If your garden plot has a man-made pond or access to a natural reservoir, then for you, as an owner, the question of how to equip a convenient and aesthetic access to the water is relevant. And if you have not yet gotten around to the improvement of the coastal zone, then the ideas discussed in this article may be useful to you.
The Home Pier is not only a convenient dock for a boat or small powerboat. This is also a comfortable building structure for fishing, as well as a decorative element that can make a considerable contribution to the overall concept of landscape design. Therefore, its creation must be approached technically competently, not forgetting about the creative component.
The home pier can be a permanent permanent structure based on piles.
Also, the structure of the pier can be floating. In this case, we are talking about a pontoon berth.
First, consider the features of the pontoon pier.
Do-it-yourself pontoon. Design advantages
Why do we give preference to pontoon structures when we build a pier with our own hands:
- simplicity of design;
- low weight of the main elements;
- the level of the pontoon pier in all weather conditions and at any time of the year will correspond to the level of water in the reservoir (that is, the builder who creates such a berth will not have to puzzle over the following questions: what should be the height of the support piles, and at what level should they be strapping);
- the ability to quickly dismantle the structure and move it to another suitable place;
- long service life;
- 100% protection from spring ice drift (if the pontoon pier is disassembled and all its elements are hidden in the back room, then neither winter cold nor spring flood will threaten it with destruction).
salix FORUMHOUSE user
There is only one hassle from the piles. Make from empty plastic bottles. We have had such a raft for about 5 years already. It is easy to build, and the structure will not be carried away into the ice drift.
In addition, if you are equipping a pier on the shore of a public reservoir (pond, river, etc.), local authorities may not like the appearance of such an object. In this case, dismantling the berth will take you a few hours.
User salixproposes to build a wooden pier based on plastic bottles. On the one hand, the aesthetics of the design in this case can be questioned, but on the other hand, this is what the master needs ingenuity for! A little imagination, several hundred plastic bottles, boards for creating a frame and top flooring - all this will help to quickly create an elegant structure that can be stably based on the surface of the water surface of the pond.
Bottles can be tied with metal mesh.
Or you can pack them in polypropylene bags, as shown in the photo.
The option with bags looks more practical, because in this case, you can fasten all the structural elements using an ordinary rope.
To make the bottles more convenient to tie together with ropes, you should choose products not with smooth, but with embossed walls.
Consider the following option for a pontoon berth: a pier based on metal or plastic barrels.
To create such a design, you will need several barrels with a volume of 200 liters. The lids on the drums should be sealed tightly. The resulting "floats" are connected to each other using a wooden frame, and the pier is attached to the shore by means of special jibs.
hishouse FORUMHOUSE user
A pier of 3x3 m was made. For such dimensions, 6 barrels are sufficient (3 rows, two barrels in a row). A light wooden flooring made of a 40 mm board was laid on top. We welded the barrels together with a 50x50 corner, which also included boards. Also, jibs were attached to the corner that they go to the shore.
The pontoon pier, regardless of what it is based on (barrels, sealed plastic pipes or plastic bottles), is connected to the shore using movable jibs. The edge of the jibs, which is connected to the pontoon, must rise or fall in accordance with the change in the water level in the reservoir. The pontoon will not bend over. You can fasten the barrels together in different ways. In this, again, your own ingenuity will help you.
Do-it-yourself barrel pier. Photo.
Sergey26 FORUMHOUSE user
Thick-walled barrels are needed. The ears were boiled with a semiautomatic device for fastening them. The wooden beams were covered with antiseptic. You can also use thin-walled barrels, or you can weld a platform with barrels under the barrels or use clamps from a strip to which you can weld corners (see photo).
To prevent the floating pier from being carried to the side by the current, it should be fixed with an anchor.
Alabaev FORUMHOUSE user
My neighbors made a pier with 6 iron barrels welded together. There is a platform on top. Call to the pier - along the ladder, the pier itself is moored to the shore and pulled at anchor.
And here is an example of a pier made of plastic pipes.
Pier on car tires
The berth, located on supports made of car tires, is a durable structure, the construction of which does not require labor-intensive operations for screwing in or driving metal piles.
