We build a wooden garden bridge with our own hands, step-by-step instructions. Decorative bridges in landscape design How to make a bridge from a profile pipe yourself

Having received a plot of land, many discover a ditch or even a small ravine on it, which is long and difficult to fill; it is easier to build bridges for landscaping the dacha with your own hands.

What is the best material to make a bridge from?

When it comes to materials for a bridge over a ditch, almost all owners begin to remember where the boards and timber are located, but at the same time someone begins to think about trusses from a corner or channel. Without any doubt, metal welded bridges for dachas are much stronger and more durable than wooden ones, but it is better to use them near water stainless steel, which is not cheap. Regular iron will rust even if painted regularly.

In addition, a corner or channel is more appropriate in technical structures, but not in decorative ones, and it is quite difficult to assemble structures from them with your own hands.

If metal seems like the best addition to your landscape design, choose forged products, which will not only allow you to install a beautiful bridge with openwork railings, but also create a composition with a similar gazebo. As supports, many are trying to install concrete “bulls” - supports in the middle of the bridge span, or metal piles. However, such a decision is justified only if the site is cut across by a deep and, most importantly, wide ravine.

It will be enough to span a span across a stream or a small ditch without intermediate supports, with a maximum of two abutments at the ends. That is why, to make a bridge with your own hands, a few long beams with a section of 15x15, and with a short span, 10x10, are enough. In fact, even an ordinary log with a longitudinal cut can serve as an excellent and durable foundation for a bridge.

If you are a proponent of thoroughness, you can use natural stone. Moreover, the straight and humpbacked spans spanning rivers and gorges look very picturesque. But when choosing this option, prepare yourself in advance for multi-day and rather complex construction. By the way, just when working with stone, or more precisely, with concrete, which will be needed for pouring the base, you will also need metal very useful, but not a channel, of course, but only a corner and steel reinforcement. If you prefer lightweight structures, you can get by with just boards, which, when placed on edge, are in no way inferior in strength to timber.

Which bridge design should you choose?

IN rural areas to overcome narrow obstacles, which, however, cannot be simply stepped over, 2-3 logs, tied or stapled, are often used. In such cases, as a railing, either a perch is placed on posts dug on both sides of a ditch or stream, or a stretched rope is tied. Such a decorative bridge looks organically against a pastoral background, and therefore can be used to decorate the landscape of your site.

A log with a longitudinal cut can be laid across a stream, ditch or small pond, across which wooden planks are laid as a flooring. The above options are the simplest, except for large flat stones placed at a short distance from each other across the stream bed. However, boulders as a replacement for a bridge are not always appropriate, in particular, they are unsuitable for walking, respectable and elderly people, and are also unsafe for children.

Therefore, large stones are best used as supports on which, for example, granite or basalt slabs with a rough surface will be laid. If the stream is shallow enough and there is no risk of falling from the resulting decorative bridge, you can do without railings.

More complex, but no less beautiful design can be knocked together from timber and ordinary boards, or assembled and welded from metal. The easiest option to implement is a straight platform with railings on one side. A humpbacked bridge for a dacha looks much more impressive, but not everyone can make it with their own hands. But an intermediate scheme for constructing a span is quite accessible, when several wide steps lead to the main deck from both ends (over a narrow stream you will get an almost humpbacked bridge). This type will tower over the area and provide an excellent vantage point.

Choosing a place for the bridge

It would seem that this question does not require clarification: there is a stream and a deck that can be thrown across the riverbed - everything is simple. However, if there is neither a water hazard nor a ravine on the site, then the decorative bridge at your dacha will no longer become a decoration of the garden? Of course, such a structure in the middle of a lawn will look ridiculous; the span should be thrown, if not over a ditch, then at least over a flower bed.

Let's look at several options for what to do when you want to add a bridge to your landscape design, but there is nothing to throw it over. Actually, there is already one solution - a transition over the flower bed. In this case, a humpback bridge or a stepped structure is suitable, or, as an option, a straight span with ramps at both ends.

