How do I build a floating dock with plastic barrels?

Question

How do I build a floating dock with plastic barrels?

Answer 1

Hi.  I started to put everything here for you but it will be to long.  Here are the first steps.  If you follow the link that I pasted it will give you the rest of the steps.  Good luck to you,. One more thing.  When researching this I found a bunch of articles on using the plastic barrels.  It is recommended that you know exactly what the barrels held if they are used.  Most plastic barrels contained toxic chemicals at one time.  From articles I am led to believe that if you use these you can incur heavy fines.  Also look into permits that was in another article.  Okay good luck to you. http://www.canadianfishing.com/dock/step...

Lumber

19 pcs. of 2 X 10, 16 foot long for framing

35 boards of 1 X 6, 16 foot long

16 pcs. of 2 X 6, 16 inches long for retainers

Other Parts

6 pcs. styrofoam billets, 20 inches wide, 9 or 10 inches thick, 8 foot long. These are standard billets made by Dow Chemical.

4 pcs. corner brackets. More about them here.

4 pcs. inch-and-a-half pipes, length to suit conditions

32 machine bolts (hex heads), 9/16 X 3 inches

32 nuts, 9/16

32 large washers for above bolts (5/8 washers work best)

Some 4-inch galvanized spiral nails for framing. Don't use shorter or smooth nails

Some 3-inch galvanized spiral nails for decking.

8 tiedown rings (the s***w-in type)

8 or 12 old car tires as bumpers, depending on how many tires you want per side.

Source of Materials

In Canada, the lumber, foam billets and pipes can be purchased from most building supply stores. We bought our lumber and foam billets at Collins Home Hardware in Chapleau Ontario. Their phone number is 1-705-864-1030. If you cannot find the foam billets in the U.S.A. locally, try American Micro Industries, Inc.

In 2002 we paid $70.00 Canadian funds for each foam billet 20 X 10 X 96 inches.

The corners can be ordered from any machine shop or from Superior Machine and Hydraulics Ltd. That shop has all the specs on file and will ship world-wide if you desire.

The nuts and bolts can be bought at Chapleau Auto Parts or at another automotive parts store near you.

Tools Needed

Half-inch electric drill

9/16 wood bit (not larger)

Half-inch ratchet with 7/8 socket

7/8 wrench

Hammer

Hand-saw for cutting foam billets. (A chain saw works much better)

Circular saw (skillsaw)

Tape measure

Carpenter's square

Chalk line

Pencils

A scrap piece of 1/2-inch plywood, about 30 to 36 inches square to set the corners on during assembly. That makes a flat surface, since you will probably work on the beach or in the grass.

Cutting the 2 X 10 Lumber

Make 4 pieces exactly 16 foot long.

Cut the remaing 15 pieces so that they are shorter than 16 foot by twice their thickness. If you use dressed lumber, that usually comes to about 15 foot and 9 inches. To get this length correctly, measure your lumber's thickness, double that and deduct it from 16 foot. That way your dock will end up being exactly 16 X 16.