Gorodets60 FORUMHOUSE user
I have had a berth with supports made of truck tires for 8 years. Between each other, the wheels were fixed with stainless bolts with wide washers. Sand was poured inside, because it fills all the cavities inside the tires, and the structure becomes monumental. A year later, I added sand, because over time it is tamped and washed out.
But what kind of berth structure the user built Alextr61after considering all possible options.
It is based on heavy tires from a 40-ton BelAZ car. The author of the construction additionally secured the already massive tires with galvanized pipes and overlaid with stones. This is the kind of pier he ended up with.
Pier on stilts
Consider the construction of a capital berth, which is made on vertical piles screwed or driven into the bottom of the reservoir.
If you decide to make a stationary pier, a real pier, then you should start work during the winter cold. More precisely - during the winter frost, when the reservoir is covered with a thick layer of ice. It is while standing on the ice that the easiest way is to screw or drive piles into the bottom of the reservoir.
SDP FORUMHOUSE user
In winter, it is necessary: \u200b\u200bto drill ice, hammer in pipes, weld a metal frame, lay a boardwalk on the frame.
Screw piles are best used. They are least susceptible to the effects of heaving forces. Considering that a not too massive structure of the berth will rest on the piles, it is possible to screw them to a sufficient depth by two or three people, without resorting to the use of specialized equipment.
Caravanbashi FORUMHOUSE user
Plan out the basic design of your pontoon. With a shortage of materials, the pontoon can come out too small, and the excess material can send you to the bottom at the first time you go out on the water, not to mention the cost.
Find a practical place to build your pontoon. Do not forget that in the end you will have to transfer your "ship" to the water, and it is desirable that it gets there safe and sound. You will need a large trailer and a sufficiently powerful vehicle. But if you are going to build a very large pontoon, it may be much easier to assemble it in detail right next to the water - if you have your own access to the water.
Find suitable pontoons. Buoyancy is the main essential part of your raft. In some wrecks, you can find large pipes, plastic cans, or even military "hanging tanks". Hanging tanks are just perfect as they will not rust and are lined with water-repellent material that makes them much stronger. They are also much more streamlined in shape. The key is to find a material that, in shape and composition, can displace enough water and at the same time keep your boat afloat.
Select the material for your raft frame. In this article, we will use PVC water pipe as it is perhaps the most widely available material. We will also describe the process of joining the treated pine frame structure. In our example, the raft will be 485 cm long and 245 cm wide. These measurements are only a guide and you can adjust them to suit your needs.
Lay two sections of 30cm diameter PVC pipe parallel to each other on a flat, leveled surface, covering the ends of the pipes to prevent water from leaking in. You can plug the ends with an adhered cap or a socketless ring and cap. These materials are quite expensive, so try to find them in the wreckage or among the garbage of utilities. Another possibility is to make a wooden cork and use epoxy glue and screws to plug the ends of the pipe with it.
Cut 240 cm panels from the treated pine and line them along the length of the pipes you have prepared, at a distance of every 60 cm.
Nail two more 2x4 treated wood panels 545 cm long to the ends of these crossbeams. This will be the support frame for your design.
Use a coarse drill and 2 6cm hex head screws and screw the 54cm panel along the crossbeams to screw them in. Two screws for each partition will be sufficient.
Drive in nails at an angle or screw the screws to the partition.
Place a size 16 galvanized strip 2.5 cm wide at each corner of your rectangular structure to maintain the right corners of the base of your raft throughout the subsequent steps of construction.
Measure the raft diagonally and adjust the corners so that the diagonals are the same.
Attach a brace to each crossbeam, either by drilling a hole in the crossbeams and screwing in galvanized screws 9 cm long, or using a screwdriver.
Install the deck. You can use 1X4 or 1X6 treated wood or shipbuilding plywood. Choose the driest and lightest material available to you, as your pipes have a displacement of 1,572 pounds and this will determine the number and weight of structures you can erect on a raft. Using pressure treated pine in the dimensions listed above will weigh approximately 600 pounds, plus the weight of your pontoons. So the maximum weight your raft can carry at this stage is approximately 600 pounds. This means that a very limited amount of equipment and structures can be accommodated on deck.
Berths, or mooring structures, are special devices of various types on the reservoir, which differ in a wide range of applications. Most often, berths for boats or a jetty are used for mooring and parking small vessels, embarking and disembarking passengers, and carrying out repair work. It is quite possible to make such a structure with your own hands if the construction is based on a competent project.
