To make a bridge at the dacha with your own hands, use wood, metal and other materials. The hanging structure is original decoration suburban area.
Garden bridges allow you to create a passage across a pond, stream or other landscape element. Such a product can be designed with your own hands or purchased ready-made. Before making the bridge yourself, prepare drawings. For this you will need paper and pencil. Homemade decorative garden bridges over a stream can be installed within one day.
The choice of material is made taking into account individual preferences and features of the landscape design of the dacha.
During the manufacturing process of the bridge, the following indicators are taken into account:
A wooden bridge is a natural product characterized by high thermal insulation properties and environmental friendliness. You can make a simple one from wood complex design any length.
To make the base of a metal analogue, you will need special equipment. From a constructive point of view, metal bridges for summer cottages are presented in the form of bent beams and a wooden or metal path. If you buy ready-made metal structure, then it will take several hours to install it. To decorate the product, use lanterns, railings, and living plants.
Forged analogues can be easily made with your own hands if you have the proper experience and knowledge. To improve dachas, you can use combined bridges, presented in the form of a combination of elements of wooden and forged structures. The base and railings are made of forging, and the flooring is made of wood or burnt boards with engraving.
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To make a garden bridge with your own hands, you will need the following tools and materials:
You must first select a location for the future building. It can be installed close flower bed. Everything unnecessary is removed from the site. The soil is being prepared for the upcoming installation of the bridge.
If a heavy structure is to be installed, a foundation must be poured.
If necessary, the bridge is fixed on the banks of the stream with piles 80 cm long.
To equip a metal or forged structure, pour strip foundation. The base is tied to the metal edges by welding. To install a structure several meters long, you will need to place several beams under the base. To strengthen the product and protect it from moisture, bricks, concrete pillars or stone are installed along each edge. Concrete tends to expand with temperature fluctuations, so the supports are driven in on one side. The base of the structure needs waterproofing.
Long boards are treated with an antiseptic and painted. The bridge design can be presented in the form of a flat or curved shape. To make a humpback bridge, you will need to bend the boards. The edges of the material are cut off, the parts are soaked and bent according to the template until they are completely dry. For small bridges, they are used as guides. PVC pipes. To increase their strength, metal rods are used. To arrange the base of the structure, use load-bearing beams. Stringers are made from dry and durable boards with a cross-section of 50x300 mm.
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.
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 decorative, and it’s 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 allow you not only to install a beautiful bridge with openwork railings, but also to 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 supporter of solidity, 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.
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.
Through a stream, ditch or small pond a log can be laid with a longitudinal cut, across which it is packed in the form of flooring wooden planks. 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. 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 regular 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.
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 the sand blue and azure fine crushed stone and pour 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.
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 let’s go exactly this way, considering various possibilities assemblies.
To fly through a narrow ditch, two boards with overall dimensions of 3x18x200 centimeters will be enough for the frame. 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; they will also 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.
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 ones. concrete platforms.
The most common and decorative small architectural forms that are usually erected on summer cottage, include bridges. These structures are usually distinguished by creativity and originality; they are preferred by land owners with a rich imagination. A bridge is especially appropriate and relevant if there is a stream flowing through the site or there is a pond. It is not very difficult to build a bridge yourself, but its decorative effect will definitely become the subject of attention of all neighbors and guests visiting the site.
The construction of garden bridges is not a new thing invented by modern creators landscape gardens, V eastern countries It has been customary to decorate gardens with them since ancient times. And the bridge was used not only for its intended purpose, as a crossing, it symbolized the eternal connection between earth and space, and it was customary to think about all the problems that arise in real life.
An ideal place to place a bridge can be considered the banks of a pond, stream, swamp or lake located on a summer cottage. Moreover, if the reservoir is located in its central part, then the bridge will become an important means of communication for crossing from one part of the garden to another.
Today landscape designers new ones are being actively developed original solutions with the presence of this decorative element that is not quite familiar to us. Since the construction of a bridge must have good reasons, they specially create all kinds of water obstacles - small artificial reservoirs. Bridges are often built to cross ravines or dry streams.
The easiest to process, affordable and aesthetically pleasing material for constructing a bridge is wood. In addition to the already mentioned advantages, it:
The garden wooden bridge is light in weight, it is universal and will look great in any landscape style, in particular landscape and country.
It is very difficult to find negative aspects in such a structure - that is why, when choosing a material for the construction of a bridge, preference is usually given to wood.
In addition to wood, metal, natural stone, and concrete can be used in the construction of bridges. The use of these building materials makes it possible to create more durable structures, and sometimes even more attractive ones, for example, wrought iron, but their significant disadvantages are their heavy weight and considerable cost. In addition, the construction of stone or metal bridge It can be difficult to do on your own, while building a wooden bridge with your own hands is not at all difficult.
