest option. Roughly $150-$250 per piling installed.
• Look: green when fresh, weathers brown then gray.
• Watch-out: the .40 retention pine you can buy at a big-box lumber yard is yard-grade, not marine-grade. Same color, very different lifespan. We only use marine-grade.

Concrete — the buy-once option

Pre-cast concrete pilings, octagonal cross-section, 10-12 inch face. Driven the same depth as wood. 75+ years of service life. The only thing that takes them out is a barge hit.

• Cost: roughly 2.5x the wood bill. $400-$650 per piling installed.
• Look: gray, industrial. We can dress the cap with a wood collar so the visible portion looks like the deck above.
• Best for: primary residences where the dock is part of the property value, anywhere you want the "and you never touch it again" answer.

Composite (fiberglass / HDPE) — the lightweight specialist

Hollow fiberglass or solid HDPE pilings. Same lifespan as concrete (50-75 years) at about 60% the weight, which matters when access is tight and a piling truck cannot get to the install site. Used to cost roughly 3x wood; the gap is closing.

• Cost: $350-$550 per piling installed. Closer to concrete than to wood now.
• Look: available in wood-grain wrap or smooth charcoal.
• Best for: shoreline installs with no truck access, eco-sensitive areas that prohibit CCA-treated wood, owners who want a 50+ year structure.

What we actually install

For most residential docks on Conway, Butler, the Chain of Lakes, we lead with marine-grade pressure-treated. 30 years is more than long enough that the deck surface will need replacement before the pilings do, and the cost difference funds a better deck and a roof.

For lakefront homes where the dock is part of the listing price, we lead with concrete. We have re-decked owner-built concrete-piling docks that were installed in the 1970s and the pilings are still straight.

We do not generally recommend "untreated cypress" or "marine plywood" pilings that some pre-fab dock kits ship with — neither holds up in our water table.

Five things to verify in any dock quote

• CCA retention rating (.60 for marine, .40 for yard).
• Drive depth. 8-12 feet is normal for our lake beds. Anything less is a red flag.
• Hardware grade. Hot-dip galvanized or 316 stainless. Electroplated rusts in 2 years.
• Permits. St. Johns River Water Management District plus county. Required on every Orlando-area lake.
• Warranty terms. What is covered, for how long, transferable to the next owner?

Considering a new dock or replacing pilings on an existing one? Send us the lake, the rough length, and a photo from the shore. We will come back with permit guidance and a real quote, usually within two business days.