How to make a wooden bridge. Bridge in the country (57 photos): views

Diversity garden bridges allows you to choose the right design for any style. The first requirement for their construction is the arrangement of the foundation. If DIY garden bridge is being built on the shore, its shores must be strengthened and waterproofed additionally. Large cobblestones, thick logs, concrete, crushed stone are used to strengthen the slopes. After creating the support platform, the construction of the bridge begins.

The main elements are:

Supports are load-bearing components on which the entire structure rests. If the bridge is small (up to 3 m) and not subjected to heavy loads, 4 supports are sufficient, which are installed along the edges on the support platforms. For long bridges, intermediate supports will be needed.

The span is the part of the bridge between the supports.

Kosour, lag or bowstring - the supporting beam of the canvas, on which the flooring is laid.

Flooring (roadbed) - the covering of the bridge, which is laid across the support beams.

Fences are decorative and functional elements that allow you to have additional support.

Do-it-yourself hanging garden bridge

Suspension bridges are widespread in the world. Such structures are installed in places where it is difficult to make additional supports. They are flexible structures on which the roadway is attached. The main posts, called pylons, are mounted on support platforms. For the construction of a small suspended DIY garden bridge in the country, thick bars, metal pipes are used as pylons, concrete piles. Chains, cables or ropes are stretched between the pylons. If the bridge is up to 2 m long, it is enough just to fix the cables on the pylons. For a longer bridge, the main cables continue behind the pylon and are anchored to the ground to provide stretch for the supports.

Vertical parts, which are also made of ropes, cables or chains, are attached to the bearing part of the rope or cable. An example of knitting a vertical warp:

A footpath is laid on the base. For flooring, boards 2-3 cm thick are usually used. They can be tied together and attached to the base.

For the manufacture of DIY garden bridge from wood you will need 2-4 wide boards with a thickness of at least 5-6 cm - these will be stringers or logs. The length of the boards should be 40 cm more length bridge. If the bridge is flat, it is enough to treat the boards with protective materials and install them on the support platform.

For an arched (humped) bridge, the appropriate bend is cut out of the boards according to the template. It is most convenient to do this - with its help you can cut a clear contour, the tool does not slip from the canvas and gives an even saw cut.

Read also:

The height difference in the arched bridge should not exceed 20 o. The cut logs are fastened together with stiffeners - the wider the bridge, the smaller the gap between the logs.

Connect the parts with screws. Racks for fencing and balusters are attached to the lags. Then proceed to the manufacture of flooring. The flooring is made of boards 2.5-3 cm thick or a picket fence. The narrower the board, the less the canvas will sag. The step between the shtaketins is taken equal to 1-1.5 cm. The distance between the boards contributes to the runoff of rainwater, which increases the service life of the coating. Fasten the boards with stainless steel screws.

Fences are attached to the spans, decorative balusters can be installed between them. They decorate fences with ropes, chains, and other decorative elements. You can use forged crate. Convenient height of the fence - 80-100 mm. Small wide do-it-yourself bridges look good without a fence.

concrete bridges

Capital construction made of decorative natural stone Suitable for any style of garden. The monolithic stone bridge will take you back to the Middle Ages. It is more difficult to make it, but the investment of time and money justifies itself.

To begin with, a frame is made of wood. The contours of the form can be cut out of the boards in the same way as logs for a wooden bridge - according to the template.

The frame is reinforced from the inside with stiffeners. For reinforcement, rods with a thickness of 2-5 mm are used. The formwork is poured with a layer of concrete of at least 10 cm. After two days, the concrete will harden, and the details of the bridge will be ready for decoration with natural stone.

It is possible to separately cast the bridge trusses, canvas and railings, and then assemble the structure on site. And you can pre-drain the reservoir and install the frame-formwork on the support platform and perform further work.

A decorative bridge in the garden is a special design that is good not so much for its functionality, but for its ability to decorate the surrounding landscape, to complete the overall landscape picture. Therefore, when planning to build bridges in the garden with your own hands, you need to consider all kinds of principles for placing structures, their types, and then create your own original, stylish, not like other options.

