pond dock posts/piers question

[LD1]

Wanting to build a small pond dock on my existing pond. I know it would have been easier to do prior to filling, but...

So my question, how do you set the posts in the water. I don't have pounder, and drilling ain't gonna happen.

Thinking 8' wide and just 2 posts , maybe 3 in the water. My thoughts were to attach a 2x12 to the bottom of all of the posts to distribute the weight, and just let them rest on the pond floor. The weight of the dock should hold them in place. No chance of water level rising either.

Any thoughts or suggestions??

 

[Deerherd]

Check out this link for dock hardware:

Pipe Dock Hardware « Great Northern Docks Great Northern Docks

Just use the flat feet if its a soft bottom and as long as you use 2 stanchions and anchor point at shore you will be good to go. If you are handy you can buy pipe/fittings and weld your own.

 

[LD1]

Gonna do it all on wood. I am thing of basically making a channel/trough with a 2x12 bottom and 2x6 verticals. Set/ nail the posts to that. The verticals will keep the 2x12 from deflecting up.in the middle, and the 2x12 should keep the.posts from sinking.

Everything else I know how I am gonna do. Just setting the posts????

 

[murphy1244]

I'm watching this thread.

 

[Otto Syracuse]

If you really want to use all wood, you could build a dock crib, and fill it with stone. But I agree, the flat iron plates work quite well and are very simple, especially for a dock on a pond with no wake or rising water levels to deal with.

 

[LD1]

Well, seeing how the flat plates are only 10" x 10", I think I will be fine distributing 1/2 the load of the 8x12 dock over a 2x12x8':thumbsup:

Wanting to get this done friday. Probably go get material tomorrow. We'll see.

I dont think I really have much depth to build the dock crib. Nor would it be worthwhile I dont think. This is in my shallow end of the pond. And out about 8' where the dock is going to end, water is only about waste deep.

 

[SPIKER]

If you are going all wood, you can build MOST of it in sections and set it or float it out using some plastic drums. Just be sure to use S.S. hardware or double hot dipped galvanized stuff. Might try to find some cedar telephone poles to use for uprights. Treated already and will not rot

 

[LD1]

I can get free electric poles at the elec company. (used of course) and IF they have any. Will find out tomorrow. If they do, thats what I will use.

If not???? Was thinking x6 or 6x6's. No side rails. Posts only need to be about 4' long. (would probably buy 6' lengths just to be sure).

But the more I reasearch, I have a few more questions. It seems menards only stocks GC lumber in lengths over 18' for anything bigger than 2x6's. Not sure what all I need just yet, have to crunch a few numbers, but.....will cedar lumber hold up better in GC and underwater environments than GC rated treated lumber??? If so, given the small scale of the project, and only a few posts and boards touching water/ground, it may be worth getting cedar???

Was also doing some reading about treated lumber leeching chemicals into the water??? Is it a valid concern?? or just over-paranoid people?? I have seem lots of home-made docks with just treated dimensional lumber.

I need to call carter lumber tomorrow and see what they stock in GC rated dimensional stuff.

 

[SPIKER]

If ya can get the Telephone poles then might as well use them for the horz out from the bank to the uprights too! If you can get half dozen then heck you can take em to a local to mill down

I would not worry about leaching chemicals from CG lumber, if you go that way maybe let it set for a few weeks out in sun on some concrete. Maybe hit it once or twice with the hose & Dawn soap as some will run out of it for a month till dry... Got to use all S.S. or Double Hot Dipped Galvanized hardware maybe thru carriage bolts with the nuts to the inside and cut off 2 threads out and hammer flush.

Mark

 

[Dozernut]

I have not done it, but I have heard that you can sink piers with a pressure washer or a water pump. From what I read you start the hole then place the post, then wash the dirt out from under it. You then pack the hole around the post with sand or gravel. I imagine a Google search would turn up more info then I have. I am going to try this method next summer.