Best Garden Bridges

Archive for the ‘Common Questions’ Category

The days of making your own bridge and designing it are over – unless you really want to do all that yourself.

They now come in quite a variety, that there should be something to please most people and make a wonderful addition to your back yard. This article will give you an idea about what is available.

Plank Bridges

This is the most basic style, allowing people to walk across a small bridge without any railings. It also is the least expensive. They come in a variety of lengths, but most are rather short.

Rustic Bridges
This style of garden bridges usually comes with handrails and is probably the most common type. Most are built with an arch-type of construction. The wider the distance spanned – the greater the arch. Made of wood, it is the arch that gives it the strength it needs. The various woods used greatly varies from teak wood, cedar, oak, pressure treated pine, and others.

Maintenance Free
This may be a feature you want to consider when buying your garden bridges. Some are made of planking that is a combination of plastic and wood – making it virtually maintenance-free. It will not rot, nor does it contain harmful chemicals – making it the ideal choice where you may have fish – or, you just don’t want to have to worry about it rotting or having to paint it.

Covered Backyard Bridges
Another option is to build covered garden bridges. This would be great if you want to put in some added elegance to your garden. While not many places have this style, they can be found on the Internet – in more than one variety.

Kits, or Buy Your Own
You may have seen two bridges that contain features you want built on to your garden bridges. If you want more of a design-it-yourself approach, you can buy the basic plans, and modify them to suit your needs. You do not have to buy the kit.

Before you buy your garden bridges, be sure to look over the various kinds, and materials. Before long, you can have the beauty of your own garden bridge in your own backyard.

Garden bridges come in many sizes and can be created from different materials.

When you have an outdoor garden, a fun and decorative item to add to the area is a small bridge. They come in many sizes and can be created from different materials. In many cases, the garden bridge you choose will be based on what you personally like. However, there are other considerations.

One thing that will determine the garden bridges you will have to choose from is the price. On average, the wooden and metal bridges have lower price ranges than the stone bridges. The price of your garden bridge will depend on the size of the bridge and just how detailed and decorative it is.

Another consideration when choosing from the many available bridges is the “theme” of your outdoor garden. If you have wooden benches and tables, a wood bridge would go along with that theme. The same would apply if you have metal or stone benches, tables and other decorative accessories. If you want your outdoor garden to “flow”, matching the garden bridge you choose to the other accessories is a must.

How skilled you are at “do it yourself” may also be something to think about when choosing between various outdoor bridges. Wooden and metal garden bridges tend to be easier to create with simple tools and little skill. Many come fully assembled or with little assembly required. However, depending on the design of the stone garden bridge you are looking at, the sheer weight of the item may be a problem for a single person.

So, if looking for a more inexpensive addition to your outdoor garden, looking at wood or metal bridges would be your best bet. However, if money is no object and you can have a professional come to install it, a stone garden bridge can be a beautiful addition to your garden.

Some people never think to add a landscape bridge when they are working on re-doing their outdoor landscaping.  Maybe some of the following misconceptions are the reason.

Most people never think of garden bridges as they wonder what to do with their yard. Trees, lights and sitting areas make sense, but the idea of a decorative bridge leading through that landscaping rarely occurs to the average homeowner. Perhaps it is garden bridges’ inherent allure of being more form than function, or maybe it’s due to misconceptions!

Misconception #1 – They are expensive while giving nothing back.
A four foot bridge without railings can be as inexpensive as $150. Longer bridges with railings range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. If a maintenance-free style is chosen, minimal costs should occur during its long life. A one time investment of $1000 to enhance landscaping can easily increase property value in terms of aesthetics and enjoyment for years!

Misconception #2 – They are for millionaires with estates, and large public areas.
A homeowner does not require a huge lot to accommodate a garden bridge, as typically constructed models are between 4-12 feet in length. A buyer can choose to span a small pond or stream with a low arched bridge, or a high arched bridge to cross a fountain or waterfall. The total space used in these arrangements is a circumference around the length of the bridge.

Misconception #3 – There can’t be much of a selection.
Styles are unimaginable and range from oriental chic to picket fence to nautical. There are upscale bridges with latticework, and fun designs appearing wavy. Bridges come in cedar, pine or man-made materials, with an array of colors, various types of railings and posts, and several different heights.