If you don’t have a stream on your site, you can create one with your own hands by laying out an artificial riverbed from different-sized stones, very similar to the real one (if you don’t take into account such a trifle as the lack of water). To create the illusion of a stream, tint sand and small crushed stones blue and azure and place them between the cobblestones. Another option for installing a bridge is a small island in the center of a pond or even a swimming pool. If the area of the man-made reservoir is large, the size of the island can be made such that it can accommodate a table and a couple of benches.

Bridge construction work on a garden plot

To make the flooring you will need a frame, and you can make it yourself from wood in two ways: by installing the boards on edge or by laying them flat. The first option will require less lumber, but the span will most likely be straight, since bending the board along the plane is a long and difficult task. The maximum that can be done is to give it a slight bend by cutting off part of the edge along an arc. It is much easier to build wooden humpbacked bridges for a summer house from planks placed flat, so we will go this route, considering various assembly possibilities.

To fly through a narrow ditch, two boards with overall dimensions 3x18x200 centimeters. They are connected to each other by thinner crossbars, nailed to the bottom at the ends, as substrates. However, you can connect the foundation logs with two beams; at the same time they will serve as “supports” for the bridge. If the flooring needs to be thrown over long distance, under the load-bearing boards, along the outer edge of the frame, it is advisable to fill beams of the appropriate length, with a cross-section of at least 10x10, and only then attach the cross members.

Next, we begin to form the ledges. To do this, we lay shorter boards of the same 3-centimeter thickness directly along the load-bearing joists of the frame at an equal distance from the ends. Thus, if your frame is 3 meters long and you want the steps to be 40 centimeters wide, the next board should be 0.8 meters shorter than the base. If you want higher steps, use 10x10 timber instead of the boards that form them (including load-bearing ones), this will only make the bridge stronger and more durable. True, it will be more difficult to put together such a frame, and, most likely, you will have to use metal plates from the inside of the frame to reliably connect the beams.

Now you can start laying the flooring. To do this, you need narrower boards, 10 centimeters (commensurate with the cross-section of the beam), with a thickness of at least 2 centimeters and a length exceeding or equal to the width of the base frame. You will need quite a lot of them, so it is logical that you need to stock up on all the materials before you get ready to build a bridge over a ditch or ravine in your country house. First, we fill the boards onto the ends of the ledges, starting from the very bottom, that is, from the frame if it was assembled from timber. If the steps are made of boards, then we immediately begin installing the flooring. The crossbars can be nailed closely or at small intervals.

Assembling balusters and handrails for the bridge

So, the span is ready, and completely made with your own hands, and if it is installed in the garden, how decorative element, then you can leave it like that. But when used for its intended purpose, that is, to overcome a stream or ditch, it is advisable to make a railing. This is what we will do now. The handrail posts themselves, or, in other words, wooden balusters, can be purchased ready-made, carved, or thin bars can be used. If the cross-section of the posts at the bottom is square, all that remains is to screw them with long screws to the base so that the upper ends are at the same level.

If the cross-section is round, it is better to carefully cut off the plane on one side and secure it with screws. If necessary, cut down part of the baluster from below. All that remains is to install the handrails, for which we take 2 bars and, having measured the spaces between the balusters on them, drill shallow holes in the appropriate places. Then we place them on posts and secure them to the side or top with screws. It is better to install the finished bridge not on the ground, but on pre-cast concrete platforms.

A decorative bridge is one of those landscape objects that surprises not only with its useful functionality, but also with its attractiveness. It can become an accent detail of your garden, making its landscape complete and harmonious. And the best part is that building a bridge with your own hands is not difficult. Therefore, if you have been wanting to implement such an idea for a long time, it’s time to get down to business. For your attention, instructions for creating bridges from metal and wood, as well as supporting drawings and photos - this toolkit will serve you an indispensable assistant at work.

Types of garden bridges

Before you begin the actual construction of garden bridges, you need to understand what they are like in terms of design. Thus, according to their configuration, these landscape objects can be divided into six types:

straight - the simplest version of the bridge, which is a classic straight structure with or without railings;
arched - traditional bridge in Japanese style with a bend of 15-20 degrees;

stepped - a bridge consisting of two staircases with steps, which are united in the center of the structure by a common platform;
step-by-step - a low mini-bridge designed for use on small bodies of water and;
zigzag - an asymmetrical bridge, characteristic of eastern ones;
suspended - a structurally complex bridge that is supported by chains, cables or strong ropes.