Types of berths and their characteristics
All berthing facilities currently can be classified into types depending on location and design characteristics:
- embankment overpass - construction of a through structure, represented by pile supports or shell piles;
- pier- a structure with a projection into the water area and having two-way or three-way access for ships;
- fringe - a structure adjoining at the same elevation to the basic structures on the quay;
- harbor pierinstalled in an open roadstead and suitable for mooring large vessels;
- floating dock - a kind of roadstead berth, used in the presence of significant fluctuations in the water level.
Depending on the design features, there are four main types of marina:
- gravitational;
- through or pile;
- thin-walled or bolverka;
- combined.
The simplest hydraulic structures for fishing or for a boat can be equipped independently. The marinas made of various materials at hand find the following applications:
- floating barbecue and recreation area;
- water catering point;
- pier for catamaran, boats and jet skis;
- fishing raft;
- pontoon catamaran for shallow water;
- floating bath or sauna;
- area for water activities;
- residential home ownership or cottage.
On rafts, piers and pontoons made with your own hands, you can sunbathe or dive from it into the water, carry out the transportation of goods and inspect the cages with fish.
How to build a bridge for summer fishing (video)
How to build the simplest mooring structure
For homeowners living in close proximity to a river or body of water, the question of creating a convenient descent to the water is always relevant. Some time ago, for this purpose, walkways or a bridge were built, allowing you to approach the tied boats. Today, preference is given to more serious structures.
Making a floating pier
Unlike the pier, the pier can be located not along the coast, but at the intersection of the water plane at right angles, with a landing several hundred meters from the land. In this case, it is possible to moor not only a small, but also a cargo ship on both sides of the structure. Rather primitive piers are being built on the lake, located on one line.
A pontoon or floating pier can be erected in areas of a reservoir that are subject to flooding, but protected from gusty winds. Pontoons are distinguished by their ease and simplicity of assembly, as well as the accessible design of all the necessary documentation. Floating piers are most often metal, plastic or inflatable. The best option is floating plastic structures made of elements connected along the perimeter with special fasteners.
The floating pier does not require special maintenance, and if necessary, such a structure can be easily assembled, dismantled and installed in a new place. The modern plastic construction is made of HDPE with the addition of special compounds against the negative effects of the sun and sea salt.
Installation of a floating pier involves the use of additional accessories in the form of handrails, gangways and bollards. The cost of various composite plastic modules for creating a floating pier on your own is quite affordable.
Installation of a bridge for fishing
A high-quality and durable flooring or bridge can be easily made by yourself. It is very important not only to choose the right location for the location and develop a competent project, but also to securely fasten the structure with the help of a log or pile treated with special compounds. Installation is best done during winter, before the ice has melted.
You can cut holes with a chainsaw, and the diameter of the hole will depend on the diameter of the support. The standard width of the bridge should be about one and a half meters, so the distance between the supports should not be more than two meters.
It is optimal to use pipes with sufficiently thick steel walls or stainless steel supports as a support. A wooden support will lose high strength indicators quickly enough under the influence of water. Some anglers advise installing the deck on a base of plastic pipes that will not corrode and rot. The frame is made of a steel angle that can withstand significant loads.
The masonry is made of wood planks pre-treated with transformer oil, which will increase the service life and prevent rapid decay. PVL sheets or profiled decking can also be used.
DIY pontoons from barrels
Plastic barrel pontoons are one of the most inexpensive options. The strength indicators of such a simple design depend on a properly executed supporting frame and elements capable of providing a sufficient level of diagonal, longitudinal and transverse rigidity of the structure. Steel, aluminum, wood or plastic can be used to create the frame.
The high level of stability allows the use of a pontoon raft from barrels for movement and recreation on the water, and when supplemented with a small boat motor, you can get a self-propelled pontoon.
To create a pontoon, alternatives to plastic barrels are often used:
- the foam pontoons are based on a pair of wooden skis filled with foam. This design is ideal for the construction of easy-to-operate motor rafts;
- inflatable pontoons from large car chambers are created on the basis of a frame structure, and one failed camera can be easily replaced or glued even during the rafting process;
- the most popular and budgetary option is a pontoon made of plastic bottles, with which you need to fill large rubberized bags fixed under the raft deck.
