I wanted a low profile, clean looking dock so I built my 16'x4' dock from a combination of steel, wood, and composite. The posts were built from 3"x1/4"wall steel pipe with a 1'x1'x 3/4" steel plate welded to the bottom at a slight angle to match the slope. I then welded a 30"x 1" Pin (salvaged anchor bolts for concrete barrier) to the bottom. The main frame was constructed of 4x4x1/4" angle iron welded. I drilled two holes approx. 12' out 3" and welded 3"id x 3 1/2" pipes over the holes. The 3"x3 1/2" short pipes had 2 1" holes in each which I welded 7/8" nuts to. The posts slipped through the frame and short pipes and bolts could be tightened to clamp the post. This design allows the dock to be adjusted if needed. The bank side had concrete piers dug 30" deep. I used concrete tubes for this. The entire frame was coated with organic zinc, epoxy, followed by a coat of urethane. Joists were laid across the angles, I used 4x4s since they sit flush with the angle. Over the 4x4's I laid the composite decking. It stays cool, has good traction when wet, doesn't rot and requires no sealer. Some of the components are extra heavy simply because it's what I had as scrap.
Last edited by Ryan Freeze; 05/04/1009:32 AM.
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." Stephen W. Hawking