Naturally, the easiest to implement is a straight bridge. We will consider the specifics of the construction of such a decorative object made of wood and metal further.

Features of building a wooden bridge

It is believed that wood is the most suitable option for garden bridges. And here's why: firstly, the tree fits perfectly into the landscape of any area; secondly, this material is environmentally friendly; thirdly, wooden structures have relatively little weight; fourthly, the price of the material is absolutely affordable.

A wooden bridge is constructed according to the following scheme:

Prepare the foundation: reinforce the banks with cobblestones, concrete or compacted crushed stone.
Install two supporting wooden blocks on the prepared slopes - the distance between these elements will determine the width of the structure.
In those places where the bars come into contact with the soil, perform waterproofing: lay roofing material or treat the material with bitumen.

In close proximity to wooden blocks hammer in metal pegs, and then fix the span beams on top of the supports using metal brackets - their length will determine the length of the bridge.
Build the flooring: nail boards across the span beams and secure them with pressure bars. Minimum thickness boards - 3 cm.

Important! It is necessary to leave a gap between the boards to allow water to drain.

Install the railing: along long sides structures in a vertical position, fix the bars in increments of 35-40 cm, and then fasten the same bars on top of them, but horizontally. To connect and fix the elements, you can use ordinary self-tapping screws.

Advice. To ensure that the wooden bridge lasts as long as possible long term, after installation, be sure to treat it with antiseptics, varnishes or other impregnations that will protect the material from moisture and insects.

Subtleties of constructing a metal bridge

The second popular option for garden bridges is metal. Why are they so good? Firstly, metal is very durable, practical and does not need frequent care. Secondly, for all its thoroughness metal constructions They don’t look bulky, so they don’t visually burden the area. Thirdly, metal bridges are very original appearance, which goes perfectly with the concept of any landscape design. But keep in mind that you will not be able to make a frame and railings for such a bridge at home - you will need to buy them in advance.

You can make a garden bridge from metal as follows:

Reinforce the banks with cobblestones or concrete and level the areas where installation will take place.

Build a support base: first fill the places where the frame will be installed with a small amount of concrete, and then fix metal strips on them.
Weld the finished frame to the supports. Fix the railing on top in the same way.
Build a deck. Best suited for this wooden boards: lay them across the frame and secure with metal brackets. Another installation method is to drill holes in the frame and secure the boards to it with self-tapping screws. If you want your bridge to be completely metal, buy wrought iron decking and weld it to the frame and railings.

Advice. To protect the metal elements of the bridge from corrosion, coat them first with a primer and then with a special varnish.

The final chords of arranging a garden bridge

The installation of a decorative bridge does not end with installation, because care must also be taken to make the structure safe, comfortable and as aesthetically pleasing as possible.

First of all, it is necessary to level out the slipping of the flooring. Don't think that even if you use completely non-slip materials, you can skip this step - it's always better to be safe. Moreover, to make the flooring safer, you simply need to either attach rubber inserts to it, or manually make neat notches.

Next, it is important to provide the garden bridge with good lighting to move along it in evening time it was comfortable and safe. Here you can resort to several options: install the lighting directly into the flooring, hang LED strips on the railing, mount Street lights along the contour of the bridge or install classic lanterns on poles.

Now you know that building a decorative bridge is not so difficult. Prepare necessary tools and materials, take into account the presented instructions and drawings, and then a little effort and imagination will do the trick and you will get a spectacular garden decoration at no extra cost.

DIY decorative bridge: video

Decorative bridge for the garden: photo

Decorative bridges are not found in all gardens: this element of landscape decor is less common than flower beds, but it is this element that enlivens the natural landscape, making it more varied and complete.

Small bridges over artificial ponds are created by many summer residents, but in order to design such a structure, it is not necessary to have a pond on the site. To do this, it is enough to arrange a “dry” water artery on the territory - a stream.

Bridges as a landscape object

Bridges on a summer cottage are decorative elements not big size, similar to the figurines used to decorate the garden. They just make a stronger impression.

Even a miniature bridge turns into a full-fledged landscape element.