Home-made rafts-catamarans on a plywood pontoon are also in great demand. For the manufacture of plywood moisture-resistant, oil-impregnated sheets 3 mm thick, as well as three-meter wooden slats with dimensions of 25x25 mm or 25x15 mm are used. Bicycle parts allow you to create a rowing drive and wheels for a catamaran.
Features of the construction of piers and berths (video)
Before manufacturing, it is necessary to carry out simple calculations for the total carrying capacity, which includes the buoyancy indicators of all float elements. For example, if a plastic barrel can hold 120 kg of weight, then a minimum of ten barrels will need to be used for a carrying capacity of 1.2 tons. The optimal margin of buoyancy indicators is 20-30% of the calculations performed.
Things to consider when building a small boat or boat dock
The coastal area of \u200b\u200bthe reservoir, equipped with special equipment for mooring, repairs and maintenance, is called a berth. If until recently hardwood was used to create a pile foundation, today metal driven and screw piles are most often used, differing in structure and installation method:
- driven piles, represented by steel pipes with a sharp tip, are buried using piling machines, which often negatively affects the condition of the metal structure. Such supports are rarely used for self-made berths, due to the need to use special equipment;
- screw metal piles have a lower conical end with a welded blade and a head to which the base of the berth being manufactured is attached. The helical blade is easily and evenly screwed into the ground, which minimizes the risk of deformation of the metal support.
Shaft diameter and pile wall thickness depend on the expected load level. In the cavity of the screwed-in piles, a concrete solution is necessarily poured, which increases the bearing capacity of the support. The cost of the material used for construction can be reduced by purchasing modern polymers with high water-repellent characteristics.
A surface structure made of such a building material is characterized by the following quality characteristics:
- absence of decay processes as a result of exposure to high levels of humidity;
- lack of deformation and cracking as a result of drying;
- no loss of decorativeness under the influence of temperature changes;
- increased resistance to abrasion and shock loads;
- the presence of a non-slip corrugated surface.
Polymer deck boards used in the installation of decking do not require protection with varnishes and oils, which makes maintenance simple and affordable.
Decorative descent to the reservoir near the site
On summer cottages located near rivers or lakes, decorative metal structures of the platform can also be equipped. In this case, channel # 12 is most often used as supports. The covering of the platform and steps is most often made of corrugated steel, and the treads are made of several reinforcing bars. For the convenience of descent and ascent, you need to equip the railing. Tikkurila berth paint is used for painting.
How to build a pier on screw piles (video)
It should be noted that any piers that go into the water at a considerable distance from the coastline must necessarily be erected by professionals using special equipment. It is also very important to monitor the technical condition of the pier and to carry out repair work in a timely manner.
The idea to build a kind of house on the water hovered in my head for a long time, but I never thought that I would ever really take on its implementation. Well, finally this hour has come!
The boat is built from waste wood and large plastic barrels. The photo is not a finished version, my friend and I are still finalizing and improving something. Next spring we plan to take a long trip down the river.
I didn't spend almost a cent on the construction of the pontoon, the old timber was lying in the backyard with the barrels, and the motor was installed from a friend's old boat. The structure is quite stable on the water, and can withstand 5 people without any problems. Although the speed is poor, it will get you to your destination (unless there is a strong wind).
All in all, a great place to relax, fish and barbecue.
Step 1: making the frame
In the photo there is a diagram of the frame, this design suits us perfectly. At this step, everything is simple, we cut the boards and fasten them with nails. I added one plank at the front and back of the boat in case we hit something while sailing.
Step 2: fix the barrels
A friend's help is helpful at this stage. As long as he holds the frame, you can attach barrels under it. The barrels are attached to the frame with straps, or so we did. It is important not to lose a single barrel while swimming, so you need to fasten them as securely as possible by tightening the straps tight. The straps themselves I nailed to the frame with nails. It should be noted here that the tops of the barrels should be flush with the height of the frame or slightly lower, because we will lay the floor on the frame, and the barrels should not interfere, bulging out.
