How do I cement pole in lake?

[kratz71]

We are moving to a house on a lake and the best spot for the martin house is as close to (if not in) the water as we can get. How do you cement in the pole when there will probably be water in the hole as I dig? I was thinking I'd wait until the dry season here in FL and maybe the lake will drop a little and I could then dig the hole. Any ideas? If only we could afford a dock after buying this house I'd mount it to that.

Mike

[EngineerBill]

You could go to Home Depot or Lowes and get a sonotube in the mortor and cement section. Dig your hole in the lake bottom and then put the tube down into the lake bottom securely and pour your concrete into it. be sure to cut it off at the desired elevation before pouring concrete into it.
Bill

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

Some people think that the concrete must dry, but that is not true, the concrete will harden even if it is under water.

[Guest]

We are on the lake and located the pole next to the lake on the shore line. Works great!

Mike in Kansas

[joeincan]

I set my coates 6 suite out in the lake about 30 ft. The water is only 2 ft deep. I had it originally on land. I had a post hole digger, and dug a hole on land, and poured in the cement. I couldnt attract the martins on land so I decided to try the lake. I dug up the post with the chunk of cement, and used the post hole digger to dig a new hole in the lake. I set the post with the cement in the new hole. I shored it up with several cinder blocks just to insure its stability. I have to remove it for the winter, but thats no problem. When I set it in the lake the Martins were there within 5 minutes.
I hatched my first this year.

Good luck!!

[Guest]

If you have any contractors near by that build bulkheads, docks and the like they could possibly advise you on technique and materials as well.

Sue
City by the Sea, TX

[Guest]

Mike,

I also live on a lake, my house and gourds are approx. 10 feet from the water's edge. Is the reason you want the housing out over the water because of trees up to the water's edge. My Martins seem to like the location of our housing. I thought about placing o gourd rack on the dock but I worry about babies falling into the water. I guess that wouldn't happen very often but would be terrible if it did. Just wondering.

Jayne

[kratz71]

Well I could put the pole at the watersedge but wouldn't the hole just fill up with water as I dig bling that close to the lake? I guess there is only one way to find out. Thanks for all the info!

Mike

[Guest]

You might try cutting a barrel in half and filling it in with cement around the base pole. Then with a little help roll that out into the water and set it up straight. That would be heavy enough to hold up a good sized house.

[rickluc]

I had to put my pole about 2 ft. from the waters edge. Just have everything ready when you start digging. You can pour the cement in the hole dry. I started digging and hit water about 6 inches into the ground. Keep digging fast and the dirt won't fall back into the hole right away. Dig down a couple of feet set your pole in the ground and then pour in the dry cement. You can level the pole after the cement is in the hole.

[CUL Lou~Mich]

Kratzy. Just gotta ask this question. You want to put it into the lake, but you are worried a hole beside the lake will fill with water. Wouldn't the hole IN the lake fill up with water?? ha ha. Seriously, cement needs moisture to cure real hard. I think I'd try to get a barrel, cut both ends out, sit it on the bottom, then dig out the dirt inside it. Keep pushing the barrel down, untill it's nearly at the level of the lake dirt. Then put in the pole, dump in the cement, and enjoy the PMs. CUL Lou

[Dave Duit]

I was thinking of doing the same thing at the end of my boat dock, until a member brought up the possiblity of the baby birds first flight into the water. If you do decide to do this, seriously consider pointing the holes toward the land.