Building & Maintaining Docks: How to Design, Build, Install & Care for Residential Docks

Do not buy a pre-built dock. They are generally flimsy and too expensive. While I've built a few over the years, I purchased this book to learn about docks and it was a good book if you want to build from the ground up. Rule #1, use good wood, treated and let it weather one season before painting. Red barn paint works well but it does make it hot on your feet in the Summer. Rule #2, use quality hardware. Rule $3, get a bucket to put parts in that hangs from the dock posts when you are installing, or mount it in the middle of an inner-tube. I found this Field and Stream article and a vendor of dock parts that I used for my dock. I found RDS to be a good supplier with fine quality product. [...] I spent about $1800 to outfit 7 sections, less the wood which I sourced locally. When you stand on the dock it's like standing on concrete.