No more splinters.

• Author: Domingue, Deborah
• Position: CTB Inc. Brock Manufacturing's plastic boat dock - Made in Indiana

Walking barefoot by the lake as the sun sets can be a wonderful experience...until the old wooden dock gouges your foot with a splinter. Brock Manufacturing Co. of Milford has a solution: the plastic boat dock, also known as the Brock Dock.

Brock first used polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, for fencing. Innovations have yielded a more impact-resistant material that's an ideal candidate for boat docks. The plastic boards are essentially a replacement for 2-by-6 lumber. They are virtually maintenance-free, requiring no painting or weatherproofing. Their construction allows ample ventilation and drainage, so they won't peel, break or crack as weather conditions change. As a result, the plastic boards can last three to five times longer than wood.

Brock's plastic boards are finding numerous other uses in addition to boat docks. They're ideal for commercial water areas, walk-over bridges, public showers, hot tubs and spas, and residential decking. Homeowners will be pleased to find that the boards come in white, gray, and before long, tan.

Because the boards are light in color, they reflect heat, and that means their temperature varies only slightly even on a blistering summer day. In addition, the...