The large weight of stone and metal products will require strengthening the soil and constructing a permanent foundation - otherwise the soil, under the heavy load exerted by the structure, will begin to creep and cause the destruction of the bridge.
Rich view of the bridge from natural stone will be an excellent addition to the antique garden. Experienced gardeners and designers recommend combining materials when constructing bridges, using stronger foundations, for example concrete, and constructing balusters and railings from lighter ones. The most popular combination is the metal-wood pair.
Since garden bridges are an unusual garden decoration, you should look for a suitable place for them. The issue of placing functional bridges is resolved quite simply - they should be in those areas of reservoirs or ravines where crossing to the other side is required. Decorative bridges made of wood or metal can be placed both in the foreground and in the backyard, throwing them over a dry stream or mixborder, rock garden or rutaria.
A successful solution would be to install a bridge next to a recreation area or on a walking route, not far from the gazebo. Experts do not recommend connecting the shores of a round-shaped reservoir - such a bridge will not help improve the overall composition garden plot. Wooden bridges connecting the shores of a narrow body of water will look much more interesting.
The bridges connecting the shore of the reservoir with the island located in the middle will look interesting. You should not plan to build a large bridge on a miniature body of water or near small trees. A tiny bridge next to large plants will also look bad.
The best option is to build a curved bridge and plant low-growing ornamental shrubs near it.
Before starting construction, you will need to provide the necessary safety measures. Since the bridge will rise above the level of the surrounding area, it should be equipped with railings that are high enough to provide support for a person of average height, reliable and durable.
Since walks in the garden can be done at any time of the day, for evening walks you will need high-quality lighting equipment. A bridge with lighting built into the structure will look original. wood flooring or installed along its contours. To illuminate the bridge, you can use garden lanterns or decorative solar lights.
And one more very important point- the material for making the flooring should in no case be slippery, even when wet during rain - otherwise there will be a risk of serious injury when crossing it. To eliminate the danger, you can manually make notches on the flooring material or install rubber inserts into it.
The process is quite durable, you can master it yourself, moreover, it does not require much time for construction.
At the first stage, the foundation for the future structure is prepared, namely, the banks are strengthened by laying cobblestones or filling with crushed stone and compacting. Two thick bars are laid parallel to the prepared surface of the slopes; the distance between them will determine the width of the bridge. Where the bars touch the ground, waterproofing is installed - at a minimum, the wood is treated with an antiseptic solution, coated with melted bitumen, or wrapped in a piece of roofing material.
After processing and laying the bars, they are secured - metal pegs are driven close to them. Then span bars equal to the length of the bridge are attached to the supports and secured with metal brackets. Then they begin to equip the flooring.
To do this, boards with a thickness of at least 30 mm are packed transversely onto the longitudinal bars. The padded boards are fixed on top with pressure bars. It is advisable to immediately follow the recommendations for compliance with safety measures - we create conditions to prevent the flooring from becoming slippery.
At hand made bridge, it will definitely come to the railing. To mount them you will need balusters. They can be purchased at a specialty store or replaced with wooden blocks. Having chosen the bars, you can give them an aesthetic appearance using a round file. This is done in several stages:
Now you can begin to bring the baluster into an aesthetic appearance. Initially, you need to tune in to a long and painstaking process that requires patience and perseverance. When performing this work, you will need a brush, which will have to clean the file from time to time. Once all the holes have been completed, this stage of work can be considered completed.
When the balusters are completely ready for installation, you will need a pencil and a protractor. With their help, you need to make notes at the installation locations. From below, using a drill, you need to drill a pocket for screws and attach them to the base of the baluster. It is advisable to remove excess balusters installed in the central part of the bridge in advance.
Suitable for handrails wooden blocks required length. The desired shape is given to the bars using a plane. The next step is to measure the gaps between the balusters and focus on the location of the central fragments. Appropriate marks are made on the block and pockets are drilled along them. The screws will securely fasten the balusters to the beam. This point is not unimportant, since the handrails bear a certain load and can become loose if fastened with poor quality.
Now the work on building the bridge can be considered completed. Only decorative finishing touches remain. For example, walk along all parts of the bridge sandpaper No. 0 and coat the structure with varnish.
Experts advise against installation finished product on wet ground. The best option for the installation of the bridge there will be a concreted area with a “bedding” of waterproofing material. If no one permanently lives at the dacha or garden plot, it makes sense to secure the product with dowels or self-tapping screws.
It would be nice to decorate the bridge, for example with small lanterns.
