Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction PVC options for new dock??

Hi Folks, I've got a new very small pond that was built last fall. it is currently about 1/2 full of water and I'm thinking about putting a small dock out into it just for fun. I thought about treated wood but my pond is so small that I'm concerned about the chemicals. Metal will rust, and galv metal also sheds chemicals. so I'm thinking about PVC pipe.

And, I know nothing about dock building but, I'm very good about following directions if I have them, and pretty good about problem solving in the midst of a mess.

I found an older forum that discussed this and the fella was using 8" PVC pipe, and using an auger, filling with concrete wire mesh and rebar. and there was talk about lateral forces and bracing, etc, etc.

While day dreaming this all up at the pond awhile ago I thought about making the posts water tight and leaving hollow, however after reading the other posting I'm not so sure about that. I'm not really concerned about ice movement since the pond is so small but I am concerned about the posts cracking and breaking during a freeze. I know the pond will freeze but I doubt that much ice will push around due to the size of it.

I haven't thought up how the deck will connect to the posts yet and that is important of course. I hadn't even considered lateral bracing and am not sure how important that is for something this small.

my favorite thought right now is 4 or 6 inch PVC pipe filled with concrete. I could pound that pipe into the ground but I would probably dig post holes by hand first, then pound, or use the front in loader on the tractor to try to push them down. I don't think I have a way to get dirt out that pushes up inside the pipe. I would like for the deck to raise and fall with the water level I think, but still undecided about that. If I did it this way then posts would need to raise up above the surface of the deck.

Are there better easier ways to do this. If I used metal pipe which kind would be best for the water quality. I intend to put fish in here eventually.

Ideas sought, any advice appreciated.

Thanks, Lynnie

I think your concern about treated wood or galvanized posts in a small pond are unwarranted unless your pond is a small garden pond,and even then I personally wouldn't be concerned about them. I have both in my three small ponds, and larger pond, and never had any problems. One small pond even has trout.

How big is your pond?

At least in our area wood isn't treated with arsenic anymore.

The steps are pine which will have to be painted this year.




It doesn't get much easier than the above for a pier, and if you don't have a steep bank like this particular pond you won't even need to make steps going down to the water. It easiest to install them on the ice if you have any, but it's still possible to put them in without ice.

I've installed piers with galvanized posts and brackets from Menards this way all the way across my biggest pond, which is 130 feet across.

I agree with Cecil. Unless your personal commitments have slated most of your vacation time in the northwest saving owls or the like, do not allow treated lumber or galvanized metal to play any factor as they relate to the water environment. Scratch those concerns from the list and base your decisions on design and structure.

+3. Galvanized or treated will not leach enough to be a problem, and they both are a heck of a lot easier to attach horizontal pieces to than the PVC pipe.

Ok, points noted and taken. so what is that pipe called? We have a menards here in Bloomington. do I need to mess with concrete? can I just pound those metal posts in the ground and leave it at that? How do I cut them off if needed?

The pond is really small. it is round and will be 50 ft across maybe when full?? I'll take a picture tomorrow and post.

I've not been up in NE Indiana much, always wanted to visit the land of the limberlost. (read all of GSP when I was young)

Thanks everyone for your replies!

Lynnie

Lowe's has a fake wood that looks like real wood and will last forever. The only drawback is the cost. It is quite expensive.

It's just galvanized post I think 1.25 inches in diameter. I comes in 8 and 12 foot lengths. There are two grades with one quite expensive. The lesser grade shouldn't cost you more than $20 per post. The more expensive one is more like $40.00. You want the cheaper grade.





No concrete needed. Drive with a pile driver and sludge hammer. Cut with a hack saw. There are also two grades of sleeves to slide the posts into. The cheaper ones are fine and are painted vs. the much more expensive galvanized ones. If you can't find them, the Angola Menards up here carries them as the store is in lake country.



An 8 foot pier should do fine for a pond of that size.



I used to live within 3 miles of the Gene Stratton Porter Mansion. I've ice fished near it on Sylvan Lake many times. Funny I knew a guy up here that referred to Bloomington as God's country. I spent a year in Bloomington at I.U.

You can also use 2" galvanized pipe. There are screws that are sold that fit inside the pipe, and are locked in place with 2 bolts. You just screw the pipe into the bottom of the BOW with a pipe wrench. For a cleaner cut on the top of the pipe, use a pipe cutter. Go to a fence supplier and get potmetal caps or pipes will fill up with water and be a potential breeding place for mosquitoes if the top of the pipes are exposed to rain.

Sometimes the big box stores don't have specialized hardware, or a poor selection of it.

A quick google search turned up this: post screw (sand screw)

You can also use a hose inside the pipe to wash the dirt away from the end of the pipe, and it virtually falls into the hole. Stop before you get to the correct height, and pound it down the last foot or so. If not, it might settle down further into the bottom of the BOW on it's own. (been there, done that)

okay I think I've got my shopping list going well here. I liked those screw deals but doubt that will be available locally, but I'm gonna look. I could order online. I'm still not sure how they hook onto the pipe. will I have to drill holes in the pipe. do I need a special drill bit to drill in these?

