Photo by Marcus Peabody
Amy Butcher/Flickr via Tiny House Blog
Photo Credit Powell River Books
What are your thoughts on living in a floating home? I’ve always liked being near the water so I think I’d enjoy it a lot.
I’d do it near a city though that way I can just hop on my bicycle or just walk to get around town. How about you?
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Nice pics Alex!! Living floating is great and low cost.
You don’t have to mow the lawn and have the largest swimming pool and fish from the porch ;^D I’ve done it for 25 yrs and getting back to it now.
Just make sure your floatation has many compartments and not barrels which like to sink, fill up with water or rust away. Plastic ones just cave in.
Best is 2-4 straight sided pontoons with 4+ compartments in each.
I love this idea, we need to have them on Long Island, ny. Low taxes, nice.
Just love floating homes! It is my dream to live in one someday!!!
What about concrete? (Besides cost, of course.) Encapsulated foam blocks? Cheapest?
Doug concrete done right for the pontoons is a great idea that done correctly, look up ferro-cement and the for boats version , just gets stronger with age vs everything else goes downhill.
I’m going to try a floating TH village making the homes, docks, etc from ferro-cement. Just remember to put in 8 or more watertight compartments so leaks you will get won’t be a problem. Common concrete is not watertight so a type made to hold water and stand saltwater even needs to be used.
Foam can work but get the right kind and seal it well as oil, etc from the water will eat it away. Plus many soak up water over time, not good.
Well sealed Styrofoam, not the bead type well sealed and protected at the waterline by boards, etc can work.
Make a say 24′ long,8’wide sheet of FG and bend it into a u shape with plywood bulkheads. Pull the sheets together in front and cut anything out of the bottom that doesn’t let you pull it together into a point/bow and FG it together is a good way. Make the flat mold with waxed Masonite. tileboard from lumber store.
Looks fun, just not sure how safe? Water damage, etc. But looks totally fun! I grew up on a lake and really miss the water!
Thanks for including our float cabin in your top three. Our float is cedar logs and is very sturdy. We do use 55 gallon barrels between the logs for extra flotation. Once filled with air they stay in place unless we have an extremely windy storm that creates waves. But then, only one near the outer edge might get loose. It rarely happens. You can go get it after the storm and put it back in place. Our lake is too deep to freeze, so we have water access all year round. As far as fencing for dogs (or cats), it doesn’t seem to be a problem. If you want to keep them from going to shore, you can put up a gate on the gangplank from the cabin deck to shore. If any of your readers have questions, they can follow the link to our blog where there is more information. – Margy