Need feedback on "Fiberglassed Sleeved Pilings"

[senormechanico]

We are about to pull the trigger on a relatively new way to encapsulate four healthy Douglas Fir but creosote coated pilings.

Washington State and the EPA are getting to be eco warriors about everything, including copper bottom paint.

Our plan is to encapsulate them with a process developed by the company who built our dock.

It's being proposed by the same company whch built our dock and ramp.

Northwest Docks

Our dock is in one of their videos at 2:28 - 2:41

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKRYaUG8jQY&t=197s

In the proposed sleeving, they install mandrel wound fiberglass tubes custom made for whatever color you designate to encapsulate the pilings. They are then driven below the mud line so no oxygen can penetrate, then filled with a special mortar which fills all voids and protects the outer fiberglass surface from impact damage. It's then capped for moisture intrusion and bird droppings.

The best part is, the finished product is a clean, cylindrical surface, not rusty, costs less than half and lasts at least as long if not longer than a steel piling. What's not to like ?

The internet searches have shown me there are a lot of these in place in the Northeast of the USA.

I would be grateful to hear from anyone who has had experience with these in either a marina or private ownership.

Thanks in advance,

Steve

[SV Bacchus]

Sorry, I am unfamiliar with the process but just had to "Dang nice dock!"

[NWD2017]

We've been using fiberglass sleeves to extend the life of wood piles for 6 years now with zero issues.

Jim

nwdocks.com

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome to the CF, Jim.

[Cadence]

Just out of curiosity, how old are the pilings. I thought the tree huggers had creosote band years ago.

[senormechanico]

Our whole neighborhood was done back around 1970, just before all the "Save The Planet, We're All Gonna Die" stuff started.
Our pilings are in great shape because they have had watertight caps on them.
Some other people's, not so much.

I've done some research and the US Navy Ammunition Depot right across Admiralty has used FRP pilings filled with concrete and covered with a UHDP sleeve.
Their piles are 93 feet long !

plastic pilings, composite piles, structural piles, fender pilings

[HopCar]

I've heard of repaying damaged piling with a sleeve and concrete but applying it to a new piling sounds like a good idea. Here is a company that makes PVC sleeves.
Durosleeve - SnapJackets

As long as the bottom of the sleeve is below ground, the top above high water and you keep a good cap on the top, that piling will probably last fifty years or more.

[bongo]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

Our whole neighborhood was done back around 1970, just before all the "Save The Planet, We're All Gonna Die" stuff started.
Our pilings are in great shape because they have had watertight caps on them.
Some other people's, not so much.

I've done some research and the US Navy Ammunition Depot right across Admiralty has used FRP pilings filled with concrete and covered with a UHDP sleeve.
Their piles are 93 feet long !

plastic pilings, composite piles, structural piles, fender pilings

As a former Californian and a USMM Chief Engineer I've experienced the polluted world of the Far East, and of California from the 1960's, and up to the present. . If it wasn't for the environmentalists we would never have had the legislation that created the cleaner air and water we take for granted today. From LA Harbor in the '60's you could see the San Gabriel Mountains perhaps 10 days/year. Now, you can see them the majority of the days/year. The harbor has seen sea life return. While I'll admit that there has been plenty of poor-bad legislation, the overall trend has been a vast improvement in the quality of life for everyone concerned. Would you rather sail in Kaohsiung Harbor or San Francisco Bay. Thank the TREE HUGGERS!
Back on topic, My brother has had sleeping done on his pilings recently, and I'll ask what his thoughts are.

[senormechanico]

I can't imagine sleeping on a piling.... Ouch !



I looked at the SnapJackets link. How could that possibly be watertight? It's snapped together in sections.
I suppose it would slow down the degradation.



The FRP tubes Northwest Docks uses are continuous filament wound and installed over the top of dock pilings.
Obviously, you can't lift a dock like the one above.

[bsurvey]

waste of money. have the pile

pile guard wrapped, its epa approved plastic wrap and way cheaper

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by bongo

As a former Californian and a USMM Chief Engineer I've experienced the polluted world of the Far East, and of California from the 1960's, and up to the present. . If it wasn't for the environmentalists we would never have had the legislation that created the cleaner air and water we take for granted today. From LA Harbor in the '60's you could see the San Gabriel Mountains perhaps 10 days/year. Now, you can see them the majority of the days/year. The harbor has seen sea life return. While I'll admit that there has been plenty of poor-bad legislation, the overall trend has been a vast improvement in the quality of life for everyone concerned. Would you rather sail in Kaohsiung Harbor or San Francisco Bay. Thank the TREE HUGGERS!
Back on topic, My brother has had sleeping done on his pilings recently, and I'll ask what his thoughts are.

Off the topic. There is a difference between ecologists and tree huggers. What did we go to from creosote, arsenic. Sometimes it is a rush to judgement because of people with good intentions and little knowledge.

[admiralslater]

The only post I saw like this where in the Bahamas.in their case they just used the spun FIBERGLAS piling and filled them with concrete. I believed they used pressure water to sink the pilings in . Sorry don't know anything else.

Sorry for the drift but we just came back from Vietnam Cambodia and Laos . Beautiful countries great People . We could tell it was clear but we did not see blue sky for 3 weeks ,I have never seen such pollution. Toronto has several blue flag beaches after concerted work to reduce pollution. My taxes might be a little high but I can see the sky .