Pond Boss Forums INTRO New Forum Member Introduction Installing pond dock & Ice issues

Hi, I am installing a 12 x 20 foot dock in our newly built 1/2 acre pond with beach area. Do I need to be concerned about freezing ice lifting the 6 x 6 inch poles out of their footings. If so what is the best way to prevent that from happening? I also have an eight foot pier coming off the deck. Our pond is primarily for swimming only. Love the aqua shade color and will be installing a water fountain.

kshawn, welcome to the forum.

What will the deck be constructed from?

If I get it right, you will have a 12' x 20' deck with an 8' long by ?' wide pier?

I only have experience using pipe to install permanent piers, and haven't seen any signs of them lifting due to ice.

Welcome to the site kshawn....What part of Ohio are you from?? My pond and dock is close to your size.

Welcome to the forum kshawn. I don't know about your location, but here in MN, ice will reek havoc with any dock poles left in the water over the winter. Dwight has a mixer mounted on the end of his barge/dock that keeps the water open all winter around the barge/dock area so he does not have to worry about it. That is the only way I have seen anything short of giant wooden pilings not get mangled by the ice. I will let him know about this thread so he can post links to photos of his setup.

This thread has some information about using a circulator to keep and area ice free. Slave Dog The thread also has some interesting side tracks in it.

For your size pond I don't think you will have an ice problem and a circulator would be overkill for simple ice removal. If you get into polar bear swimming in the winter, a circulator would probably keep you whole pond open. A circulator is also an effective tool for improving water quality in the warm months.

The deck itself will be made of the TimberTech material but the sub stucture will be pressure treated 6" x 6"'s. The hole will be 24" diameter and the bored about 4 feet deep. I will pour 1 foot thick concrete footer for the pole to set on and then pour concrete around the pole about 2 feet up. The contractor that dug the pond said he has seen poles be lifted over time by the freezing of ice around the poles and wondered if I would be better off sinking 4 or 6 inch PVC as my pylons and filling them with concrete but that will be much more expensive. Then again, I don't want an unlevel deck either. Is this something I need to worry about. The pier will be 4 feet wide. Pond is about 12 feet deep at the end of the pier.

about 90 miles north of Columbus....30 miles south of Sandusky

thanks stick that may prove helpful

Thanks Dwight, my wife wants to relive some childhood memories of ice skating on the pond so hopefully I don't have to resort to that

3 midwest winters; no heaving or pulling issues to report