This is a very small and simple bridge designed to cross a pond in Japanese styled garden.
On a bridge of this scale I couldn't add handrails or really any details that you may get on a larger bridge.
I also won't go into too much detail because, with the possible exception of the beam bending, this is just as simple as it looks.
The cost of the timber was £20 and it took me about 3 afternoons to build and install.
Enjoy
On a bridge of this scale I couldn't add handrails or really any details that you may get on a larger bridge.
I also won't go into too much detail because, with the possible exception of the beam bending, this is just as simple as it looks.
The cost of the timber was £20 and it took me about 3 afternoons to build and install.
Enjoy
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Signing UpStep 1: Materials
Design
The size and design of the bridge will have to fit the garden, this is a small garden so I made the bridge as slender as possible so as not to overpower its surroundings.
Materials
I used sawn treated pine, very rough cut pieces but they're cheap and treated to make them more durable.
- 19x32x2400mm, 8 pieces, these will form the curved beams, I only need 2 but it's good to have lots of spares
- 19x100x2400mm, 3 pieces, I sawed these planks in half to give me 50mm width planks, this was mainly to save money.
alternately just buy 19x50mm planks.
- Wood Glue, I recommend Evo Stick because the strength of the curved beams will depend a lot on the glue.
- Wood Screws, get exterior grade to ensure they don't rust away.
- Plastic Stakes, large plastic stakes to secure the bridge to the ground
Tools
This depends entirely on how good a finish you want to put on your bridge.
Basic Tools: Timber Saw, Drill, Mallet.
Finishing Tools: Plane, Power Sander / Sand Paper, Router.
The size and design of the bridge will have to fit the garden, this is a small garden so I made the bridge as slender as possible so as not to overpower its surroundings.
Materials
I used sawn treated pine, very rough cut pieces but they're cheap and treated to make them more durable.
- 19x32x2400mm, 8 pieces, these will form the curved beams, I only need 2 but it's good to have lots of spares
- 19x100x2400mm, 3 pieces, I sawed these planks in half to give me 50mm width planks, this was mainly to save money.
alternately just buy 19x50mm planks.
- Wood Glue, I recommend Evo Stick because the strength of the curved beams will depend a lot on the glue.
- Wood Screws, get exterior grade to ensure they don't rust away.
- Plastic Stakes, large plastic stakes to secure the bridge to the ground
Tools
This depends entirely on how good a finish you want to put on your bridge.
Basic Tools: Timber Saw, Drill, Mallet.
Finishing Tools: Plane, Power Sander / Sand Paper, Router.
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I built one pretty much exactly as you've described but scaled it up. Mine is 3m long and about 2m wide. I added another laminated beam and everything is 25mm thick, rather than 19mm.
Hope you like the pickies. As you can see, it takes my ride-on without a problem.
Thanks again.
Your bridge is sitting on the ground and is very volnerarable to wood rot. there are many easy ways to help with this.
I recommend digging out on either end and filling with gravel so that water will drain away from the bridge ends into the stream. Put a rock or paver, under each corner to raise the ends just a couple inch's off the ground. this will also help with drainage and wood rot.
you've built out of pine which is going to deteriorate after a few years. if you can I would rebuild the arch frame out of cedar. it would be good to do the planks as well but it's ok to keep those pine. it's easy enough to replace the planks but the arch is harder.
Your arch beams are narrow so if you want a cleaner look you could screw the planks in from underneath.
I wouldn't use it for the planks because it can get slippery.
I intended the base bits to be sacrificial so the beams aren't sitting on the soil but Gravel is going down on the far side of the bridge anyway so I may take your advice and put some under each edge of the bridge.
Dimtick is right about wood rot. In general the British climate is not going to treat your bridge very well. For the time spent on it it would be worth it to buy rot-resistant wood and to weather proof it. I need one of these bridges to go over a small stream in our New Zealand garden. Nothing wooden lasts there very long outside. It is even rainier than Britain. Our 5 year old weather-resistant weather-proofed wooden patio table looks 100 years old. Not in a good way.
I designed a similar bridge for a projects book published in 1994. It has a taller arch and the arched timbers are secured with three cross-beams. Materials were 1.5" Western Red Cedar and galvanized screws if I recall, I gave most of my book projects away once completed.
Thanks for the Ible!