big shooter
Well-Known Member
I am not sure if this goes here, but you all have helped me so much with my Bennington purchase I want to offer what I can. Last year I built a dock for our lake house, this year I will add on to it. Maybe somebody could use this idea.
I wanted a stationary dock, rather than floating. More secure under foot. I also wanted a dock I could remove by myself, so I made the decking removable.
I built the frame in 4x10foot sections out of pressure treated 2x6's. I used corner brackets but also added triangle pressure treated pieces in the corners on the bottom just to make it more secure.
I used 4x4's for the legs and added 2x6 cross pieces all bolted together. The frame is also bolted to the legs so I could lower it if the lake water drops too much.
For the top I used cedar decking. But I screwed them to cedar runners underneath with stainless screws. This way the decking is lifted off in 4x5foot sections, easy to manage and that just leaves the frame to move, not as heavy. Originally I didn't fasten the decking panels to the frames, but last year a tropical storm came by so in preparation I screwed each panel down with four screws.
I also made a cement block that I put on the lake bottom under the dock and criss crossed cables to each side of the dock. This year, with the new pontoon, I think I will make a heavier block to keep the dock from moving. The legs are not in the mud at all, just resting on the bottom.
On the posts I put solar LED lights. these looked fantastic from the water but they came off every time someone grabbed them getting out of the boat. Also when you want to watch for shooting stars, they don't turn off. So I hope to add low voltage lights with an on/off switch this year.
All told I think each 4x10 foot section of dock cost me about $325, the cedar decking being the expensive part. Originally I was going to use PT but this was last year and 4 lumber yards were completely out of the decking. Cedar is much nicer anyway.
This year I am going to add at least one more section long ways and 2 sections at the end, going the opposite direction, making a 30foot by 4 foot dock leading to an 8x10 foot section. Although that last section may need to be floating, I have to see how deep it is out that far.
I wanted a stationary dock, rather than floating. More secure under foot. I also wanted a dock I could remove by myself, so I made the decking removable.
I built the frame in 4x10foot sections out of pressure treated 2x6's. I used corner brackets but also added triangle pressure treated pieces in the corners on the bottom just to make it more secure.
I used 4x4's for the legs and added 2x6 cross pieces all bolted together. The frame is also bolted to the legs so I could lower it if the lake water drops too much.
For the top I used cedar decking. But I screwed them to cedar runners underneath with stainless screws. This way the decking is lifted off in 4x5foot sections, easy to manage and that just leaves the frame to move, not as heavy. Originally I didn't fasten the decking panels to the frames, but last year a tropical storm came by so in preparation I screwed each panel down with four screws.
I also made a cement block that I put on the lake bottom under the dock and criss crossed cables to each side of the dock. This year, with the new pontoon, I think I will make a heavier block to keep the dock from moving. The legs are not in the mud at all, just resting on the bottom.
On the posts I put solar LED lights. these looked fantastic from the water but they came off every time someone grabbed them getting out of the boat. Also when you want to watch for shooting stars, they don't turn off. So I hope to add low voltage lights with an on/off switch this year.
All told I think each 4x10 foot section of dock cost me about $325, the cedar decking being the expensive part. Originally I was going to use PT but this was last year and 4 lumber yards were completely out of the decking. Cedar is much nicer anyway.
This year I am going to add at least one more section long ways and 2 sections at the end, going the opposite direction, making a 30foot by 4 foot dock leading to an 8x10 foot section. Although that last section may need to be floating, I have to see how deep it is out that far.