Floating Dock Advice Wanted

[varmint]

I should have added that I build rain barrels for a nature conservancy, and I am pretty familar with plastic drums. The one piece drums are what you'd want, and if you can find the blue ones, they seem to be molded from much thicker plastic. The only thing that would degrade them over time would be UV exposure, and the blue ones seem to last longer. After they weather for a couple of months, paint will stick well, if they are clean.
Problem solved.

 

[weldingisfun]

Thanks to all for the great information and references. This project may turn into a new thread from all the interst it has generated.
Our goal today is to install the piers for the fixed part. The water level on the tank is so low now we won't have to worry about getting wet. I'll try to remember to take the camera.
If we don't get rain soon we will have a dock sitting in a big dry hole.

 

[20 20]

I have built many docks over the years. Styrofoam would probably work but I never used it for the simple reason it will desinigrate. I have used plastic barrels and have never had an issue, just seal the caps. I did use metal once years ago but would probably not do that again because of rusting metal. We like to swim in our ponds and I'd rather fix a plastic barrel then get stuck in the foot with a piece of rusty metal. I also agree the bigger you make the dock will allow for a wider foot print on the water.

 

[MIkeWard]

We have a vacation house on a lake and I spent months researching the best floating dock to build. All of the barrel docks were very high off of the water and very tippy. White foam floats covered with plastic were OK but the foam would absorb water( open cell ) if the plastic wrap was ripped.
The blue or pink DOW foam is the answer ( closed cell won't absorb water ).

Here are some pics of our dock and one I built for our neighbors.
It is 6 years old and never been taken out of the water. The one shot shows the foam before the 5/4 decking was put on.
The dock is 16 foot square and incredibly stable. Deck is only 10 inches above the water.

They sell dock float billets ( expensive).
I made mine from foam bought at Lowes cut to 2'x8' and glued together with Great Stuff foam ( much cheaper and size adjustable.
Couldn't resist putting up a pic of grandson fishing on dock.
Mike

 

[sld]

I made an 8x8 several years ago. It has held up well. At each corner is a 2ft cube of styrofoam and it is still intact. With several people fishing on it, the dock would sink more than I liked so I added 2 plastic 55 gal barrels under the middle area. It has been this way for 12 years.

It is not the most stable thing but it would never tip over. I used stainless piano hinge to attach the walkway at both ends so it can adjust for the water level. I then tied rope to eye bolts at the corners and anchored them about 20 feet on either side of the walkway. We get so much wind here I thought this would help a lot and it did. The dock hasn't moved a bit.

I have lost count how many kids caught their first fish from my dock!

 

[EddieWalker]

We have a vacation house on a lake and I spent months researching the best floating dock to build. All of the barrel docks were very high off of the water and very tippy. White foam floats covered with plastic were OK but the foam would absorb water( open cell ) if the plastic wrap was ripped.
The blue or pink DOW foam is the answer ( closed cell won't absorb water ).

Here are some pics of our dock and one I built for our neighbors.
It is 6 years old and never been taken out of the water. The one shot shows the foam before the 5/4 decking was put on.
The dock is 16 foot square and incredibly stable. Deck is only 10 inches above the water.

They sell dock float billets ( expensive).
I made mine from foam bought at Lowes cut to 2'x8' and glued together with Great Stuff foam ( much cheaper and size adjustable.
Couldn't resist putting up a pic of grandson fishing on dock.
Mike

Mike,

Did you use the foam insulation that comes in 4x8 sheets and cut them in half? Then layered them until you had the thickness you wanted?

That's brilliant. How thick did you make it and how did you calculate how much you needed?

I'm lost how the great stuff holds it together. Could silicone work as glue, or what about just wraping them with copper wire to hold them in place and building a frame to keep them there when it's in the water?

Interesting. I'm going to price it out and see what the difference is.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[scesnick]

Eddie,

I think the plastic barrels would be cheaper. Some warehouses even give them away.

 

[ding2520]

EZ Dock

 

[Soundguy]

many feed stores also have the plastic barrells with sealable lids for cheap.

6-12$ for various polly bb's at the feed co-op I shop at..

soundguy

 

[jinman]

Lee, I really like the flotation modules in the link Eddie Walker provided. They cost a little more, but you get a consistent product that is ready to bolt together for a nice dock. Also, my neighbor has a dock built by Pond King in Gainesville, Texas. These folks are the Cadillac of docks and can provide everything your heart desires or a small boat dock and fishing float at the end of a floating ramp. Their products are top notch and have a long life. Also they make some awsome pontoon platform boats for cruising around your small lake or pond.