I'm in the process of designing my floating dock on 55 gal barrels. 2x8 joists, 5/4" x 6" deck boards, 14' x10' with a 4' wide gangway 12' long. I have seen some nice corner brackets at Menards and online but they are not cheap. Do most people use corner brackets to stiffen up the joist structure of their dock or just rely on the deck boards to add stability? I have built many decks on land and know how to build a structure. With a land based deck, given the design and posts that were set in concrete there was no need for any corner bracing. Thanks for your advice!!!!
