boat dock ladder

[truckone176]

I have a question for the inventive minds on this site. I am getting ready to make a ladder for the end of my boat dock, but the ladder will be mad out of hot-rolled steel. I know that is not the best material, but I do not have access to way to weld aluminum. I will be using 1" square tubing for the frame and PVC planks for the treads. The treads will have grooves gut into them for traction. My question is this, I was thinking of filling the steel tubes with some type of foam (great stuff spray foam etc.) and welding a cap to the underwater ens and a replaceable cap on the upper end, does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

 

[Skeetobite]

Is this going to be in fresh water or salt? How will you attach it to the dock? Mix your metals in water and enjoy the science experiment.

I don't think any amount of "spray foam" will give you buoyancy, if that's your goal.

You can probably find suitable prefab ladders at a pool supply website. I would also look at Defender or West Marine before welding something up though.

We use all stainless due to the salt water. Aluminum just rots away.

 

[kd3pc]

stainless is the only way to go....regular steel may last a year or two, but will start to be rough on the hands and feet in months, especially in salt water or where the tide rises/falls enough to expose what was once in the water.

marine environments are one of the toughest out there.

likely cheaper to buy than build. What is the goal for the foam? Keep the water "out"?

 

[retrobuilder]

If you are using this at a boat dock even in fresh water you will have corrosion quickly occur.

In salt water it will rust to nothing in half the time.

Often boat docks have low level e-"voltage" from engines, etc which increases the potential for galvanic corrosion.

I'd just purchase one from Cabela, West marine, Bass Pro or get some marine fabricator to make a simple ladder. Wood would be better than steel

 

[southalabama]

My BIL was given a long aluminum extension ladder that had bent. He cut enough off the end to use on the end of his pier. Works fine. It's in fresh water. He fabbed some brackets to mount it.

 

[retrobuilder]

Can't weld..then bolt it together with Tee's.
http://www.westmarine.com/stainless...g--stainless-steel-90-tee-fitting-1--10729499

 

[zkling]

More details needed, like location and where used. I've weld repaired a handful of them (I was amazed how many people run into them). Agree, that unless you had a full fab shop, cheap material and time to kill. I highly doubt you would save any money over a used or even a new one. Now if you wanted something custom that is one thing, but otherwise not practical. The hard and or expensive part is getting that full radius at top.

I think you will be wasting your money and time making a HRS steel ladder.

My BIL was given a long aluminum extension ladder that had bent. He cut enough off the end to use on the end of his pier. Works fine. It's in fresh water. He fabbed some brackets to mount it.

Yep, I built a set for a guy's pontoon out of an old extension ladder. It actually ended up really nice. Granted we are all fresh water up here.

 

[kbs2244]

When I drove over my AL ladder my son took the end of it for his pier.

 

[truckone176]

Thanks, I will look for a pre-fab ladder I just had some time to play around with and the ladder will be in fresh water.

 

[Bondo]

Thanks, I will look for a pre-fab ladder I just had some time to play around with and the ladder will be in fresh water.

Ayuh,.... Usin' mild steel tubin' ain't the best choice,...

Do ya have the metal, or is shape optional at this point,..??

I've got a ladder made oughta 2" channel iron, 'n rebar treads,...
Painted with Rustoleum, it's holdin' up just fine at my freshwater dock,...

Another one outa 1" box tubin', 'n pipe treads is rottin', but holdin' up,...
The pipe treads held water, 'n froze, splittin' 'em,...
Atleast they drain now,...

Got some more I built outa asphalt paver conveyor chains, but that's another story,...

If ya use tubin', don't fill it with foam, 'n don't cap the ends,...
Make it so's it Drains,...

 

[Lippyp]

All of the old harbours around the UK have ladders made of steel (or maybe they're old enough to be iron rather than steel) that seem to have lasted for many decades but they are big solid things 1/2" to 1" thick solid bars.