Of course, during the construction architectural forms small type in a garden or park, natural materials look advantageous - stone and wood. They are harmoniously combined with the surrounding plants, flower beds, wooden buildings, dry streams of stone, pebbles and sand. But buildings made of metal and concrete look no less attractive.

A small bridge over a stream, made of artificial stone and decorated with wrought iron railings, looks quite natural surrounded by greenery

Classifying designs according to the material of manufacture, there are several types.

Wooden bridges

They are great for a 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 tree the desired shade.

Wooden bridges are traditionally decorated with carvings: they attach to balusters original form, carve a pattern on the supporting beams, decorate the railing with an ornament

stone bridges

Beautiful, noble and almost eternal buildings. When installing a garden bridge with your own hands, do not forget about weight natural stone. For the installation of structures made of sandstone, marble or granite, construction equipment may be required, therefore, sometimes a lighter analogue is used - artificial stone.

When building a structure made of stone - natural and artificial - you should select elements that are similar in shape and color and in harmony with the surrounding objects.

metal bridges

Forged structures are exquisitely beautiful, especially when surrounded by flowers and greenery. They demand special attention and timely processing, as the metal is subject to corrosion.

A forged bridge will cost less if you order only a metal base, and do the wooden elements (flooring, railing details) with your own hands

concrete bridges

They look monumental, serve for a long time and, with appropriate decoration, can decorate the garden with big amount stones or plants. Finishing with colored tiles, stone chips or acrylic paints will favorably hide gray concrete.

It is hard to guess that this original bridge is made of architectural concrete: its surface is stylized as stone and painted with acrylics.

The combination of several materials will make the garden bridge unique, help to give a little personality. Metal and wood, stone and wood are well combined.

Examples of successful accommodation options

The main purpose of bridges is to cross a reservoir, but often they are installed on the territory of a personal plot with a completely different purpose - to enrich and diversify the design.

The wooden bridge is part of the backyard composition. Stylistically, it matches garden gazebo built from the same material

Good places for mounting decorative designs are the following objects:

small lakes, artificially created ponds, streams;
natural ditches and ravines;
dry streams;
flower beds and separately decorated flower beds;
paths and paths.

The traditional placement of the building above the reservoir is subject to certain rules. A crossing over a stream or pond is installed in the narrowest place, since a small structure is much stronger, and it looks more decorative. Country bridges for a garden with a dry stream are characterized by such qualities as compactness, miniature size, and elegance. The material for their manufacture must be combined with the surrounding coating: they are, as it were, a continuation of the tracks.

A miniature bridge of the simplest design, thrown over a dry stream, favorably enlivens a monotonous composition of stones, greenery and flowers.

This bridge is an example of how organically can be combined various materials: paving slabs, natural stone, wood, mosaic tiles

When installing small architectural forms, including bridges, it is necessary to take into account the style chosen for the garden. Suppose wooden structures, simple and slightly rough, ideal for garden plot country style.

The choice of form and design of the structure

Before drawing up a sketch, it is worth considering all the existing forms and their options, and then making a choice. You can conduct the following experiment: take a picture of the intended installation site of a decorative bridge for the garden, print the photo big size and try on various designs cut out of paper. It will be seen which shape design fits perfectly into the overall picture.

According to their configuration, bridges can be divided into several types:

Direct - they are optimal for self-production;
Zigzag - these are guests from the East, where the violation of the straight line is a protection from evil spirits;
Arched - look artistic and suitable for any style;
Step-by-step - ideal for dry streams and shallow reservoirs;
Stepped - resemble two staircases with wide steps, united by a common platform;
Suspended - complex structures requiring compliance with safety regulations.

Here is a photo selection of each of the options:

When building direct bridges from any material, it is necessary to consider a drain for rainwater; in this case, these are the gaps between the floorboards

The ideal material for the construction of a zigzag bridge is wood - both piles and decking are made of wooden elements treated with impregnation and antiseptic

"Humpbacked" shape arched structure achieved different ways. One of the most common is giving load-bearing beams certain curved shape

Large flat stones are best for creating a step bridge. The distance between them should be comfortable for stepping over.