DIY decorative bridge for the garden, photo

Garden bridges are attractive and effective elements of territory decoration. From the bridges installed in the summer cottage, you can admire plants blooming in the garden, fountains or fish swimming in the pond.

Of course, there is usually no practical need for arranging bridges on a private estate, especially if there are no water bodies. But if we talk about their role in landscape decoration, then it is really great.

Beautiful bridges are specific elements that can easily change the perception of the surrounding landscape. They are often used to shape and emphasize the relief of the territory.

Wooden bridges for the garden, photo

The psychological perception of the landscape is such that in the presence of such an element, the site seems more spacious, and the structure of the space becomes more complex.

In addition, bridges are an artificial object, not a natural one; they differ in configuration and decoration, attract attention and decorate the site.

Advice. Even in small garden There will certainly be a place for a compact bridge that will serve a decorative function. Create such an object in your garden, and you will immediately notice how the landscape will transform.

Features of accommodation

The need for bridges arises if there is an object or specific terrain on the territory that requires stepping over, and also if it is necessary to emphasize the attractiveness of an object lying on a plane.

Garden bridges made of wood, photo

Most often, bridges in the garden are placed over artificial reservoirs, for example, streams. In some cases, structures are located in non-standard places.

Important! Crossings running through artificial water arteries, should be installed in the bottleneck.

Decorative bridges look so aesthetically pleasing over “dry” waterways, over sharp relief drops, and in areas with particularly picturesque views.

Graceful bridges with a simple design, spanning “dry ponds”, advantageously enliven the monotonous composition consisting of greenery and stones.

Garden bridges, photo

It is very important to choose a good place to install the bridge - the location has an impact on big influence on his visual perception. You should also take into account the presence of various structures on the site, which will be located in close proximity to the bridge: gazebos, lanterns.

Many landscape design projects involve the installation of a decorative bridge in the area where the gazebo is located: thus, picturesque recreation areas are created on the site.

A gazebo overlooking a pond with water lilies with a decorative bridge will become ideal place for relax.

Kinds

Eat a large number of varieties of garden bridges, but most often the division into two categories is used:

functional;
decorative.

Functional structures are used for their intended purpose - for transitions from one zone to another. In this case, the zones are separated by waterways.

Decorative bridges for the garden, photo

Decorative bridges, like functional ones, are also usually built over bodies of water: canals, streams, ponds. You can design a bridge that approaches the pond or slightly “enters” it. Here, a lot depends on the imagination of the site owner or landscape design specialist.

But, as noted above, the presence of a water artery is an optional requirement for creating bridges.

The difference between decorative structures and functional ones is that they are smaller in size and do not move around them. They are installed exclusively in decorative purposes.

But in terms of their design purpose and the impression they make, decorative structures are practically no different from large bridges.

Bridges in the garden, photo

Such structures can be installed over small streams or in any picturesque corner of the site.

Important! If you have made a choice in favor of a functional bridge, when creating it, pay attention to both aesthetic and operational parameters. The crossing should be not only beautiful, but also durable, capable of withstanding significant loads. Do not neglect such points as the safety and reliability of the structure.

Design features

The design of bridges installed in summer cottages may vary. Such structures can be tall or small in height, made like a flooring, straight, arched, curved, consist of disparate parts, and be equipped with railings of various configurations. Arched, suspended, stepped, zigzag - the design of garden bridges is striking in variety.

DIY garden bridges, photo

Important! In order for the decorative walkway to fit organically into the natural landscape, think carefully about what its design will be.

Mini-bridges that perform a decorative function are usually created from wooden blanks. Simple and slightly rough wooden structures are ideal for garden areas decorated in a country style.

Structures, the original function of which was to provide a crossing over a body of water, can be brick, concrete, or combined, combining several materials. Bridges decorated with elements look especially impressive artistic forging– such a forged structure can become the highlight of a landscape landscape.

DIY bridge in the garden, photo

What type of bridge do you prefer for your garden? When choosing, you should be guided by the characteristics of the site, the style in which the landscape decor is made.

Before making a decision, look at photos of such structures to demonstrate the effect with which they complement the landscape and decorate gardens.

