Has anyone built a floating dock using 55 gallon plastic barrels? I
have 5 available and would like to make a dock that is at least
12x12 . Does anyone have any easy plans to use or suggestions? Thanks!

On Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:47:53 -0800 (PST), wrote:

Has anyone built a floating dock using 55 gallon plastic barrels? I
have 5 available and would like to make a dock that is at least
12x12 . Does anyone have any easy plans to use or suggestions? Thanks!

Maybe this will help:

http://www.canadianfishing.com/dock/qal.htm

Sometimes Canadians get things right.
--
John H

On Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:47:53 -0800 (PST), wrote:

Has anyone built a floating dock using 55 gallon plastic barrels? I
have 5 available and would like to make a dock that is at least
12x12 . Does anyone have any easy plans to use or suggestions? Thanks!

I haven't done it, but I helped my buddy down at the farm equipment
shop build one - it worked pretty good.

Two things we discovered - you need to put some ballast in the barrels
- we used water. Second, depending on how long it will be, build it
in sections - not as one humongous long dock.

What he did was use PT decking and built a frame with 2x8's - three
barrels to the sides and one in the middle. He secured the barrels by
framing them in - didn't need to secure directly, but he did use
polyethylene rope - 1/2" as a safety measure.

The ballast was 25% of the volume of the barrel.

Works great.

On Feb 14, 8:47*pm, wrote:
Has anyone built a floating dock using 55 gallon plastic barrels? I
have 5 available and would like to make a dock that is at least
12x12 . Does anyone have any easy plans to use or suggestions? Thanks!

Check the regulations at your location. On some army corp run lakes
docks
made from barrels are not allowed.

If you want it to not sink in case they get punctured fill them with
expanding foam from these guys www.uscomposites.com

On Feb 15, 7:06*am, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:
On Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:47:53 -0800 (PST), wrote:
Has anyone built a floating dock using 55 gallon plastic barrels? I
have 5 available and would like to make a dock that is at least
12x12 . Does anyone have any easy plans to use or suggestions? Thanks!

I haven't done it, but I helped my buddy down at the farm equipment
shop build one - it worked pretty good.

Two things we discovered - you need to put some ballast in the barrels
- we used water. *Second, depending on how long it will be, build it
in sections - not as one humongous long dock.

What he did was use PT decking and built a frame with 2x8's - three
barrels to the sides and one in the middle. *He secured the barrels by
framing them in - didn't need to secure directly, but he did use
polyethylene rope - 1/2" as a safety measure.

The ballast was 25% of the volume of the barrel.

Works great.

Why would partially sink the barrels. Sounds stupid to me.

On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 04:41:01 -0800 (PST), jamesgangnc
wrote:

On Feb 15, 7:06*am, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:
On Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:47:53 -0800 (PST), wrote:
Has anyone built a floating dock using 55 gallon plastic barrels? I
have 5 available and would like to make a dock that is at least
12x12 . Does anyone have any easy plans to use or suggestions? Thanks!

I haven't done it, but I helped my buddy down at the farm equipment
shop build one - it worked pretty good.

Two things we discovered - you need to put some ballast in the barrels
- we used water. *Second, depending on how long it will be, build it
in sections - not as one humongous long dock.

What he did was use PT decking and built a frame with 2x8's - three
barrels to the sides and one in the middle. *He secured the barrels by
framing them in - didn't need to secure directly, but he did use
polyethylene rope - 1/2" as a safety measure.

The ballast was 25% of the volume of the barrel.

Works great.

Why would partially sink the barrels. Sounds stupid to me.

Got me - seems to work fine. No bounce to the dock, very little
movement and it's fairly long - roughly 60 feet.

I suppose it would sound stupid to a smart guy like you.

But it works.

On Feb 15, 7:48*am, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:
On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 04:41:01 -0800 (PST), jamesgangnc





wrote:
On Feb 15, 7:06*am, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:
On Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:47:53 -0800 (PST), wrote:
Has anyone built a floating dock using 55 gallon plastic barrels? I
have 5 available and would like to make a dock that is at least
12x12 . Does anyone have any easy plans to use or suggestions? Thanks!

I haven't done it, but I helped my buddy down at the farm equipment
shop build one - it worked pretty good.

Two things we discovered - you need to put some ballast in the barrels
- we used water. *Second, depending on how long it will be, build it
in sections - not as one humongous long dock.

What he did was use PT decking and built a frame with 2x8's - three
barrels to the sides and one in the middle. *He secured the barrels by
framing them in - didn't need to secure directly, but he did use
polyethylene rope - 1/2" as a safety measure.

The ballast was 25% of the volume of the barrel.

Works great.

Why would partially sink the barrels. *Sounds stupid to me.

Got me - seems to work fine. *No bounce to the dock, very little
movement and it's fairly long - roughly 60 feet.

I suppose it would sound stupid to a smart guy like you.

But it works.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You don't give a reason for filling the barrrels 25%. Simple math
tells anyone that if 8 barrels was originally enough floatation and
you fill them 25% with water then it's going to now take 10 barrels.
Did you fill them to lower the dock level in relation to the water?
Because the poster might be able to compensate for that by getting the
barrels further into the structure and not have to put water in them.

Plus if you're thinking long term then the barrels probably should be
filled with expanding foam. Real dock floats are filled with
expanding foam. The other problem with plastic barrels is that they
are generally not uv resistant. At least with the foam you can live
with some deterioration longer.

A dock is a lot of expensive pressure treated lumber. My simple
10'x10' platform with three 12' walkway sections was a grand in lumber
5 years ago. I'd not be too happy if I was dealing with cracking
plastic barrels today because of uv damage. But I can see the
attraction in using barrels because floats set me back another grand.

On Feb 14, 9:09*pm, John H. wrote:
On Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:47:53 -0800 (PST), wrote:
Has anyone built a floating dock using 55 gallon plastic barrels? I
have 5 available and would like to make a dock that is at least
12x12 . Does anyone have any easy plans to use or suggestions? Thanks!

Maybe this will help:

http://www.canadianfishing.com/dock/qal.htm

Sometimes Canadians get things right.
--
John H

Five barrels is probably too few for 12x12. My 10'x10' floating dock
has four 48"x"48"x16" floats under it.

On Feb 15, 1:16 pm, (UglyDan(R)(c)(tm)) wrote:
The barrels will have to be horizontal of course, but make sure the
bungs are vertical or perpendicular to the waters surface, and again
make sure that the bungs have gaskets. It's also important that the
lower bungs are free from any obstructions, this makes them easier to
service with a air compresser should you develop any future leaks, That
way it makes my job simpler when you have to hire me, or one of my
counterpart's to come fix it.

And that's why filling with expanding closed cell foam is a good idea.

(jamesgangnc)wrote
And that's why filling with expanding closed cell foam is a good idea.

In most cases its not needed, costs much more, and you can't control the
buoyancy as easily.
With a shot of 79/21 you just add till level.
What if he wants to add a dockbox, or a swim ladder later on? You just
can't open the bung on a barrel and add or takeout foam, but you can
with air, and on the rare occasion, Its also the easiest way to pull a
bad barrel and replace it. BTDT
Sometimes the simplest way is best. UD