You need a new floating dock or want to add to an existing one, but money is tight so you are considering building your own. The cost of a finished dock includes the following:

• The cost of manufacturing the spring parts.
• The cost of transporting the parts from the dock to the final location.
• The cost of assembling the parts on a finished dock.

It’s easy to see that building a floating dock yourself can save you the cost of paying someone to assemble it for you. This article will show you how you can save money on both parts and shipping, too, by choosing the right frame materials.

Galvanized steel
There are many companies that manufacture galvanized steel frames. They are often sold as part of a kit that includes floats designed to work with the frames. These frames typically come in sizes ranging from 2×8 ‘to 8’x10’. Each frame is typically a single welded assembly that is hot dip galvanized after it has been welded. Larger frames can weigh up to 300 pounds, and depending on where the dock frames are manufactured, shipping can represent a large percentage of the final dock cost.

Not only does the significant weight of a steel frame dock add to the shipping cost, but an 8×20 ‘steel frame dock with suggested float will weigh 930 pounds before the rig is attached. If your dock has to get out of the water every winter, this may not be the dock for you. Another disadvantage of steel frame springs is that the metal is protected by a galvanized coating. No holes can be drilled in the frame or the protective layer will break and the metal will rust. This makes adding or modifying the base more difficult.

Treated wood
Another option is to frame your dock with pressure-treated lumber purchased locally. With this option, you typically purchase a hardware kit that has galvanized steel brackets and fasteners. The hardware kit is small and relatively inexpensive to ship. While framing your dock with local treated lumber will save you shipping costs, wood frame piers can be just as heavy as steel frame piers. Also, unlike galvanized steel or aluminum, treated wood is not designed to be continuously submerged. This means that the dock must be constructed so that the wooden frame sits on the floats and rests completely on the water. Due to design limitations and the weight of the wood itself, wood frame springs can be even more difficult than steel frame springs to get in and out of the water.

Aluminum
Aluminum dock frames are significantly lighter than steel or wood frames. But some aluminum frames are welded units that can still cost a lot to ship because they take up a lot of space on the delivery truck. So depending on where the dock frames are manufactured, shipping can still make up a large percentage of the final dock cost. There are companies that make aluminum spring frames that are fully bolted on. These frames can be shipped in a set of small packages and can be shipped cost-effectively even from coast to coast. The final spring will also be significantly lighter. Most aluminum dock frames are designed to work with custom dock floats (usually sold by the dock frame manufacturer), however there is at least one manufacturer that has designed an aluminum frame dock kit that can work with 55 gallon polyethylene plastic drums. Combining the aluminum frame and plastic drums, the same 8×20 ‘steel framed spring that weighed 930 pounds will only weigh 520 pounds. This is a significant difference that will make the dock much easier to carry in and out of the water.

For many reasons, including the weight of the spring and the design of the frame, there have never been floating spring manufacturers that put wheels on their springs. However, in 2010, at least one manufacturer offers wheels with their aluminum base frame kits. They can be sturdy plastic wheels that allow you to roll up the dock on the beach and store it there for the winter. Or a real road axle and tires can be added to turn the dock into a floating trailer and allow it to be towed directly from a standard launch ramp, just a boat. This can be advantageous if your beachfront property is steep and you don’t have a beach on which the pier can be stored during the winter.

Another advantage of aluminum frame springs is that corrosion resistance is built into the aluminum and is not compromised if new holes are drilled for additions or modifications. Note: When screwing in aluminum for use in salt water or any water that has even a trace of salt in it, you will want to avoid stainless steel fasteners and use aluminum fasteners instead. Stainless steel and aluminum have an electrolysis effect in the presence of salt that causes the aluminum to corrode into a flaky white powder.

We hope you found this article informative, and if you decide to build your own pier, you will have a better understanding of your options for framing it!