Pond Boss
Posted By: VinLee Dock / Gazebo Construction - 08/26/09 12:44 AM
Hello,

We are new pond owners. My Wife just inherited her partents place and it has a 4 acre pond on it. Our first challenge was the bad over fill pipe that; with the help of this site, we filled with concrete and had a siphon system installed. Wish it had been done from the begining. Our next project, since the water level is where we can, is to replace the dock and build a gazebo. Long story short, we would like to get suggestions as what type of material would be best; keeping down the costs, for post supports. The dock is currently supported w/ 6 in. dia. round wood fence posts that have been there for 30 years, but i know we are going to need something larger to support the gazebo. Torn between used telephone posts or 6 in square pressure treated lumber that can be bought at Lowes or the H.D. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Posted By: esshup Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 08/26/09 12:57 AM
VinLee:

Well then welcome for the 2nd time! How deep is the water (will the water be) at the end of the pier? We've used 2" galvanized pipe washed/pounded down into the bottom of the lake to support a 2,000#+ boat for over 30 years and they still don't show any signs of rotting out. We also used those same type pipes to hold up the pier, and it's still standing strong. We never remove it during the winter.

We have clamps that attach to the upright pipes, and hold horizontal pipes that support 2x10 joists that are the pier's backbone.
Posted By: Theo Gallus Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 08/26/09 01:04 AM
Greetings and felicitations, VinLee.

Lots of different post materials have been mentioned here. Try doing a search for "dock" or perhaps "post". Here is one interesting idea I found this way:

PVC Piers

Members: Did someone recently build a floating gazebo? I seem to remember one that was really nice looking.
Posted By: Brettski Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 08/26/09 01:19 AM
Page 6 of the Human Habitat thread

Posted By: VinLee Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 08/26/09 01:22 AM
Sounds interesting esshup, the gazebo will be in about 5 ft of water at the end of the dock/pier when the pond fills back up. do you have any pics showing that kind of post w/ brackets or a website?
thanks
Posted By: Brettski Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 08/26/09 01:26 AM
If you have been here already, my apologies for duplicating the input.
I am an (obvious) fan of 6 x 6 AC2 green treated with the option of replacement
Posted By: esshup Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 08/26/09 01:32 AM
I can take pics tomorrow, I'll see if I can find the brackets on the web.

The water at the end of our 60' pier is about 4 1/2' deep.
Posted By: otto Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 08/26/09 09:18 AM
VinLee

Glad to have you. There will be more info that you will ever be able to use here.. Take some pictures--we love keep up with what you are doing.
Posted By: esshup Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 08/26/09 03:04 PM
A quick search on the web didn't turn up these brackets. maybe someone here knows where to get them? Dad got them in the eraly to mid 60's.












The clamp is clamped to the vertical pipe, and the horizontal pipe is slid thru the bracket. We drilled a 3/16" hole thru the bracket and horizontal pipe to keep the horizontal pipe from sliding out of the brakcet. We used 2" galvanized pipe for both the vertical and horizontal pipes.

Posted By: Crab Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 09/02/09 08:53 PM
"A quick search on the web didn't turn up these brackets. maybe someone here knows where to get them? Dad got them in the eraly to mid 60's."

They are called key clamps


http://www.key-clamps.com/
Posted By: VinLee Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 09/13/09 08:23 AM
Thanks for all the ideas and replies. Sorry I took so long to respond; i have been very busy. I was able to some what decide on supports, especially since they were free. I was able to pick up some used telephone poles with a average of about 8 inch dia. & cementing them in about 2.5 to 3 ft. down. I spent this week trying to get them planted ( so to speak ) and w/ the help of my son and a friend of his, we got all but 2 in before having to go back to the paying job for a week or so. I have posted a few pics of our pond and begining project. Feel free to view and offer suggestions. I will try and post pics as the project progresses. Thanks.
















great to have a helping hand!





After a long days work,





Posted By: Brettski Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 09/15/09 05:08 PM
Lookin' real good, VinLee. The area looks like a State park. What are your plans with the existing dock? It looks like it could use a little TLC.
Posted By: VinLee Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 09/15/09 08:18 PM
Thanks. Yea, it is a little worn. The plans are to rebuild it and of course tie it into the gazebo. Now if the rain will hold off a little longer, I might get it done in a couple of weeks....months??? Its raining today, so goes mother nature.
Posted By: Brettski Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 09/16/09 02:28 AM
Give us an idea of your plans for the gazebo.
Posted By: VinLee Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 09/22/09 08:17 AM
Again, sorry for the delays in response. We do not have internet access at the pond house yet. Only there 30% of the time, so all updates and responses may be delayed. The plan is to build a 12 ft octagon gazebo w/ two opposite sides extending out 8 ft to allow access for fishing or star gazing. Maybe some cookouts and just relaxing. I think I may run electrical for lights and maybe fish feeder. As you probably heard, the southeast got hit this week w/ heavy rains(100 Year flood to be exact). Luckly the pond was 75 miles south of the major rain but got enough to make it very muddy. I am going back WED. to start framing the supports and will post progress most likely next weekend. I am going to use some free gazebo plans I got off the internet for a guide. I used them to build the same gazebo at house #1 and built it around my pool pump. When I get a chance , I will post a pic of that gazebo which shows what looks like a table I built into the plans to cover the pump for our pool. Here is the link for the free plans, http://www.calredwood.org/ref/pdf/gazebo.pdf

Thanks
Posted By: VinLee Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 10/04/09 09:59 PM
Just have enough time to share latest progress....





New Pet....




