In short
- Stringers and headers: 2 by 8 in at least. Bolts: 1/2 in at least.
- Wood decking: 2 in nominal, fastened with 12d nails or 3 in screws at least.
- A stringer splice sits within 3 ft of a piling, with a scab at least 6 ft long.
- Enter your builder's spec to see each item against the rule.
On this page
This dock framing and fastener rules calculator is for Cape Coral owners who have a dock quote or drawing in hand and want to know whether the lumber and hardware named on it meet the city's written minimums before they sign. Pick the stringer size, enter the bolt, decking and splice details you were given, and it checks each one against Land Development Code section 5.4.10. It uses code text only, with no prices. For piling spacing, piling depth and deck heights see the dock construction code calculator, and for decking boards and fasteners by material the dock decking materials calculator.
En español: calculadora de reglas de armazón y fijaciones del muelle en Cape Coral
| Check | Yours | Result |
|---|
Example: 2 by 8 stringers, 0.5 in galvanized bolts, 2 in decking, 2.5 in deck screws and a 5 ft splice scab. Illustrative numbers, not a recommendation.
How the check works
- Pick the stringer size.
Read it off the quote or drawing. The headers under center stringers follow the same minimum.
- Enter the bolt and decking details.
Diameter, material and deck board thickness.
- Add the deck fastener.
Screw length or nail size, whichever your builder will use.
- Add splice details if any.
Where the splice sits and how long the scab is.
- Take each short item to your builder.
Ask for it in writing on the drawing.
The rules the checker uses
| Part | Minimum | Code section |
|---|---|---|
| Stringers and headers | 2 by 8 in nominal | 5.4.10.J |
| Stringer and bracing bolts | 1/2 in diameter, machine or carriage | 5.4.10.J, K |
| Lag bolts for bracing | 1/2 in wide, 6 in long | 5.4.10.K |
| All fasteners | Stainless or hot-dipped galvanized, or equal | 5.4.10.L |
| Stringer splice | Within 3 ft of a piling | 5.4.10.O |
| Scab | 6 ft long, 3 ft overlap, 6 nails (20d galvanized) per side | 5.4.10.O |
| Wood decking | 2 in nominal thickness | 5.4.10.P |
| Deck fasteners | Nails 12d or larger, or screws 3 in or longer | 5.4.10.P |
Common nail sizes
| Nail size | Length (common nail) |
|---|---|
| 8d | 2 1/2 in |
| 10d | 3 in |
| 12d | 3 1/4 in |
| 16d | 3 1/2 in |
| 20d | 4 in |
Typical lengths of common nails. Box and sinker nails of the same penny size are often shorter, so ask which type is on the quote. The code sets the minimum by penny size for nails and by length for screws.
Where the code text leaves room
The code asks for "two inches" of nominal thickness and "2 by 8" nominal stringers. As we read it, these are nominal lumber sizes, so a board sold as 2x8 passes even though it measures about 1 1/2 by 7 1/4 in. The Building Official decides whether a fastener that is not stainless or hot-dipped galvanized is equal in corrosion resistance, so the tool marks that choice "ask" instead of failing it.
What the numbers do not cover
Meeting these minimums does not mean a permit. Piling size, spacing and depth, deck height, the ladder and the reach of the dock are separate rules, and the permit reviewer decides. Heavy loads such as a boat lift need the design of an engineer. The permit steps are in the dock and boat lift permit checklist.
Questions to ask your dock builder
- What size are the stringers and headers? Ask for the nominal size on the drawing.
- What bolts hold the stringers to the pilings? Diameter, type and washers.
- What are the deck fasteners? Screw length or nail size, and the material.
- Are any stringers spliced? Where, and how long is the scab?
- How do I choose a builder? See choosing a seawall contractor.
Next step: get a written quote
This tool checks numbers, not the job. We are a referral service, not a contractor; we connect visitors with independent local providers. Use the form below to ask independent local seawall and dock contractors for a written quote, and ask each to list stringer size, bolt size, deck fastener and any splices.
Sources
- City of Cape Coral Land Development Code, section 5.4.10.J, K, L (page 163) and 5.4.10.O, P (page 164).
Numbers are the limits written in the city code, applied to the figures you enter. The city can amend its code, and the permit reviewer decides. This tool is not a permit determination or an engineering review.
Frequently asked questions
What size must dock stringers be in Cape Coral?
Land Development Code section 5.4.10.J sets the minimum nominal size of stringers and headers at 2 by 8 inches. Stringers are fastened with through-bolts to pilings, or to headers that are through-bolted to pilings, with bolts at least half an inch in diameter.
What fasteners are allowed on a Cape Coral dock?
Section 5.4.10.L requires stainless steel or hot-dipped galvanized steel, or a material at least equal in corrosion resistance. The Building Official decides whether a different fastener is equal.
How thick must dock decking be, and how is it fastened?
Section 5.4.10.P sets wood decking at two inches nominal thickness at the least. It is nailed with at least 12d nails or screwed with screws at least three inches long, and the pattern must not cause a continuous split over 18 inches.
Where can a stringer be spliced?
Section 5.4.10.O says stringer splices occur within three feet of pilings. A scab is at least six feet long, overlaps the splice by at least three feet, and is fastened with at least six 20d hot-dipped galvanized nails per side.
What are the lag bolt rules for cross-bracing?
Section 5.4.10.K allows cross-bracing fastened with lag bolts at least half an inch in diameter and six inches long, with a washer under the head.