The stepped structure can become a kind of observation point: from the top platform it is convenient to view the surrounding landscape, admire the sunset

If you decide to choose a suspension bridge, then it is better to stop at a small structure firmly fixed on piles driven into the ground.

Master class: making a wooden bridge

The easiest way to decorate household territory- create a composition from a reservoir and a wooden garden bridge, and both objects can be made by hand. Let us dwell on the construction of a flip-over structure made of wood.

To install the simplest structure, a concrete base or piles driven into the ground will not be required, but if the bridge connects the high banks of the stream, then additional reinforcement will be required.

When installing a wooden bridge across a pond, you should carefully strengthen the parts of the banks that serve as supports. For strengthening use natural stone and concrete

According to the installation method, garden bridges are divided into several types: I - on concrete supports; II - on concrete supports and piles; III - on piles

The basis of the bridge are two slightly curved beams with a cross section of 0.2 m x 0.35 m and a length of 2 m. They can be made from straight blanks, using a jigsaw and chisel to remove excess wood. A flooring of boards (3.5 cm), evenly distributed along the length of the beams, is attached to the beams.

Drawing up a drawing of the bridge indicating required sizes can make your job a lot easier. The length of the structure depends on the size of the object over which it will be placed.

Between the boards, it is necessary to leave gaps 1-2 cm wide. All parts are dried before installation and treated on all sides with impregnations and antiseptics.

When drawing up a drawing, it is necessary to take into account every little thing, for example, consider fixing at the junctions of balusters with beams or railings with balusters

The design of the railing may be different. The simplest is curved arcs mounted on several balusters. The railings are decorated with bamboo inserts, thick hemp rope or carvings.

Decorated railings - a way to diversify simple design bridge. It was worth adding rounded elements on the racks - and the bridge acquired more decorative look

A simple decorative garden bridge, without decorations and frills, can complement a park area stylized as a wild forest.

Several raw boards, a railing made of crooked poles on one side - and we get an original stylized bridge, as if hastily knocked together

Video showing a sample landscape design, where almost all buildings are made by the hands of the owners of country estates.

The most important purpose modern dacha- to become a place of rest and realization of creative undertakings. The idea to build a garden bridge with your own hands usually visits the owners of a site with a stream or a beautiful natural swamp.

Most often, small bridges are used in landscape design in the presence of a small reservoir on the site.

being important architectural element the garden bridge can not only fulfill its utilitarian function, but also decorate different areas of the garden, connect with each other.

If there are no natural and artificial sources of water in the country house, you can implement a fashionable design proposal - to build a bridge over a dry stream.

Back to index

Location of the garden bridge: basic principles

The proportions between the framing landings and the bridge structure should be observed. Do not place a small bridge under a large tree.

It is desirable that the path leading from the bridge should go deeper into the garden. Plantings of decorative and deciduous perennials, flowering flowers on one of the banks of the reservoir will make the bridge attractive.

A romantic note will be given to the garden by bridges entwined with grapes, climbing roses, clematis.

Back to index

Getting ready to build a garden bridge: defining the style

The bridge, built in the country, decorates it, provided that it fully complies with the overall composition.

In landscape gardens, with irregularly shaped ponds, the bridge should be installed at the narrowest point of the pond. If part of the reservoir is located on a shallow plot, you can create 2 decorative zones: a reservoir and a swamp. Another option is the division of the water surface into a water garden and a bathing area.

In regular-style gardens, a bridge is placed in the middle of an oval or rectangular pond, which emphasizes the strict symmetry of the landscape. The opposite bank of the reservoir can be decorated with roses.

IN Japanese style necessarily implies the presence of bridges. Their contemplation for the Japanese is filled with aesthetic and philosophical meaning. This should encourage the owner of the cottage to get acquainted with theoretical foundations oriental design.

In a country-style cottage, it is especially easy if you put your hands on it. The use of tree trunks and branches, the use of logs is recommended. If the house looks like a tower, then it would be appropriate to use carved balusters to make the railing of the bridge.

Bridge in the avant-garde cottage style can be made in an asymmetric form, while choosing an unconventional color scheme.