Best ideas by construction: different materials, designs, shapes - with brief instructions for manufacturing and installation.

Dimensions garden swing made of metal are indicated in the article.

How to assemble a pavilion with mosquito net? The installation and assembly procedure is described in the article at:

Creating a bridge

Before making a bridge for the garden, make a strong frame base: it can be wooden or metal, concrete is also suitable for this purpose.

If you need a functional bridge, be sure to build a foundation, especially if there is a body of water under the “crossing.” Facing materials are mounted on the frame.

In a number of styles, bridges are made from large smooth stones laid in a chain. Most often, such decorative objects are found in Asian styles– for example, when creating Japanese garden. Taking into account the mass of stones and the simplicity of the structure, a foundation for such a bridge will not be needed.

But if a similar bridge is constructed from large elements, it cannot be done without a foundation.

On a note! Creating a design in accordance with construction requirements necessary only for real bridges; bridges erected for decorative purposes can be built without thorough preparation.

For example, a small bridge made of thin logs, which will perform an exclusively decorative function, is created as follows: arched supports for the future bridge are cut out of wood required sizes, holes are made in them for thin logs. Other parts can be mounted into similar slots. Railings for decorative crossings can be made, for example, from thick branches.

You can design a garden bridge with your own hands from facing bricks or natural stone. But the simplest solution is to put finished design in a style that matches the design of the site.

Bridges for garden decoration can be purchased ready-made or made to order.

Wrought iron bridges for the garden, photo

Compact options, decorated with forged elements, as well as designs in which forging parts are complemented by wooden ones.

Bridges over the “dry stream”

Creating “dry water arteries” is a successful technique used in landscape decoration, and an excellent solution for those who, for one reason or another, do not have the opportunity to make a real pond or stream in their garden.

Dry water arteries represent water and imitate it using natural tools, for example, through pebbles, small flowers, and decorative grass.

On a note! When creating dry ponds, you can use gravel, both natural and painted.

If your goal is to make a “water artery” from materials that have a granular consistency, then first of all, you should create a “reservoir” bed by removing a layer of soil, laying a film and pouring sand layer, then the material is backfilled, which will imitate water. For example, you can create a stream using pebbles or a small pond using sky-colored gravel.

To imitate a body of water, bark with an emerald tint will also work.

If you want to design a larger waterway, use the following technique: lay down cellophane film and pour blue gravel onto it. Despite the simplicity of the material, the film will look beautiful: shimmer in the light of the sun’s rays, creating the effect of the presence of water.

Another interesting option- “flower pond”. To create it, dig a riverbed, select the roots weeds, and dig an elastic plastic border of small height around the perimeter. After this, plant flowers and ornamental grasses in the riverbed. Plants need to be planted as close to each other as possible.

Advice. To make the composition as impressive as possible, plant vegetation of one type, blooming in one color. For example, you can make a “stream” of ageratum or snow-white alyssum.

To create flower streams, you can use low perennials– small bright hostas or other flowers.

Flowers and others ornamental plants are an excellent decoration for garden bridges, not only for those that run across dry waterways, but also for structures laid over real bodies of water.

Bridges entwined with plants give the garden a charming look - this is a real masterpiece of landscape art.

With such a decorative element, it is easy to create a fabulous landscape and make a landscape personal plot unique.

But when choosing plants to decorate the bridge, make sure that they are combined with each other and are in harmony with other elements of the landscape decor.

Not only flowers are also suitable for decoration, but also various available materials - for example, beautiful smooth pebbles: they can be used to line supports.

Bridges laid across “dry streams” are distinguished by their functionality. Even if there is no pond or stream in your garden, you can make a “crossing” in the area where there is a relief drop.

The miniature decorative bridge can also be used as a stand. Another good idea is to turn the bridge into a continuation of the path, using it as a crossing to overcome a wet or overly relief place, for example, a depression.

There is an opinion that the installation of miniature decorative bridges is appropriate only on large summer cottages, but this is a misconception. Even for a small garden, you can choose a nice compact bridge that will not take up much space, but will transform the landscape, making it more attractive and original.

Give free rein to your imagination and your country cottage area will be transformed. To make the garden sparkle with new colors, it is enough to complement the landscape design with a beautiful decorative mini-bridge.