Misconception #4 – It’s difficult to find garden bridges.
The internet is a great way to find numerous suppliers, manufacturers, and custom builders. A handy person can even find build-it-yourself plans in home supplier outlets or online.

Misconception #5 – Decorative bridges will break if the kids play on it.
Most averaged sized bridges support up to 400 pounds. Longer versions, or “trail” bridges (over 16 feet) are specially constructed to handle up to 2000 pounds.

Misconception #6 – What good is it without a water feature underneath?
Garden bridges provide just as much value overseeing a flower bed or rock garden! (They’re easily installed and maintained and just as original!)

If time, money and energy have already been spent in landscape design, what better way to create a true outdoor haven?

If you cannot locate a garden bridge that will work in your outdoor space, don’t give up, you can easily have one customized just for your needs.

They add character and functionality to an outdoor space. If you’ve searched and cannot find a bridge that speaks to your outdoor zing, you don’t have to give up on the idea of a bridge. You can personalize an inexpensive one easily.

Marble Faux Finish
This finish is for the marble lover. If you really enjoy the look of marble but can’t afford a few thousand dollars for a bridge made of it, make your own with an unfinished or stained (but not sealed) wooden one.

1. First and foremost, know that you must use paints for exterior use. Indoor latex paint will not hold up in the elements outside.
2. Find a pattern of marble you like and think will look good in your garden. Pick up 1 gallon of the base color and a quart each of the other color(s) in the marble. You will also need a 4” paint brush, 3 medium artists brushes, a thin artists brush and either acrylic latex glaze (for latex paint) or white spirit and oil glaze (for oil based paints.)
3. Apply two coats of basecoat, drying between coats.
4. Mix 1 tablespoon of an accent paint with one tablespoon each of white spirit and oil glaze (for oil based paints.) Mix 1 tablespoon accent paint with 1 tablespoon acrylic latex glaze (for latex paint.) Apply with artists brush in moderation.
5. With a small cloth, wipe away wet glaze in irregular patterns, allowing patches of light and dark to form. Repeat with next accent color.
6. To create the marble veins, use a thin artist brush to apply the darker of the accent colors in lines, varying thickness to achieve desired look.

Writings and History
Do you have spiritual or mystical sayings that give you strength? Do you like “history in the making” and want to add a piece to your yard? Consider adding sayings, quotes or ask your guests’ signatures to yours.

All you need is a few cans of exterior paint (latex cleans up easiest), a variety of artists brushes and a little imagination. Ask guests to paint their name and date or what they did. Add your favorite proverb and ask each of your family members to add one as well. If you have growing kids, add their footprints or hand-prints along the rail each year.

Information about garden bridges if you have a rough or rocky yard but would still like to include a bridge.

Some gardens are lush and green and full of soft soil. Others are more rocky and rough. If yours is the latter and you’ve found a spot you’d like to place a bridge, you might not be able to use just any old garden bridge. Below is information you will need to choose the proper bridge for your yard.

When looking for a garden bridge that will transport visitors over rough terrain, you will need to consider the condition of the ground on both the starting and ending points of the bridge. Remove all large rocks and obstructions that will imbalance the bridge once it’s placed.

Next, measure the distance between the starting and ending points of your bridge space. Standard bridges come in lengths ranging from 6 feet to 20 feet.

Start looking for a dealer. You can find many bridge manufacturers online and, depending on the distance your bridge must stretch and the style you desire, a bridge may start at $300 and cost up to thousands. Since the ground underneath your bridge is uneven, you’ll want to choose a high rise bridge. A high rise bridge has a greater arc adding more space underneath the bridge.

Prepare the ground where the bridge will be placed by using one of the following procedures:

* If the ground is easily leveled, simply remove excess terrain, level with a bubble leveler and rake smooth.
* If the ground is not easily leveled, you will need two 2×4 pieces, cut to the width of the bridge, and two anchors, each 1-2 feet long, depending on your location. Anchor a 2 x 4 into the ground at either end of the bridge. Make sure you call area utilities first so you don’t hit any electrical, water, gas or sewage lines. Then fasten the bridge to the 2x4s.