How To Build a Floating Dock With Plastic Barrels - DIY!

DIY Aerator Build:

I walk you through the build process for our floating dock. We used plastic 55 gallon barrels (drums) to float it and decked it with Trex composite decking. It turned our really nice. If you have any questions as you build one for yourself, please reach out in the comments. Thanks and enjoy!

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[bradkvanbek]

I have built a dock and a couple rafts with 55 gallon plastic drums. I learned some things, the hard way. You want to seal the drums in the middle of your temperature difference. For MN sealing the drums at 30 degrees works good. The first dock sections I sealed the drums at warmer temperatures and in the winter they caved in some, so I drilled a small hole in one cap above the waterline, but somehow they still can fill with water. So seal in cooler temps.

You can't have too much floatation. My first dock / raft had drums has 12sf per barrel, my last has near solid drums at 6.55sf per barrel. There is no such thing as too many drums.

[movingwithmanny]

After 5 months of working my butt off. I finally replicated your dock (for the most part) thank you!

[johnbecay]

you are articulate with good on-camera presence. thank you for posting this.

[brandonm]

That’s I actually had a 24’ pontoon gave to me, I cut it to 14’ & used all the factory railings for my dock. Looks pretty decent to me

[curtwarkentin]

Nice farm pond platform. Looks great and I’m betting it’ll be huge fun for everyone.

[jrodjeremyflanigan]

That’s awesome. Everyone needs one of those in their pond.

[NunalSaPaa]

Can't wait to see this project completed!

[barronguy]

Tip: Go with light grey composite decking to keep it a little cooler.

[aedressler]

Nice work. Have a fun summer with the fam!

[MrLikesurf]

Great job! You answered many questions that I had.

[ronthurmond]

The drums and lids are polyethylene and PVC glue does not work on this material. Most likely the gaskets are not rated for the chemicals in the glue or primer. The major component in the PVC glue is tetrahydrofuran and will embrittle the PE. Consider filling the drums with packing peanuts (cheap and light weight) and simply tightening the bung closures tightly without any type of sealant. These closures are not UV stabilized and will deteriorate over time. Direct the bung ends toward the inside to shield sunlight.

[jeromegarcia]

Was going to say you past the 16 on center requirements and you installed it in the sun, the composite swells and shrinks dramatically, you want to cut and install in the shade or not when in full sun...

Composite gets extra hot 🔥 you may have to put something on the surface, im not sure how much splashing water on it will cool it, but just working in the sun with this stuff i dare you to put your knees on it 😂😂

Great build and idea though not being a know it all just addressing some points for perfecting this as you have for the most part, pool railing steps would be a nice touch making exit easy, maybe a built in shade, using 4 corner post and canvas cables and tension so it doesn't blow away and last long...

👍🏼

[dankwa]

MAANNN NICE LOADS OF FUN DIVING OF THAT DECK INTO THE MEGA POND WHEN ITS FINNISHED KEEP UP THE EXCELENT WORK

[hammerdiesel]

Really cool guys!!! Now just need some fish 🐠

[dannyfinn]

Very nice. Add a trolling motor lol.
Enjoy

[adamsarrazin]

Thankyou Bro, Im making a houseboat from similar materials, so this is quite helpful. May the winds of change rustle slightly through the many leaves of the mulberry bush

[twosongs]

Could you build a tiny house on this without it sinking under the weight? Awesome video, btw👍

[christopherwaldrop]

The way I did mine. However, i used the lightest grey i could find (Timbertech)...much cooler to the touch in hot summer sun.

Looks good!

[jorgecarcao]

Very nice of you to put this build on YT. So you used 23.5" between joist centers & therefore 22" opening for the barrels. As your wood is much drier now, do you think this was an OK spacing or would you change this? That way your decking is not resting on the barrels?

[davidparker]

Hi Indy. Nice video. Thank you! I have a detail question for you please. Did you find the 2x4 laid on their side, above one end of the barrels, flexed? When you answer, consider I thinking of doing the same thing except laying the 2x4 turning the 2x4s 90 degrees and using two of them to obtain additional sub structure to screw the composite deck. Thanks!