Video

Some original ideas Watch bridges for a summer house in this video:

Photo gallery

We invite you to look at a selection of photos from beautiful ideas decorative garden bridges made of wood and metal:

Decorative bridges in the garden, which are not so much functional design, how many products that can decorate the landscape can you make yourself. Initially, you need to decide what materials will be used as the base, and also think about the principle of placement of the structure. Only this algorithm will allow you to create stylish and quite original options.

Selection of materials

Decorative bridges are, of course, best made from natural materials by type of wood or stone. They will fit harmoniously into the surrounding exterior, where there are flower beds, wooden buildings, sand and pebbles. However, as practice shows, products made of metal and concrete look much more attractive.

Making a wooden bridge

If you want to cope with decorating your garden plot in a short time and without much effort, then it is best to create a composition from a garden wooden bridge and a pond, and these objects can be made by you yourself. Construction should stop wooden structure, however, if you decide to do it on your own, you should prepare tools and materials, and also familiarize yourself with the technology in advance. When decorative wooden bridges are built, there is no need to construct concrete base or piles that are driven into the soil. However, if the bridge is located in such a way that it has to connect the banks of a stream, then it will be important to supplement this structure with reinforcement.

Making the base

The basis of the structure is two curved beams, the size of each of which should be 0.2 x 0.35 meters. The length of these elements must be equivalent to two meters. They should be prepared from straight pieces using a chisel and jigsaw, the excess wood should be removed. The beam is fixed to the flooring based on boards; their size should be 3.5 centimeters. These elements are evenly distributed along the length of the beams.

Work methodology

When decorative bridges are made, a gap of 2 centimeters should be provided between the boards. Before installation, parts are dried on all sides and then treated with antiseptics and impregnations. The railings can be carved; the simplest design will be curved arcs that are fixed on several balusters. These elements can be decorated with bamboo inserts, rope or thick hemp.

Manufacturing of reinforced concrete bridge

If you need a decorative bridge, you can create it from metal. Carrying out such work will be somewhat more difficult than manipulations that involve wood. This is due to the fact that the production of blanks will take a lot of time; structural elements must be prepared in molds. The latter should be created from boards and the outlines should follow the contours of the future part, the lines do not have to be straight. For reinforcement, metal rods should be used that are placed inside the mold.

Filling should be done with a concrete solution, and the width of the layer should be 10 centimeters or more. In order for the solution to completely harden, it will take 48 hours, after which the workpieces can be removed and assembled into a single whole at the planned location.

Facing

A decorative bridge should be beautiful, so after installation work it can be decorated using paving stones, fake diamond, clinker brick or mosaic. A path that is made using the same will look great facing material, which was used to finish the main building on the territory. It is important to remember that such a structure will expand and contract as temperatures change, so the supports for the product must be driven in on one side.

If you are interested in bridges and decorative bridges, then it is important to decide not only what material the product will be made of, but also what design it will have and where it will be located. Even if there is no stream or pond on the site, the bridge will decorate any landscape. If there is no fountain or stream, and artificial pond, then you can install a bridge, which will be a good solution for decoration. It is important to follow the traditional rules for placing such structures over bodies of water, if the latter occur. It is necessary to install the structure in the narrowest place. This will solve two problems. The first advantage is expressed in the possibility of using a smaller structure. The second problem that you can solve is the savings on materials, time and effort when smaller structures are made.

Quite often, owners of suburban areas install bridges in the garden with their own hands. How to make a similar design yourself was described above. If you have already decided on the technology and methodology for carrying out the work, then it is important to also think about where such a product would look most appropriate. If not, then the bridge can be placed over a ditch or natural ravine. Another good decision- this is the construction of a structure near a flower bed or a spectacular flower garden. If you want to make the most of original solution, then the bridge can be erected over. It is only important to think about whether the structure will naturally fit into the overall landscape. Among other things, it is important to consider safety, because people should not trip over such a structure.