Step 3: making the deck
We were lucky, the plywood turned out to be exactly as much as we needed for the deck. I think it's clear how it is attached to the frame, the only thing that is not visible in the photo is a small glass / storage unit, which is located under the floor. The door to this compartment is made of a small piece of plywood, in the photo it can be seen in the center from the far edge.
Step 4: finishing touches and launching
We got a pretty big ship, such a ship definitely needs an anchor. We built an anchor from an old paint can, into which we threw stones. They attached the motor, put life jackets in the storage, nailed chairs to the deck, and lowered the boat into the water.
P.S. Don't forget to add a cool pirate flag.
Update: After some time of operation, we realized that the boat could use a couple more barrels under the deck and perhaps a little foam. We are planning an upgrade in the near future. We are also thinking about a touch-up in order to protect the tree from decay. We will replace the electric motor with a gasoline one, but we will not get rid of it at all, but we will use it as a spare. It seems all, good luck!
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You are the happy owner of a house by the reservoir, you probably imagined a bridge in the middle of the lake, where in calm weather you can go fishing or just sit, enjoying the smoothness of the water or the rustle of the surf. Of course, you can build a concreted capital bridge, or you can resort to a more romantic method and create a floating bridge. Such a berth is based on pontoons, which help the berth to stay on the surface. We make pontoons from barrels with our own hands.
The only drawback is the high price. If you want to save your family budget, you can use plastic drums.
We make a pontoon with our own hands using barrels
We will understand in detail the process of making a floating dock from barrels with our own hands. To create a pier, we need materials and construction tools:
- There are four plastic barrels, you can use metal ones, in the absence of the first.
- Wooden boards or moisture resistant plywood.
- Beam 10 cm.
- Beam 5 cm.
- Rope.
- Epoxy resin.
- Alkyd paint.
To create a pontoon, it is better to choose deciduous wood. It does not rot so much when it comes into contact with water, which will significantly extend its service life. If you could not find such beams, you can opt for oak or pine. All materials must be primed and painted. When choosing plywood, the ends are coated with a pre-prepared resin. If you have chosen metal barrels, they must also be carefully primed. And then paint it with anti-corrosion agent. It is better to collect the pontoon near the water, so as not to drag the finished structure:
- So, initially we prepare a square, one side should be 2.5 m.If this size is observed, the barrels will fit perfectly here. We use logs to make the frame. To get an even square, put straight bars in the corners or measure the diagonals of the square;
- Next, we prepare two-hundred-liter barrels, we need four pieces. As a rule, finding such is not a problem at all, it remains to give them processing;
- We cover the barrel with paint, and then coat the cork with sealant or silicone. If barrels are not available, they can always be purchased at a hardware store. When buying, give preference to plastic products;
- When the barrels are ready, we build the inner skeleton of the pontoon. To do this, place barrels at the corners of the square. The dimensions of the barrels make it easy to do this We need to strengthen the barrels, we install the beams inside, so that one side would fix the barrel, and the other rested against the frame. For the strength of the structure, you can secure the barrels with two more beams. They must be placed on either side of the barrel, pressing it firmly. The bars are attached to the base with screws. Next, the barrels are fixed with ropes. Six holes are made for each barrel. Then the structure is turned over.
Further assembly of the pontoon is carried out on the water. The top side frame is sheathed with the material you have chosen to create the floor.
How to create a pontoon from plastic bottles
The most common way to create a pontoon would be pontoons made from bottles:
- To get started, you need to collect a huge number of plastic bottles. Well, if all the bottles are 2 liters, about 350 will be needed. This amount is necessary if the bottles are 2 liters and the berth is small. If the bottles are smaller, you will need more. It is better if the bottles are not even, then it will be much easier to tie them;
- Before starting work, it is necessary to check the tightness of each of the bottles. Your goal is to create a large berth, it must be made of several small ones;
- To create a pontoon from plastic bottles, you need frame bars, ropes and bags. Bottles must be placed in each of the bags; in a regular bag, about thirty bottles are placed. They need to be folded vertically in two layers. The weight that the berth can support depends on the number of bags;
- To install bags, attach them to the frame with bags. Place the bags according to the size of the berth. It is better to cover it from boards. It is better to fasten the berth to piles or using anchors.
Also using this method to create pontoons using car cameras and styrofoam.
Video about pontoons on plastic floats
Video about a homemade pontoon made of plastic bottles