Deck Construction, Stairs and Handrails

A deck on the water is not a deck in a back yard. Salt air eats fasteners, surge loads the framing from underneath, and the sun on this coast is hard on every surface it touches. Gulf Coast Dock Masters builds waterfront decks, stairs and handrails designed for those conditions, across coastal Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and southeast Louisiana.

We build new decks, replace failed ones, extend what you have and rebuild the stairs and railings on a structure that is otherwise sound. Because we are a marine contractor, we can also drive the pilings a waterfront deck needs rather than handing that part to someone else.

What we build

• Waterfront and elevated decks on driven pilings or on a framed foundation, sized and detailed for the exposure at your property.
• Stairs from the house to grade, from grade to the dock, and the multi run flights that waterfront elevation changes usually call for, with consistent rise and run through every flight.
• Handrails and guardrails built to code in timber, composite, aluminum or cable, with marine grade stainless fasteners and hardware throughout.
• Dock side and boathouse decking, including replacement of worn or storm damaged deck boards over existing framing.
• Pool surrounds, observation decks and landings tied into the walkway and dock system so the whole property reads as one structure.
• Deck repair and reframing where the decking is fine but the joists, stringers or posts underneath are not.

Materials and what they cost you over time

Pressure treated southern yellow pine is the lowest cost up front and the highest maintenance. Composite decking costs more at install, does not need refinishing and holds up well to the sun here, though the framing underneath is still timber and still needs inspection. Tropical hardwoods look the best and last a long time with periodic oiling. Aluminum framing and cable railing are worth considering on exposed sites where corrosion is the main enemy. We will tell you what each choice means for your maintenance over the next fifteen years before you pick, rather than after.

Permits and structural detail

Waterfront decks commonly need a building permit, and anything within the setback from the water, over a bulkhead or attached to a dock can pull in the coastal and marine review as well. We check which applies, prepare and submit the applications and build around the approvals. The structural details that matter here are the ones nobody sees: embedment depth on the pilings, through bolted connections instead of nails, stainless hardware rather than coated, and positive drainage so the framing dries out between tides and storms.

Why choose Gulf Coast Dock Masters

• Licensed and insured in Alabama, Louisiana and Florida.
• We are a marine contractor, not a general deck builder. Pilings, bulkheads and the water side of the job are our normal work.
• Our own equipment and crews, which is what keeps a schedule intact on this coast.
• Through bolted connections and marine grade stainless hardware as standard, because that is what the salt air demands.
• Permitting handled as part of the service.
• Free on site assessment with a written scope and price before any work begins.

Service areas

Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Fort Morgan, Dauphin Island, Perdido Key, Perdido Beach, Innerarity Point, Pensacola, Fairhope, Daphne, Mobile, New Orleans and the surrounding communities and parishes.

Get a free estimate on your deck, stairs or handrails

Call the Alabama and Florida office at (251) 215-1712 or the Louisiana office at (504) 329-2003, or send the form on this page and we will call you back to schedule the site visit.