An alternative option for making a wooden bridge

You can easily make a garden decorative bridge in the garden with your own hands. The construction process should begin with the formation of a support platform and fixation of the slopes to the shore. For this, stones of different fractions and crushed stone are used. On the supporting platform there should be wide beams that will form the basis of the bridge. In those places where the elements will come into contact with each other, you should carry out waterproofing works. In order to prevent the base from moving, the beams must be fixed using metal profile. On next stage You can lay the flooring from boards; the master must take care of installing the pressure bars. The flooring is fixed with nails or screws. However, it is important to exclude their protrusion above the surface of the wood. On final stage you can start building the railings. The most suitable height for them, if the bridge is functional, is considered to be in the range from 70 to 100 centimeters. You can choose other bridge sizes and that will depend on your height.

The decorative bridge and its design can be made and produced on your own. Parts should be painted and processed protective composition. If the width of the reservoir is more than 6 meters, then a solid foundation should be prepared for the bridge, which is made from intermediate supports.

Greetings to our guests and subscribers! There are a lot of different small ones on sale now. architectural forms(we'll talk about the bridge) for every taste and budget. But I want to draw your attention to wooden bridge. I believe that wood is a more accessible material for summer residents. Besides, wooden bridge will fit into almost any garden landscape.

Many materials are used in the manufacture of summer cottage bridges: metal, bamboo, stone, concrete. As for the shape and design, here, too, not everything is as definite as it might seem at first glance: after all, bridges can be straight, humpbacked, stepped, zigzag, step-by-step, and hanging...

Wooden bridges great for suburban area with already installed buildings and wooden decor - a bathhouse, gazebos, tables, benches, a well. To make wood last longer, choose one of the most valuable species– larch, cedar or oak. Special antiseptics, impregnations and varnishes increase the service life and give the wood the desired shade. A traditional (straight) garden bridge 2.5 m long consists of supports, spans, decking and fencing (railings and balusters). For supports, thick timber or tarred logs are used, which are laid on support platforms in the form of ledges on the coastal slopes. Or you can simply do without a fence.

How to make a wooden bridge with your own hands?

If the length of the bridge is more than 2.5 m, then it should be installed at the bottom of the reservoir intermediate supports, for example, concrete or wooden piles. Special attention you need to pay attention to the size of the reservoir. If it is wider than 6 m, then before constructing the bridge you will have to build a solid foundation, for which reinforced concrete blocks and intermediate supports should be used.

The bridge design is:

Supports - they can be logs or thick beams, laid on support platforms (banks)

Span - determined by the shape of the bridge, located between the supports (bend of the bridge).

Fencing or railings can be one-sided or two-sided;

Flooring - it is laid across the supports, it must be strong and reliable.

SUPPORT

Once you have chosen a location for the garden bridge, you can begin to clear the area of weeds and debris. At the first stage it is necessary to build support platform and strengthen banks or slopes. Crushed stones and stones can help in solving this problem. different sizes. If the bridge is not very long, then a beam can serve as a support. Most garden bridges are installed without a foundation, but a foundation for stone and metal products is required, since such bridges are very heavy.

SPAN

The span (arch) of the bridge will be two slightly curved beams, with a cross-section of 20x35 cm, they are made from straight blanks, removing excess wood with a jigsaw and chisel, and a deck of boards will be attached to them. Depending on the shape of the structure, the span can be flat or convex.

FLOORING

After this, installation begins wooden flooring, and then install the pressure bars. The main requirement for it is that the coating should not sag. And when laying boards with slots, water does not linger on the surface of the flooring.

To fix the flooring in one place, it is screwed or driven in with nails. This should be done so that, if possible, they are equal to the level of the wood surface. Check the level to ensure the base is level. The boards are cut to size and attached with stainless steel screws. Between them leave gaps of 1-1.5 centimeters, through which it will go excess moisture. Before installation, all parts must be thoroughly dried and treated with special impregnations.

FENCE AND RAILING

Creation completes DIY wooden bridge construction of a fence. It is attached on both sides of the bridge to the bridge span. The railings are installed at a height of about 70-100 cm. At the stage of finishing the bridge, you need to protect wooden elements from moisture by covering them with paint or protective agent. The design of the railing can be different; the easiest way is to secure curved arcs on several balusters. Then they can be decorated with carvings, hemp rope or bamboo inserts. If the bridge is flat, you can do without a fence.