Dock build

M

mglenn005

5 year old buck +
Purpose: I spend a lot of time on habitat management projects, but every once in a while, it should be ok to build something for human enjoyment.

Materials:
All pressure treated lumber
Runner is 5x16' made of 2x8"
"T" is 5x12' made of 2x8"
Standard deck boarding
Floats are 55 gal plastic drums free from a friend who owns a business

Build:
Assemble on 20" centers
Floats have 10 gallons of water and sealed for ballast
Floats are captured with 2x4s but not strapped to dock
Used timberlok lag screws (love these- awesome product)
Stained with Olympic elite - chestnut brown ( I think)

Install:
Used tractor and extra barrels to roll dock to water/shoreline
Anchored with lag bolt to 4x4s in concrete - dug 30"" to water table

Future work:
Install post accent lights on 4x4 (solar lights)
Build another section to get the dock out further. It's currently not very deep at end (4ft)

Picture:
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Looks great - and yes, you should spend some time on creature comfort projects as well....tends to keep the wife and kids happy when you need some time in the woods later.

I remember when my uncles all built one similar that is still in use today (I was about 10 or so when they took on that project)......It's roughly 8 or 10 foot square made of treated lumber and the poly drums as well. The one in the picture has been in the water non-stop for nearly 30 years now - even thru the winters here. We have had to replace a few decking boards because of rot and we need to replace a barrel or two as they crack over time because of the ice. I will admit my fat butt sitting there on the corner doesn't help matters any, but there is a leaky barrel there as well......I'm fat, but not that fat! Sitting there fishing with my youngest. 30 years before would have found me and my dad sitting on the same dock, with my grandfather sitting there in a lawn chair.

Hopefully your new dock will lead to a bunch of memories and good family times as well.
IMG_1321.JPG
 
Great pics! Just makes me want to relax and kick back!
 
Both docks look great. Observation: Dock 1: level.
Dock 2: Listing to starboard

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Quick question mglenn; do you have any sort of hing at the attachment point? I've been looking at building a dock but have huge fluctuations in water level, wondering if you do too.
 
Catscratch said:
Quick question mglenn; do you have any sort of hing at the attachment point? I've been looking at building a dock but have huge fluctuations in water level, wondering if you do too.
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We don't have huge fluctuations in water level here. But I did consider this. The lag bolts that we used are 5/8'' x 7'' long. We leveled the dock at the shore and I drilled a 3/4'' hole through the 4x4 to hit dead center of the 2x8s. We placed washers in between the 4x4 and the 2x8 and double-nutted the bolt so that its not tight to the 4x4. This will allow it to move if the water does rise a bit. The key is to drill a straight and level hole. A bubble level on a string is a good way to keep the anchor points aligned and level. As I stated, not a major concern for us, so I found center of the 2x8, transferred it to the 4x4 and drilled (eyeballed it). But I started with everything level and square.
 
Other Stuff:
3 days total for the complete build. 1 day of construction, 1 day of staining, and 1 full day to transport and install. From the picture, we finished right at dusk. We left the bracing (2x4) to the posts until the concrete completely cured. It was a really fun project.
 
ghilliehunter said:
Both docks look great. Observation: Dock 1: level.
Dock 2: Listing to starboard

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Click to expand...

I got your "listing starboard" John...... At least one of us can find an oak tree!:D
 
Catscratch said:
Quick question mglenn; do you have any sort of hing at the attachment point? I've been looking at building a dock but have huge fluctuations in water level, wondering if you do too.
Click to expand...
Cat, not to butt in here, but I have seen a few things done with floating docks if you have decent water level changes. #1 - put something on the portion that will slope - those wet boards real REAL slick. #1 - What I saw was essentially the "gang plank" was hinged in some way - to the actual dock/landing. this allows the dock to remain level regardless of the water level as long as you are out far enough from shore. Most I see use threaded "eye" bolts and a threaded sort of link between them. If you mount these higher toward the walking level this allows a steeper angle as well. Sorry for butting in - just some suggestions I have seen before.
 
You are correct sir!

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j-bird said:
Cat, not to butt in here, but I have seen a few things done with floating docks if you have decent water level changes. #1 - put something on the portion that will slope - those wet boards real REAL slick. #1 - What I saw was essentially the "gang plank" was hinged in some way - to the actual dock/landing. this allows the dock to remain level regardless of the water level as long as you are out far enough from shore. Most I see use threaded "eye" bolts and a threaded sort of link between them. If you mount these higher toward the walking level this allows a steeper angle as well. Sorry for butting in - just some suggestions I have seen before.
Click to expand...

I'm fine with you butting in, and thank you for the suggestions!

We already have a dock with a lot of what you are suggesting. I'm just kind of looking for any and all ideas of how to deal with our water changes as I contemplate building another one.

Here is normal summer low:


And here is normal spring flood:


As you can see I'm not too worried about wet/slick board, but I am worried about functional integrity.
 
How much fluctuation is that?


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Catscratch said:
.... I am worried about functional integrity.
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I work with docks on a major lake here, Lake Minnetonka. The people on Minnetonka have big boats, it's pretty big water with big waves, so the local dock companies produce a solid product. We only have to worry about at most 2' of water depth change, not sure how the dock would handle the situation pictured above. Here is a link to a dock service company's website that when the website first loads has a neat time-lapse video of a dock being installed: http://www.thedockguy.com/ Here is a link to a dock manufacturers website if anyone is interested in the product, stuff ain't cheap: http://www.servadock.com/

Neither of the above are my companies, both are run by good guys.
 
mglenn005 said:
How much fluctuation is that?


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Click to expand...

Don't even know where to guess how much it goes up. I would say a good 12ft vertical rise.
It's a "watershed": designed to slow water down that feed the larger creeks in the area, less major flooding and property damage that way.
 
DSD said:
I work with docks on a major lake here, Lake Minnetonka. The people on Minnetonka have big boats, it's pretty big water with big waves, so the local dock companies produce a solid product. We only have to worry about at most 2' of water depth change, not sure how the dock would handle the situation pictured above. Here is a link to a dock service company's website that when the website first loads has a neat time-lapse video of a dock being installed: http://www.thedockguy.com/ Here is a link to a dock manufacturers website if anyone is interested in the product, stuff ain't cheap: http://www.servadock.com/

Neither of the above are my companies, both are run by good guys.
Click to expand...

Interesting time-lapse. Looks like they just pound a bunch of posts into the lake bed to attach everything to. If I was ok with submersing the dock during a flood it would probably work well. I've been thinking about floats only, a fixed structure might be a decent option.
 
Yep, pound a bunch of posts into the lake bed. If the dock is installed properly it can be raised up and and down on the posts, but 12 feet is too much to ask of this system. If the water doesn't stay high for too long the cedar decks could be removed and re-installed when the water drops fairly easily.
 
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