Sometimes there are small streams or others on the plot, but more often the owners create artificial reservoirs on their own. Ennobled, harmoniously integrated into the landscape, they are equipped with bridges to varying degrees decorativeness. Romantically minded natures build them on flat surface plot, over small ditches, flower beds and “dry streams”, because they decorate the plot, making it more interesting and well-groomed.
Members of our portal offer many options for decorative bridges implemented on their sites. Let's take advantage of their experience.
The style of decorative bridges depends on the size and composition of the area. Small areas It is better to decorate with small bridges; larger objects will fit well into a larger area.
If your house is built in modern style, but has a clear, strict layout, then appearance It is better to choose simple forms for the bridge.
Omi4 made a bridge out of decorative stone and metal
Savelij used wood and stone
Wooden bridges of FORUMHOUSE participants Or And Novikova suitable for any site, even if there is no body of water.
With a country-style house or chalet, where there is a lot wooden parts, bridges in a rustic style go well together. Decor is welcome on a bridge of any style; even the most severe forms of the bridge will harmonize well with openwork casting or forging.
User's universal wooden bridge Grem Suitable for most architectural landscape styles
Chinese motifs of a wooden bridge decorated with decor Prosperitas kept at the gazebo.
Openwork bridge AdvacedLTD adds tenderness and makes the landscape almost fabulous.
Decorative bridge for a portal participant Agatha made of bricks, bent bars and boards attracts attention to the flower garden.
Wooden brutal bridge Santolia will add personality to a completely flat area.
Minimalist style of a bridge made of painted boards Spring 888, thanks to its strict shape, will suit any landscape.
How to build a decorative bridge yourself
If the bridge, in addition to purely decorative functions, also has serious practical significance, then it should be medium or larger in size. And in this case, it is better to consult with or entrust all the work to them. It is quite possible to make a small bridge over a shallow ditch or a bridge whose only function is to decorate the site yourself, following the flight of your own imagination and the advice of “experienced” portal participants.
You can combine both options by ordering some parts and doing most of the work yourself. This is how FORUMHOUSE user made his humpbacked bridge IlyaOgnev– he ordered the bent blanks from the workshop, and bought most of the rest himself. Welding of parts, processing of wood and installation of the bridge was carried out by on our own. For installation he needed a welding machine, laser level, broken brick, cement, and ordinary working tools.
Finished bridge:
CorsaC939 I completely independently and very quickly built several simple but nice bridges for my site - from pine boards, timber, and the remains of the flooring from the bed were used for the railing. To fasten the units, hardware, nuts, and bolts were used. Tools - screwdriver, jigsaw, drill - the most common tools for working with wood. The cost of all purchased materials was only 1,000 rubles per bridge!
User Gexx talks about his experience of building a simple bridge on a forest plot from bent one and a half inch pipes with welded jumpers, guides from boards. Handrails were not provided due to the immediate prospect of transporting construction materials.
Wooden bridge FORUMHOUSE member djotr can serve its intended purpose, located above a pond, or simply become a decoration of the site - among a flower bed or above a “dry stream”.
And according to the "recipe" djotr portal participant Yulyunchik33 I have already made a similar bridge for myself.
T-80 made a bridge that combines simplicity, practicality and romance.
The original "birch" bridge from Butterfly29.
Log bridge from Stevedore in country style - reliable and emphasizing the overall “rustic” style of the composition.
Bridge - terrace Sergmishel It will also withstand significant weight.
Sergmishel User FORUMHOUSE
The bridge is on a double corner, a screed is poured inside the first two corners, and flagstone is laid on top between the second two corners.
Safety
It’s not just the reliability of your structure that is important. Any bridge, even the most “toy” one, must be safe, since it will definitely be used in children’s games, and I will test its strength by jumping and running.
Considering that all country bridges are small in width, pay attention to the handrails - it is better to avoid open sharp corners and protruding parts at the level of the child’s head. Iron also heats up in the sun in summer, which can lead to hand burns. Such handrails are unlikely to be pleasant in winter, so it is better to cover them with wood or make them entirely from this material.
It is also important to think about how to protect yourself and your household in the event of a fall on the bridge - the opening between the sides and the bottom should not be too large. If you slip on a wet surface, your foot can easily slip into this space, and then injury cannot be avoided.
The surface of the boards should not be perfectly flat if we're talking about about the humpbacked bridge. It is important to make the entrance and exit convenient, level with the bridge. And, of course, it must be stable, so it is necessary to take into account in advance the shrinkage of the supports, the effect of precipitation and water on the soil under the bridge.
Budget
The most expensive bridges are made of metal and specially prepared boards. Wooden bridges made from scrap materials will cost several orders of magnitude cheaper. You can build them yourself; hiring specialists will add costs.
Bridge made professional company, specializing in products and buildings made from specially prepared boards.
Practicality
