How to Build a Dock

Two possible living arrangements might be present if you are considering how to build a dock. One is that you live in a waterfront home and the other is that you have a vast amount of property on which sets a lake. Either way, if you want to learn how to build a dock there are a few things you should know.

If you don’t actually own the entire scope of land the body of water sits on, you will have to obtain permission from someone. In fact, in some cases of waterfront property there is a homeowner’s association in operation and they will have to be consulted. They may even be able to point in you in the right direction and tell you how to build a dock or tell you how to commission one.

On the other hand, if you own all of the property the body of water sets on, you can build a dock without conferring with anyone. The best time to build a dock is when the water level is low. In most areas this will be late fall unless of course you have been through a very long dry spell. You will need to be able to set posts to support the dock and this is difficult to do under many feet of water.

Be sure to not skimp on the lumber you use to build a dock, especially if you live in a zone where water freezes every winter. The freeze and thaw is hard on the posts and anytime water and wood are in constant contact, rotting occurs over time. Good lumber designed for these elements will save you time and money in the long run so you are not rebuilding a dock every five years. You also want to be sure to build a good support frame no matter how to build a dock, especially if there will be many people occupying it at any given time by fishing from it.