At first glance it would seem that I built this raft for my four kids, but that’s not entirely true. We live within walking distance of the small lake where the raft is anchored, and when it’s hot enough to make the cicadas sing, a plunge off the side brings back childhood memories and cool refreshment all at the same time.
I’ve jumped from a handful of traditional swimming rafts over the years, and all have had the same problem: slippery, sliver-prone wooden deck surfaces. That’s why I built this raft using a composite deck material for the top. Besides being maintenance-free, it offers an excellent grip, even under wet, bare feet. In fact, the stuff feels terrific underfoot. I chose Trex for this project because it’s one of the few composites that is solid all the way through. Unlike hollow extrusions, solid composites can be routed, fastened and detailed just like real wood. In my case the composite deck sits on top of a frame of construction-grade 2x12s that surround foam buoyancy billets specifically made for use underneath floating docks. We’re now into our third season with the raft, and I wouldn’t change a thing.
Download the diving platform project plans here! (Zoom in for best resolution)
Materials needed:
| Part | Material | Size | Qty. |
| Deck boards | Trex composite | 1 1/4" x 5 1/2" x 67 1/2" | 12 |
| Frame side/divider | construction-grade lumber | 1 1/2" x 11 1/2" x 92 1/2" | 4 |
| Bottom strapping | construction-grade lumber | 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" x 63" | 4 |
| Tie rod | zinc plated | 1/2"-dia. x 36" | 2 |
| Nuts/flat washers | zinc plated | 5/8"-dia. | 6 |
| Threaded coupling | zinc plated | 5/8" | 1 |
| Top/bottom ladder mount | Trex composite | 1 1/2" x 5 1/2" |
Flotation foam
Get ready to build this project by gathering the flotation foam you’ll need. Three standard billets support a raft that’s about 6' x 8'—big enough for three or four people to use, yet small enough to paddle easily back and forth to the shore each fall and spring. Lay your foam down on a flat surface, measure the exact length of the billets, then cut 2x12 frame sides and frame dividers 1⁄2" longer. Sandwich the dividers between the foam, with the frame sides along the outside edges, then measure the overall width of the arrangement. This figure measures how long you need to make the frame ends, the ones that cap the raft and hold all the other 2x12s together. Cut the frame ends to suit, then get ready for assembly.
As you can see from the plans, I notched the 2x4 bottom strapping into the lower edges of the frame dividers. Although this is more trouble than simply spiking the strapping to the bottom of the frame, it makes for a stronger raft that’s easier to pull up on shore in the fall. Before you cut notches, compare the widths of the frame sides and the thickness of your foam billets. Some billets are so thick that you’ll need to use 1x4 bottom strapping instead of 2x4s. Ideally you want the top surface of the foam to be level with the top edges of the wooden frame. Fasten the frame parts together using hot-dipped galvanized nails or deck screws. Fit the foam in place to make sure each billet goes down far enough to clear the top edges of the frame. I had to cut grooves in the bottom of the foam where the pieces of strapping run to make this happen.
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