Back to index

Types of garden bridge: style matching

It should be borne in mind that any bridge must carry a semantic, functional load. Depending on this, the type of structure should be determined, the choice of building material should be made.

Direct structures are made of wood, concrete or stone. Small bridges for summer cottages can be without railings and can be a regular straight flooring. Significant structures, for security purposes, are equipped with railings.

Stepped bridges are made up of 2 inclined platforms, between which a horizontal plane is strengthened. Visually, such a structure seems to be more decorative than a flat bridge.

Step-by-step bridges are built to cross a shallow body of water. wide paving slabs or natural stones are installed on concrete bases and firmly fixed at the bottom of the reservoir, dug into the ground. If the water space is artificial, it is worth making a foundation for the foundations, pouring concrete over their supports before filling the bed with water.

Suspension bridges must be lightweight and strong at the same time, which requires the use of reliable fasteners and flexible elements. The basis of the bridge are racks on which strong cables or chains are suspended. Wooden planks are fixed as flooring.

Humpbacked bridge - stone, wooden or metal, it can be decorated with carved railings, climbing plants, "let" from the shore or planted in containers attached to the railing.

Fantasy bridges are usually built in landscape gardens. Any dacha will be transformed if a fragment of a wrecked ship, medieval ruins, rock scree appear on its territory. And for this design, you can find any style solutions.

The zigzag bridge usually decorates Japanese garden with an impressive pond. The bridge line can have up to 8 kinks, characterizing the path of comprehension of the truth.

Back to index

Garden bridges: choose building material

Since the bridge on the site is used in decorative purposes, it can be made from thin boards and bars.

Any durable construction material can be used for piles, supports, decking and bridge railings.

One of the most accessible materials is wood. You can use a windbreak, purchase logs and finished lumber in the construction markets.

Piles are best made from cedar, larch, pine, which emit natural resins, self-preserve and can perform their functions for up to 50 years. The flooring made of oak boards is not deformed, wear-resistant, resistant to moisture.

To prevent the appearance of cracks, fungus, putties and antiseptics are used, linseed drying oil is a natural antiseptic (treated 2 times a year). Wood can be coated with yacht varnish to protect it from moisture.

To use the bridge in wet weather, the flooring is equipped with anti-slip notches or pads.

The ease of working with wood will allow you to complete the construction in any style.

A concrete bridge would be appropriate for summer cottages, issued in classical style. To do this, it will be enough to decorate it with curly balusters, attach decorative elements to the side of the flooring, use white cement.

Bamboo bridges are used in summer cottages when bamboo is used in other architectural and design elements.

The stone gives the site originality and respectability. Using it various varieties(sandstone, limestone, marble, granite), you can achieve the majesty of the landscape. But for this, both the site and the reservoir must be large enough.

Metal, due to its strength and ductility, is used to create bridges in different style– from baroque to avant-garde hi-tech.

Back to index

Bridge with direct decking in the garden: simple

Drawing of a humpbacked bridge: 1-3 - the location of the bases.

For summer cottages located in the wild natural area, as a rule, the presence of ditches with stagnant water, wetlands, streams is characteristic. In such a place, you can install a bridge with a straight deck of trunks and thick branches of trees, which will fit perfectly into the landscape. It is better, of course, to use dry birch wood, because the bridge from it, despite its simplicity, will look especially elegant.

For the manufacture of road decking and supports, thick branches are used (they should not bend) and skinned trunks. From them, parts are prepared for supports, spans, flooring and railings.

The fence is usually made at such a height that it is convenient to hold on to the railing if necessary - somewhere around 65-70 cm. The branches are connected in the form of rectangles connected by diagonal crossbars (Roman cross).

The length of the bridge should be no more than 2.5 m. In this case, it will be stable and durable.

If a similar type of bridge is chosen for a summer residence, the logs can be sanded, impregnated with an antiseptic or tarred. The ends of the logs, intended for support and the base of the floor covering, are laid on the supporting platforms of the coastal slopes. If the bridge has a width of 2.5-4 m, piles are installed that serve as intermediate supports (concrete or wooden).

