Pier/Gazebo Construction - 10/01/09 03:52 AM
We are constructing a 1 acre pond for bluegill/bass and for general family recreation. I have posted some pictures in other threads at
http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=14854&Number=182142#Post182142
and here:
http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=14898&Number=182856#Post182856
The second link includes a couple of aerial photographs near the end.
The next project is to try to get the posts for the pier/gazebo installed before the water gets too high.
This is a sketch of the layout:
![](http://www5.vetmed.auburn.edu/~branch/images/pond/PierLayout1_20S.jpg)
The small green squares = 1 foot. The gazebo is a 12 foot wood gazebo sitting on an 18-foot floor--both from Amish Country Gazebos. The deck will cantilever out 3 feet on each side of the gazebo. There will be a 24-foot pier to enter the gazebo plus a 6 foot fishing pier at the far end.
My main question right now involves the support posts.
The gazebo floor kit comes as 8 pie-shaped wedges that meet in the center. I am planning to use 6x6 inch treated posts rated for water use for the pier supports and 8 outer gazebo supports. I'll use a larger center post where the 8 wedges come together.
The current plan is to bore 12" holes to 5 feet below the surface. I plan to add a couple of 80 pound bags of concrete to each hole. Is this likely to be adequate? A friend recommended drilling holes near the bottom of each post and inserting 12" of 1/2 inch rebar to provide better contact with the concrete.
I assume that the holes (at least those close to the water) will fill with water as soon as we bore them. This has never been a problem in my fence-building projects; will it be a problem pouring dry concrete mix into holes that are already partly filled with water?
Any other general ideas or comments would be appreciated.
Charlie
http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=14854&Number=182142#Post182142
and here:
http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=14898&Number=182856#Post182856
The second link includes a couple of aerial photographs near the end.
The next project is to try to get the posts for the pier/gazebo installed before the water gets too high.
This is a sketch of the layout:
![](http://www5.vetmed.auburn.edu/~branch/images/pond/PierLayout1_20S.jpg)
The small green squares = 1 foot. The gazebo is a 12 foot wood gazebo sitting on an 18-foot floor--both from Amish Country Gazebos. The deck will cantilever out 3 feet on each side of the gazebo. There will be a 24-foot pier to enter the gazebo plus a 6 foot fishing pier at the far end.
My main question right now involves the support posts.
The gazebo floor kit comes as 8 pie-shaped wedges that meet in the center. I am planning to use 6x6 inch treated posts rated for water use for the pier supports and 8 outer gazebo supports. I'll use a larger center post where the 8 wedges come together.
The current plan is to bore 12" holes to 5 feet below the surface. I plan to add a couple of 80 pound bags of concrete to each hole. Is this likely to be adequate? A friend recommended drilling holes near the bottom of each post and inserting 12" of 1/2 inch rebar to provide better contact with the concrete.
I assume that the holes (at least those close to the water) will fill with water as soon as we bore them. This has never been a problem in my fence-building projects; will it be a problem pouring dry concrete mix into holes that are already partly filled with water?
Any other general ideas or comments would be appreciated.
Charlie