I have one of those welded together things that my late husband used to pound metal fence posts in the ground. (like a big pipe with a top and handles) However I'm afraid it might mess up the top of the post such that I couldn't get a cap on it.

I'm curious about using the hose in the pipe to wash away the dirt, I assume the pressure is important. I don't have enough hose to get up to the pond but I could take a bucket of water up there and squirt in with a pressure sprayer. I just doubt that would be the same.

I can't find a link to post a picture. gonna post this and then look around at these options.

Thanks! Lynnie

the pond, looking above the area where I plan to put the small dock.

another view

if anyone can tell me how to show the picture in the post I'm all ears!

Lynnie:

To post pictures, you have to store them on-line somewhere. Photobucket is what I use and it's free. Once it's transferred there, copy the "direct link" listed for that picture. Click on the button that is next to the envelope in the posting form "enter an image". Paste the "direct link" from photobucket and you're done.

You need both pressure and volume to wash the pipe in, I think a sump pump with a garden hose attached might work. Sump pump could be put in the pond and run off of a generator if no electricity is close enough to the pond.

I'm sorta confused. Is the pond down near Bloomington?

I don't know about God's Country, but speaking as a nearby local I would give it higher marks if it had a Bass Pro, or Cabelas!

Have you not had enough rain to fill the pond?

The pond is in Monroe county near Bloomington. Don't know about it being God's country but it's home. I love to travel and get out of town every chance I get but this is home. I'd love to live on a big pond like say...the Atlantic, but not happenin.

There has not been enough rain to fill this pond yet. Lake Monroe has been up quite a bit. I'm not complaining but we haven't had hardly any snow this winter....and I love it this way. Hate snow. I have an early daffodil that is budding. It'll probably bloom in the next week or so if the weather keeps up.

I agree about the Bass Pro or Cabela's. Or West Marine. Cabela's bought land up near Greenwood a few years ago but decided not to build when the economy started going bad. Still hoping.

Guess we're going to get thunderstorms tonight, maybe a few drops will fall in that pond. Planning a trip to Menards tomorrow.

and speaking of IU did any of you see those hoosiers tonight. shut the door!

If you use the pile driver the top of the pipe it will get bunged up but you can just cut that part off with a hack saw. The pipe actually cuts fairly easily. You can also make it easier on you by taking your time.

The brackets I use do not require any drilling. You just tighten the nut when the deck is at the right height. I did find out it's imperative to use four bolts that attach to the pier instead of taking a short cut and only using two diagonally.If you only use two, like I have been doing, the pier can sag down a little.

Ok I'm in menards at the galv plumbing pipe. 10ft long, 2 in is 40, 1.25 is 23. Pricy stuff. I can't find any brackets here that I could use at all. Gonna look for fence posts next. Maybe I'd be better with wood.

Don't use the $40.00 dollar ones. You don't need to. The 1.25" at $23.00 is all you need. You only need four posts at the most for an 8 or 10 foot pier unless you want to add a couple more. If your longer posts on the end are plenty long enough you can get away with using only two posts and cut off two shorter pieces to drive in at the shore line.

I'll be happy to find you four of the sleeves up here from a local Menards if you want the next time I go to Angola, IN. I think they are under $10.00 each but don't remember the exact price.

I'd stay way from wood for the support posts. Harder to install in an existing pond too.

Another possibility is to make your pier on land and install wheels on the from two posts. You can get them from Menards too. Adjust your pier above the highest water line you expect. Then wheel it in.

Either way this is a two person job.

That is one, I'll have to go back and grab the other.



Done!

Depends on the browser. Copy Image Location and paste! Make sure you hit the back button (backspace key) to clear the default expression (they should eliminate that, Who the heck programmed this anyway) This is in the enter an image button found on the default reply page.

Hope this help's.

Well the Bloomington menards has dock supplies. Imagine that. I finally found someone who knew something about their stock (third person) and i was describing the sleeve bracket when he said "we've got something like that with our dock supplies".

Yep, they've got an end cap of dock supplies way in the back of the garden area. I don't know when I was last that surprised! They even have those screw things that fit on the bottom of the post. And they have 8 ft galv posts for 11 dollars. They also sell 8' sections of dock for $399. Won't be buying that of course but it was interesting to look at.

Who woulda thought. I know that menards inside out and never had seen this dock stuff.

Thanks for posting the pictures! I'm gonna have to look closer at those directions.

another question here about the wooden dock itself. I'm gonna make it 4 ft wide and use deck boards. how far can those deck boards span? Do I need a center joist or not? I was going to use 2x6's for the joists, if I had to have a center one how about a 2x4? just thinking....

thanks for all your help!

Lynnie

It all depends on the span and how solid you want the dock to be. I'd go with 3 2x6's for a 8'-10' dock. One each side, and one down the center.

When using the new treated wood, stainless steel screws are recommended, not galvanized.

Deck screws are alot cheaper than stainless.. And they come in a variety of powder coated colors. Deckmate is the brand I use on all my fences, decks, dock.. Been very happy with them..