Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help Pole dock stable width

I'd put the posts about 6' center to center, the run the length-wise supports ("stringers") down each side of the posts. If you are spanning 8' between posts, 2"x8" (treated) stringers should be fine (I use these for a 12' span). You'd have four 2"x8"s running out from shore for each 8' span.

Then you can put on 8' decking (I used treated 2"x6"s) and let each side go out about a foot from the outside stringers. You can put a row of nails into each of the four stringers, so your deck boards are very stable and not prone to flexing.

A caveat that you may be able to take advantage of: I put one section of my dock in with fairly dry treated lumber in hot weather. This section looks good all year round. I put the second, in-shore section in with fresh (wet) treated decking during December. This section looks great in Winter when it's wet, and has a lot of warps when it is hot. The warped stuff is NOT nailed as I described above, the flat section is.