Building your own dock can seem like a daunting prospect, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right tools and techniques, you can build a composite floating dock in half the time of normal methods. Read this guide to learn how to build your own composite floating dock with minimal effort or cost!
Things You’ll Need
A composite floating dock can be an attractive and functional addition to your property. Composite docks are made of recycled plastic, wood, or other materials bonded together with resins. The dock is then floated on water and anchored securely into place. The best part? It’s easier to build than a traditional wooden dock. Here’s how:
The 3-2-1 Method for Floating Docks
The 3-2-1 Method for Building Your Own Floating Docks: Pick your lumber. You’ll need about 10,000 board feet of 4’x8’x3/4 material. If you purchase from us, we can have it delivered and cut to size for you. We also carry lots of decking options and other supplies like screws, nails and sealant that will help make your project easy. Lay out your boards on the ground so they are oriented in the same direction. Find four corners where two rows meet on either side of a board – these are called nests. Nests are where you’ll start laying boards down because they will keep your boards tight together as you work up each row.
Constructing the Base Frame
Constructing the frame for a composite floating dock is done by cutting and welding together metal pipes, and then laying them out on the ground. The frame needs to be strong enough to support all of the weight that it will eventually hold. It is also important that this frame be level, which can be accomplished by using blocks, or even better yet, adjustable aluminum ladders. Finally, it needs to have an access ramp at one end so you can get your boat from above water onto your dock without any problems.The next step is adding wooden planks to create a surface for people and vehicles (cars) to walk on when accessing their boats from above water. This is done by attaching these planks with nails or screws through pre-drilled holes in each board.
Attaching Longerons, Rafters, and Joists
The planks are attached by drilling holes and inserting stainless steel bolts with nuts. For each plank, two bolts are inserted, one at each end. This provides a secure connection between planks. Bolts should be tightened only enough so that they grip the decking boards but not so tightly as to crush them. There is no need for glue because of the water-resistant sealant on the underside of each plank.
Once all planking has been installed, it is necessary to wait at least three days before filling dock with water or any kind of weight on top of it. This will allow time for all screws and bolts to dry out and cure properly
Attaching Planking
You should now have two rows of planking with no gaps between them. If you do, then you can move on to step three. If not, then go back and double check your measurements. Once your measurements are correct, you need to screw down each plank individually. Use coarse screws that will bite into the wood just enough so that they won’t slip out once they’re tightened down. You’ll want at least one screw every foot or so along the edge of each plank for stability and safety reasons.
Adding Furring Stripes and Trimwork
The next step is installing furring strips and trimwork. Start by installing the furring strips on top of your ledger board. Use a level to make sure it is straight, then screw it into place with 3-inch screws (every 6 inches). Once all of your furrings are installed, you can install your trim pieces. To do this, measure down from your ceiling with a straight edge and mark off where each piece of trim will go. Then cut them and nail them into place with finishing nails or construction adhesive. Lastly, fill in any remaining spaces between the boards with caulking or wood filler so they are seamless against one another.