They can perform various functional loads. In list possible ways using a decorative bridge in the garden - planting flowering and climbing plants. Properly designed bridges for a pond can be specific supports for additional lighting and the installation of flower containers. The material tells about how to make a decorative bridge with your own hands.

Bridges and footbridges are structures various designs, with which you can overcome any obstacle, such as a river, stream or ravine. It is sometimes argued that bridges are possible only in large gardens, in my opinion, bridges are good in small gardens as well. Being a natural extension of the path, they not only provide an opportunity to cross something watery or uncomfortable, but also allow you to make the walking route more intriguing. They are built through swift and quietly murmuring streams, they connect the island located in the center big pond, with its shore, with the help of bridges they "force" the water space or inconvenient wet places. Of course, bridges are primarily of practical value, but they make the impression of a pond or stream more powerful.

Bridges in landscape design and their photos

Bridges in landscape design will look stylish and organically fit into the garden space only if their design is well thought out. How smaller garden, the simpler the design of the bridge and the more neutral its color should be.

Choice of style and location. The design and materials for the bridges are selected based on the style of the house and garden, they must be combined with the appearance of the gazebo and lanterns located nearby.

Bridges are indispensable in low-lying or spring-flooded areas where you need to pave the way between buildings or make a crossing through a ravine. Sometimes they are built to highlight an object or to complete the site, you can arrange a wooden path leading to

The swing bridge can be installed both over a pond and a river, and over a “dry” stream or reservoir.

Look at the bridges in landscape design in the photos that accompany this article:

Photo gallery

Bridge Requirements:

1. The bridge should be beautiful, in harmony with the garden and the house, its reflection in the water should be interesting.

2. The bridge must be functional.

If it is placed by chance, just like that, it looks out of place. A strongly arched bridge is perceived more as an obstacle than as a crossing. It should be comfortable, because, most likely, not acrobats, but ordinary, maybe even elderly people will walk on it. Its ends should be moved away from the coast so that it does not seem short.

3. The design of the bridge should be strong, comfortable, durable, stable, and the surface on which they pass should be non-slip, especially if it is a passage over water or a ravine for year-round use. In the case of a wide stream or a large pond, the bridge should be made with a railing on one or both sides so that it is safe to walk on it.

The bridge is thrown from one bank to another, it is logical to arrange it in the narrowest part of the reservoir, while the bridge divides the area of \u200b\u200bthe water mirror into two parts that are not the same size, the ratio of which is best calculated according to the golden section rule. And the purposes of these two parts of the same reservoir may be different, for example, one may have a bath for people, and the other may be a place where nymphs thrive, one may be deep-water, and the other shallower.

Being an integral part, bridges can play the role of an observation deck over water surface. From here it is convenient to admire the blooming nymphs growing along the coast and reflected in the water,

The garden bridge is an indispensable element of the Japanese and Chinese garden. The water mirror reflects the sky, coastal vegetation, the first rays of the rising sun, a pond in chinese style it is impossible to imagine without graceful wooden or stone bridges, they are also good over fast ones.

How to make a decorative bridge for a pond with your own hands

How to make a bridge with your own hands on the site - many owners answer this question country houses looking for an answer depending on the type of landscape design. Bridges for a pond can be monolithic, or you can make it in the form step plates from natural stone, boulders or even large plank circles or squares. A small pond will become much more attractive if you organize a bridge for the pond with your own hands in the following way: put a few stones in the water, passing through which you can find yourself on the other side. It is especially impressive if these stones are combined with the coastline design material. Stones are selected about the same type and about the same size. Such a crossing is possible with a reservoir depth of no more than 45 cm. The upper surface of such a step-by-step bridge should be 10 cm higher than the water surface. The minimum diameter of stones or slabs should be about 60 cm, then you can stand on them confidently. The stones are laid carefully and firmly, so that between their centers there is a distance of 60-65 cm, that is, the step size.

It is interesting to use, building a bridge with your own hands, as a transition through shallow water, irregularly shaped boulders with a flat top, such “bridges” are especially good in streams, where water forms turbulence around the stones. You can use not natural boulders, but their concrete imitation. Choose stones of suitable shape that will not collapse from constant contact with water and from frost and do this:

1. Empty the reservoir from water and lay it on the bottom in the right places using mortar about 5 cm thick foundation stones right size. Their upper surface should be in the same horizontal plane.

2. When the mortar hardens, lay four bricks on each stone with mortar (2 pieces in 2 layers, one layer perpendicular to the other), the upper surface of the bricks should then slightly protrude above the water.

3. Lay paving slabs or flat stones with a diameter of about 60 cm on top of the bricks with mortar.

4. After 2-3 days, when the solution has completely hardened, fill the pond with water.

How to build a bridge and a bridge over a pond with your own hands

A white wooden bridge over a pond can be easily implemented using improvised materials. Before you build a bridge, you should prepare everything you need. The following is detailed instructions how to build a bridge with your own hands on the shore of a pond on the site.

1. Drain the pond and place each boulder on a thick layer of thick mortar, flat side up. Align them in height with mortar or concrete slabs laid discreetly under the stones. The upper part of the stones should lie in the same horizontal plane.

2. Let the solution dry for 1-2 days.

The bridge cannot appear in some place by chance, a path must lead to it, by the way, it will successfully connect. If the stream or pond is not very interesting, the bridge will divert attention from it and make it more impressive.

The attractiveness of this garden element is so great that sometimes bridges are built in the absence of practical need, for example, a wooden bridge on a dry site leading to wooden gazebo, points the way and gives a sense of unity of style.

Decorative garden bridges in the country and their photos

Bridges in the country are equipped and finished using the same construction and finishing materials, as for paving paths and playgrounds, facing gazebos and stationary, as well as when decorating the coastline of a pond or.

Often, to extend the life of the bridges, a combination of wood and a metal base that is in direct contact with water is used.

If there are stone compositions in the garden, then decorative bridges in the country house can also be made of stone, for example, made of sandstone or granite. In order to build a bridge over a narrow stream, it is hardly worth building a bulky structure, here a large sandstone slab laid on both sides of the stream will be practical and impressive, such bridges made of solid raw stones look natural and very Japanese. If you do not have such a large stone at your disposal, you can make a stone bridge using two steel beams or thick logs and several fairly large stone slabs covering them.

Elegant wrought-iron garden bridges made of metal with a complex ornament of flowers with intricately intertwining lines will suit the Art Nouveau garden. When the metal is oxidized in air, a natural patina is formed, which gives a special charm to the whole structure; artificially patinated metal can also be used. A metal bridge looks good, partially twined with a small graceful liana, for example, a prince. Metal figurines of animals can be placed near such a bridge.

Look at similar decorative bridges in the country in the photo below:

Photo gallery

The style and proportions of a wooden bridge entirely depend on the style of the site, it is important to think through all the elements of garden design, keep them in the same style, avoid eclecticism and disharmony.

A straight bridge up to 2.5 m long consists of supports, spans, decking and fencing. For supports, a thick beam or tarred logs are taken, which are laid on support platforms in the form of ledges on the coastal slopes. Sometimes they are limited to this, such a bridge exudes severe minimalism, but it’s scary to cross the stream along it, it’s more of an art object. In most cases, thick boards or poles are laid across the supports, forming a flooring. The main requirement is that the bridge should not bend. The flooring elements are laid with slots, then water will not linger on its surface. To ensure that the surface is non-slip, cover it with a metal mesh on top.

The fence is protective vertical design on one or both sides of the deck, clearly visible from afar and giving the bridge a particularly decorative look. For fencing, a rhythmic repetition of a pattern is usually used, for example, a Roman cross. You can use balusters, they are attached to the flooring and the railing is laid on top.

If the length of the bridge is more than 2.5 m, then intermediate supports should be installed at the bottom of the opening or reservoir, for example, concrete or wooden piles. On a long straight bridge, a frame is used to fasten the fence.

If the site has wooden buildings from timber or logs, large trees grow, then it is better to make bridges from roughly processed wood, such as pine or larch. Special antiseptic treatment gives durability to the entire structure, without distorting the texture and color of the material. The wooden bridge looks impressive, which, almost touching the water, crosses and rests against the gazebo. In this case, the gazebo (also wooden) closes the perspective.

Zigzag bridges are of Chinese origin, but they are also popular in Japan. It is good to place such a bridge across a wetland, pond or Japanese thickets. Zigzag bridges are mostly made of wood, but they can also be made of stone.

A small wooden bridge can be placed over a dry winding stream of gravel or flat pebbles, framed by creeping shrubs and ground cover perennials.

If in front of the front part of the fence passes drainage ditch(this often happens in garden partnerships), then the bridge in front of the gate is very appropriate.

A 2.5 m long birch bridge across a moat with stagnant water at the edge of the forest looks cute. Its supports, flooring and fencing are made of unskinned birch trunks and thick branches. For a fence 0.7 m high, rectangles crossed out with two diagonals (Roman cross) were used. Such a crossing is simple, strong and stable, it can withstand the weight of two people.

Photo gallery

Bamboo garden bridge

In order to emphasize oriental flavor corner of the garden, a bamboo garden bridge is used - bamboo sticks are placed across the supports and tied with a rope. Such bridges can be with a railing in the form of a sagging rope, which is attached to bamboo poles. Bamboo bridges are thrown over real “wet” streams or over stylized gravel ones.

It is not bad to place a stone Japanese lantern near the edge of the bamboo bridge.

When creating a pond, try to make it so that you can get very close to the water. Small bridges or even a few large flat stones, along which you can walk some distance from the coastline deep into the pond, will allow you to look into a completely different world. A pond is a habitat for plants and animals that are extremely interesting to watch.

Spacious wooden bridges, they should rather be called a platform or flooring, will allow you to arrange a recreation area near the water: a table with a couple of chairs above the water looks great, a wonderful view opens from here. The decks hang over the water, creating the illusion that there is water underneath, making the pond appear larger in size. On a sufficiently large platform, you can receive guests, sunbathe in a deck chair and enjoy the garden, you just need to equip it with the appropriate one.

The platform is constructed from wooden boards (preferably with a ribbed surface that does not slip in the rain) 3-4 m long and 12-20 cm wide or from stacked square slabs with a side of 45-60 cm, made up of boards located diagonally or under a straight line. angle to the frame. Minimum Thickness boards 2.5-3.0 cm. For flooring, wood of various species is used. If possible, it is better to use expensive hardwood, of course, such flooring is more durable and of high quality. The surface of the deck should be brushed regularly to remove dirt and algae.

The placement and size of the deck is determined by the location and size of the pond, it will only benefit if its area is large enough. The configuration of the wooden flooring can be the most intricate, the flooring can be adjacent to the reservoir, or you can make it so that the water is completely located inside it. If rounded bridges are arranged over a small round pond, such a repetition correct forms enhance the impression of this part of the garden.

Gardeners often have a bath near a large deep pond. In this case, walkways should be placed opposite the entrance near the water, which should be equipped with reliable railings (if you use the bathhouse and bath all year round, then the railings should be wooden, but if they are metal, wrap them tightly with a rope so as not to “stick” in the cold) . Attach a thick one to the steps plastic mesh with cells 20x20 mm, so as not to slip.

Stone and wood are perfectly combined with each other, a paved patio may well adjoin the flooring, a continuation of the flooring can serve as step track from stones for crossing the reservoir, as if floating on the water.

Bridge for the garden

The simplest garden bridge can be made in the form of a wooden deck. Instructions for the construction of a deck over a pond:

1. Level the surface of the ground on which the platform will be located, fill this area with gravel with a layer of about 5 cm.

2. Install after 1.2m concrete blocks with recesses for logs, which will be installed in such a way that the flooring is located in a horizontal plane. Approximate size cross section log 8 X 5 cm. They should not come into contact with wet soil and water. Air must pass freely under the flooring from all sides.

3. Paint the wooden parts of the structure or impregnate them protective equipment. Check with the help of the level the horizontalness of the upper plane of the support posts and attach logs on top of them.

