FullCircle,
We use poly encapsulated foam floats. Essentially they are a polyetheylene shell that is made in a rotationally molded process. They are then filled with polystyrene, which is steamed and then sealed. Several folks on this site buy them from dock builders out of Florida, but I recall finding a manufacturer in Arkansas, which is closer to you and should help on shipping. You would have to do a little google work to find them, but I think key words like dock floats and Arkansas should find them- or maybe they were in Louisiana, but it was definitely one of the two. We have a manufacturer up here that I buy from directly, and this should be the case with the Arkansas boys for you.
This style of float is really attractive, durable, and easy to attach. Sure, they cost more than an empty barrel, but.......it just depends on what you want and what your budget is.
Thanks for the comments about our docks. They are a source of pride with us. Most of them get entirely powder coated after we fabricate the frame work. Others get galvanized, and some get both. We like the powder coated finish- it makes for a nice look.
