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.

 

[Deerherd]

If you get any amount of ice on your pond, you should really consider pulling the dock every fall. That's why I recommended the stanchions. They are really easy to assemble and make adjusting the height of the dock to water conditions a snap.

You don't need but a few inches of rise or fall of the water level when the ice is on to pull up/twist/break up your handiwork and at the very least it loosens up your fasteners big time.

The stanchions can be handled by one person and two guys in waders can have your dock in pronto. Repairs can be made on shore and it's a great idea to inspect/fix issues every spring so you know the condition of your dock above and below the waterline.

I'm probably too **** about docks but hey, it's usually grand kids that use it the most and I'm pretty fond of those little buggers!

 

[Shield Arc]

I've never done anything at this level, so I can't be of much help to you on this project. But I use to build docks for a living. If you ever want to build one like these, I'm willing to help all I can. I've been the project superintendent on docks up to 80-million dollars.

 

[LD1]

The ice doesnt ever get more than 1-2" thick where I am going to put the dock, cause it is in close proximity to the aerator pump.

But a new hurdle now I need advise on:

Electric company has enough poles to use as posts. I will get them this afternoon.

Planning on building friday. Kinda short notice for special lumber, but it will be a suprise b-day gift for the wife as she has been wanting a dock.

Now the issue: Nobody stocks GC rated lumber in the dimensions I need.

Dock is going to be 8x12. Menards stocks "some" of the lumber. The have 2x6x92-5/8" GC rated that I will use for the joists. But thats it. I need 2x10's for the rim board, and the 2x12/2x6 combo for the bottom feet in the water to distribute the load. In these sixes, menards only seems to stock 18' lengths +. And it is alot more expensive to buy 24' lumber just to saw in half.

Also called some other local yards, as well as holmes/carter lumber. Everyone is special order but advised that the non-GC rated stuff does hold up very well in contact situations.

So...what to do??

 

[LD1]

Well, dilema solved.

I needed 5 2x6x8' GC rated and 2 2x6x12 GC rated. I got 2 2x6x20's, cut at 8 & 12'. So that gave me the 12' boards I needed and 2 of the 8' boards. Still needed 3 8' boards. So I got 2 2x6x18's, cut @ 10 and 8. So I will have an extra 10' board, and one that needs 2' trimmed off.

I also needed 2 2x4x8's. So I got a 18' board cut

And needed 2 2x10x8 and 2 2x10x12. So 2 20' boards took care of that.

Its a shame they dont stock GC rated in smaller lenghts, for less $$$ per ft, but was special order. But all in all, and for this small 8x12 dock, IF they had stocked it, it only would have been $20 cheaper. And if I had used just AG rated lumber, would only have saved $40-$50.

I will start building it in the garage. I can do the whole frame and deck boards and just leave the outer 2 deck boards off each side. Then friday, when the MIL takes the wife out of the house, all I have to do is set the 4 corner posts, drop the dock over it with the help of the BH, trim the posts down, and attache the two outer deck boards on each side. I dont anticipate it taking more than 1/2 day on friday:thumbsup:

 

[SPIKER]

Be sure to leave the Poles sticking up 4' above the dock so you can surround it at least on 2 sides with a BEER shelf err I mean safety railing

With those 2' chunks you can 45 the ends and use them for corner braces maybe? Be sure to get joist hangers & corner straps under there too. Not sure if you have a Carters or if Menards/Lowes carry the double hot dipped ones or just the standard single dipped ones? They can be dipped in some vinegar and painted as soon as they are washed & dried to help keep rust at bay longer...

Mark

 

[LD1]

Be sure to leave the Poles sticking up 4' above the dock so you can surround it at least on 2 sides with a BEER shelf err I mean safety railing

With those 2' chunks you can 45 the ends and use them for corner braces maybe? Be sure to get joist hangers & corner straps under there too. Not sure if you have a Carters or if Menards/Lowes carry the double hot dipped ones or just the standard single dipped ones? They can be dipped in some vinegar and painted as soon as they are washed & dried to help keep rust at bay longer...

Mark

No plans for posts sticking up. Just want a flat dock. Easier to get on and off of when swimming and when we eventually get a paddle boat.

No hangers either. Im old fashion. There is a 2x4 under the joists. It aint going anywhere. I also did 45 the corners with some other scraps I had. 2' peices wasnt quite long enough. With joists at 2' spacing, I at least wanted to reach the first one with the 45, which required a 36" or so piece.

Here is some progress pics. Probably wont post any more pics til I get it up friday. Only thing left to do until then is attach a few more deck boards.

First two is the frame before I flipped it over to do the decking..

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Why not just make a floating dock out of lumber and styrofoam? As long as you protect the styrofoam from the sun it will last forever. Out at the end of the dock dump some concrete pier blocks and tie it off. Project done.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

You can also drive piers with a sledge hammer. In my teen years, when I was young and strong, I did that with a 20 lb. sledge. The part that is always under water will never rot, but every few years you will have to cut the top off and scab on a new upper.

 

[LD1]

Why not just make a floating dock out of lumber and styrofoam? As long as you protect the styrofoam from the sun it will last forever. Out at the end of the dock dump some concrete pier blocks and tie it off. Project done.

Dont want a floating dock.

 

[LD1]

Well, here it is



They (dad and FIL) had already removed the straps and chains before I could snap a picture. But thats how we set it.

Took about 2 hours to do with the 3 of us. And a total cost of $325 in material.

And man, whats up with these 50 degree nights/mornings in the middle of august. Sure would have been better if the water was a little warmer :mur: