[DrDIYer]

I am getting ready to build a pier for our home on the river. Does anyone know of any references I can read to help prepare me for constructing this? Everything I can find is for small docks and piers. This is a bigger scale thing....the river is a mile wide, we're driving 10 inch pilings, and the pier is 250 feet long with boat lifts at the end. This is not the aluminum pipe leg type of docks and piers I keep finding information on.

Also, if anyone has any experience building large permanent piers please let me know. I would certainly appreciate your help. I am having a contractor drive the pilings and possible frame the pier in but want to do a lot of the work myself. Thanks!

 

[jaydevries]

i used to live in Michigan so i am going to ask where you live are you allowed to place a pier that size and perminate at your location

 

[joecaption]

No sure how it works there but around here there's a ton of paper work, permits, hearings and bunch of other BS you have to go through.
If the guy that's driving those piers for you is a real pro he will know what needs to be done.
I would let hm drive the piers and set the stringers than you can just lay all the deck boards.
I use a palm nailer when building docks, a whole lot easer then using a heavy maul all day.

 

[jaydevries]

here's the hard way lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGV9FdZSkjQ

 

[jaydevries]

then there is a few easier ways depending on ground in water and their are others than these if it is real rocky
http://www.chicagovibrator.com/Home/IndustrialVibratorTypes/PostDrivers/tabid/361/Default.aspx
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G19yosk1ZEQ

or this method
http://www.wikihow.com/Install-Posts-in-the-Water-for-a-Dock-or-Pier
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BinAe2fHJn8

 

[DrDIYer]

Yes, I am permitted to put a permanent pier that size and I have already done all the permits. Things are legit, legal, and kosher so now I just have to get someone to drive the pilings. I am debating on whether or not to get him to do the stringers as well...I'm almost certainly doing the deck boards myself. The big question is how the stringers should be done and who does them.

I am located in Virginia on the Rappahannock River, which feeds into the Chesapeake Bay (although I am a pretty good distance inland from the bay...we have brackish water).

Any help is appreciated!

 

[DrDIYer]

BTW Joe, I am also "around here"....I think you are about 25 miles down river from me!

The main thing I am wondering if the proper way to frame the pier to make it durable. (how to fix boards to pilings, how wide to space stringers, etc.)

 

[joecaption]

I'm just a few miles from where you are, one river over.
Let them do the stringers. How do you plan on even drilling the holes for them out over the water?
Any real dock builder will have gas powered drills and a barge to stand on to drill them.
In our area you can buy precut decking boards to make it much faster.
If you plan on running power and water out to the dock use the brown Pex. PVC degrades when exposed to UV and will burst if it freezes.
I like to see a coil of wire and Pex up under the dock up on the shore before the run out to the dock.
Reason being when we get a hurricane come through the tidal serge will push up under the dock at the shore line and pull up on the pilings.
Without that coil it will snap off the lines.
Make sure to use at least 3/4" water lines, 1" would be even better or your not going to have any pressure or flow at the end of the line.