4. Saw the boards to the appropriate size for decking, cover them protective composition or paint and style. Screw them to the joists with self-tapping screws, leaving 5-6 mm air gaps between the boards to rainwater freely flowed down, and the boards were blown with air. Make sure that none of the screws protrude above the deck surface.

5. After all the boards are screwed, you can attach a curb rail vertically to their edges, covering the raw edges. It is better to choose it so wide that it goes down to the water level.

Sometimes on personal plot there are small streams or others, but more often the owners create artificial reservoirs on their own. Ennobled, harmoniously integrated into the landscape, they are equipped with bridges of varying degrees of decorativeness. Romantic natures also build them on a flat surface of the site, over small grooves, flower beds and "dry streams", because they decorate the site, making it more interesting and well-groomed.

Members of our portal offer many options for decorative bridges, embodied in their areas. Let's use their experience.

The style of decorative bridges depends on the size and composition of the area. small plots 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 the bridge is better to choose simple forms.
Omi4 made a bridge 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 reservoir.

With a country-style house or chalet, where there are many wooden parts, rustic-style bridges blend well. The decor is welcome at the bridge of any style, even the most strict forms of the bridge will harmonize well with openwork casting or forging.

Universal user wooden bridge Grem Suitable for most landscape styles

Chinese motifs of a wooden decorated bridge Prosperitas sustained and at the gazebo.

openwork bridge AdvacedLTD adds tenderness and makes the landscape almost fabulous.

Decorative bridge of the portal member Agatha from bricks, curved bars and boards draws attention to the flower garden.

Wooden brutal bridge santolia will add individuality to a completely flat area.

Minimalistic style of a bridge made of painted boards of a portal member Spring 888, due to its strict form, will suit any landscape.

How to build a decorative bridge yourself

If the bridge, in addition to purely decorative functions, has serious practical significance, then it should be of medium or larger size. And in this case it is better to consult with or entrust them with all the work. A small bridge over a shallow ditch or a bridge, whose only function is to decorate the site, is quite within your power to do it 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 did his humpbacked bridge IlyaOgnev- he ordered bent blanks in the workshop, bought most of the rest himself. Welded parts, processed wood and installed the bridge on my own. Useful for installation welding machine, laser level, broken bricks, cement, and common work tools.

Completed bridge:

CorsaC939 completely independently and very quickly built several simple but nice bridges for his site - from a pine board, timber, the remains of the flooring from the bed came up for the railing. Hardware, nuts, bolts were used to fasten the nodes. Tools - a screwdriver, a jigsaw, a drill - the most common tools for working with wood. The cost of all purchased materials was only 1,000 rubles for one bridge!

User Gexx talks about his experience of building a simple bridge on forest area from bent one and a half inch pipes with welded jumpers, guides from boards. Handrails were not provided due to the immediate prospects for the transportation of building materials.

wooden bridge FORUMHOUSE member djotr can serve for intended purpose, located above the pond, or simply become a decoration of the site - among the flower garden or above the "dry stream".

And according to the recipe djotr portal member Yulyunchik33 I 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 will hold a solid weight.

Sergmishel FORUMHOUSE user

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.

Security

It is not only the reliability of your structure that is important. Any, even the most "toy" bridge should be safe, as it will definitely be used in children's games, I will test it for strength by jumping and running.

Considering that all country bridges have a small 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 close 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 case of a fall on the bridge - the opening between the sidewalls and the bottom should not be too large. Having slipped on a wet surface, the foot can easily slip into this space, and then injury cannot be avoided.

The surface of the boards does not have to be perfectly flat if we are talking about the humped bridge. It is important to make the entrance and exit convenient, flush with the bridge. And, of course, it must be stable, so it is necessary to take into account the shrinkage of supports, the impact of precipitation and a reservoir on the soil under the bridge.

Budget

The most expensive bridges are made of metal and specially prepared boards. Wooden bridges made from improvised materials will cost several orders of magnitude cheaper. You can build them yourself, attracting specialists will add costs.

A bridge made by a professional company specializing in products and structures from specially prepared boards.

Practicality