Posted By: Todd3138 Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 10/04/09 10:17 PM
Wow, Vin, that looks really great! Nice job! Obviously the weather has continued to favor your efforts without drenching the whole thing yet. How much further along do you need to be before you think the water depth will no longer make a difference to your progess?
Posted By: otto Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 10/05/09 12:24 PM
Thanks VinLee
It looks gerat.
Posted By: VinLee Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 10/05/09 02:54 PM
Thanks; as long as I can get the flooring in,the pond level should not be an issue. Of course this month is going to be taxing because of the limited time I will have to wotk on it. I will be working 6 on 2 off all month with the plans of taking a vacation the first week in Nov. to work on it. I originally planned that week for hunting during the rut. But things just don't work out sometimes. Maybe I can sneak in an afternoon or two so I don't miss seeing these Guys,








Posted By: Todd3138 Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 10/05/09 05:01 PM
Nice deer! Love that last shot of them duking it out! Yeah, they definitely need to be taught who the higher species is - look at that aggression. Let 'em know who the real alpha buck is!
Posted By: otto Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 10/05/09 05:45 PM
Have you got any hogs? YET
Posted By: VinLee Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 10/06/09 04:18 PM
Nope, no hogs yet. I hear they are getting bad just south of us though. Did here of a black bear and panther sighting about 2 miles from us. There goes going out before sunlight...
Posted By: Tuzz Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 10/14/09 04:54 PM
I'm looking for a simple floating dock design. I have a set of 6 dock floats and am looking for something to allow for getting in and out of a paddle boat or kayak with out getting feet wet.
Does any one have one they can share? Also looking for recommendations as the material we should use to build it. I know the new pressure treated wood uses a copper based preservative and I'm looking for opinions on it's safety for fish.
Posted By: VinLee Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 10/19/09 04:56 AM
Well mother nature finally caught up.... Dry last Sunday, rained for 3 days after that. Went back on Sat. to find this......















Oh well, tommorrow I will start up the syphon and then pray I will get just 2 days next week to get to a point it won't matter.
Posted By: VinLee Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 11/15/09 07:02 AM
Well I know it has almost been a month since my last post; so here is an update. Spent last 2 weeks in Oct. working 60 hrs per week and my days off syphoning the pond back down. Finally got back to work on the dock on 11-3.

End of day 11-3.





End of day 11-4.




End of day 11-5.






THE BETTER HALF!




End 11-7.





Took off 11-8 SUN.
Took off 11-9 Hunted.... No Luck


Watched Huricane IDA blow thru 11-10.









Woke to this 11-11.



















and heres where progress ends on 11-13 for another week,,






Thanks!
Posted By: esshup Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 11/15/09 12:39 PM
That looks great!
Posted By: james holt Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 11/15/09 01:53 PM
you have a beautiful place!
Posted By: Theo Gallus Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 11/15/09 01:53 PM
Very nice work, Sir.
Posted By: Todd3138 Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 11/16/09 03:41 AM
Great job, Vinlee! Thanks for the update and good luck with getting it knocked out! Hope you don't have to siphon again!
Posted By: VinLee Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 11/16/09 06:07 AM
Thanks for the comments. Yea, its going to be interesting putting the roof on w/ 4 ft of water around me!
Posted By: Brettski Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 11/16/09 11:30 AM
It really does look great. Nice job.
Posted By: Todd3138 Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 11/16/09 03:16 PM
 Originally Posted By: VinLee
Thanks for the comments. Yea, its going to be interesting putting the roof on w/ 4 ft of water around me!


Hey, if nothing else, now an uplanned fall shouldn't be an issue since you've got that nice watery cushion just below! Roof with reckless abandon!
Posted By: VinLee Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 12/30/09 05:05 PM
I know, finally a update. This is probably it for the winter. Got to decide on the type of railings to add on this spring; if any, may add a cupola.









Thanks,
Posted By: esshup Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 12/31/09 12:01 AM
Dang it, that looks great!
Posted By: Todd3138 Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 12/31/09 12:35 AM
Wow, VinLee! Awesome looking job! You've got to be really happy with how that turned out. I think a cupola would look really cool on the gazebo, but definitely isn't needed as that's beautiful just the way it is now. Congrats!
Posted By: Brettski Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 12/31/09 01:05 AM
Given the BIG picture of the final product, I'll bet those funny corners on the octagonal deck have kinda melted away as an issue. It sure looks good, man.
I don't see any advantage to add railings. It would be the equivalent of putting railings on a dock. Unless you have a specific safety need in mind, leave it be.
A cupola will lend virtually no function for your gazebo; they are all form. For this reason, if you decide to add it, it must be done in grandiose form, but within scale. In other words, it has to be the big enough to add a grand cap to the gazebo, but within scale. Don't chintz. Also, remember that it will add significant weight at a very high point on the structure. Gazebos and similar post-supported pavillions, are often under-engineered for lateral wind force. Be careful. Those diagonal corner braces might need to be beefed up and structurally attached to add some wind-shear resistance.
-
(edit) nix the railings and consider a couple of nice, small benches. If you can engineer the bench supports to allow the seat and backrest to hang off the edge of the dock (taking up no space on the actual deck)....

Posted By: eddie_walker Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 12/31/09 01:35 AM
Looks real nice. Congratulations.

I'm not sure about a cupola, but I think a real nice, copper, weathervane would look good. Of course, the hardest thing about a weathervane is deciding on what one to buy!!

Thanks for sharing. It's beena real interesting project and I enjoyed following along with your progress.

Eddie
Posted By: esshup Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 12/31/09 04:37 AM
A nice copper rooster weathervane would be nice.

Copper weathervane
Posted By: jeffhasapond Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 12/31/09 03:22 PM
That is awesome VinLee!
Posted By: david u Re: Dock / Gazebo Construction - 01/03/10 05:30 PM
Great job! IMHO, I'm not sure I would add a darn thing to that project..du
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