Simple bridge ipicture install#
Simple bridge ipicture free#

Measure the distance between the cross beams, and cut two 2″ x 10″ x 12′ treated dimensional boards to length (should be approximately 11′).Attach timbers and beams to footers, using brackets and screws appropriate for wood or concrete footers.

Simple bridge ipicture install#

Sister the 2″ x 10″ lengths by nailing them together in pairs to make crossbeams, and install them between the timbers (three 8-inch lag bolts per corner of the bridge), while resting centered on the footers.

Measure the distance between the two timbers and cut four pieces of 2″ x 10″ material to that length.

Adjust the positioning to ensure the timbers are parallel and square.

Repeat step 5 and place the resulting timber centered on the other set of footers.

Set the center of the timber on the footer’s centerline. Place the timber on edge across the gap, with the ends supported by the footers. This creates what amounts to a 4″ x 10″ x 12′ dimensional timber.

Sister two ground-contact treated 2″ x 10″ x 12′ dimensional boards by using 10 penny nails staggered every 8 inches or so to nail them together along their entire length.

If using posts, trim them level once you have backfilled the holes. If using concrete, take care that each pair of footings is at the same level-slightly above grade is ideal, if you can find an appropriate form. Then fill with concrete or an 8-inch-diameter post.

Drill four 8-inch-diameter (or larger) holes, completely inside the rectangle’s corners, at least 3 feet deep with your tractor.

You will install concrete or wooden footers just inside the four corners of your marked area.

Measure, square and stake a rectangle that’s 4 feet wide and 12 feet long, centered lengthwise over the gap.

Level the areas where you want your bridge’s ends to land.

Simple bridge ipicture free#

Call 811 and consult your plat maps or any other records you may have to ensure that your intended bridge site is free of buried pipelines and cables.The extra length is to get the footings at least 2 feet back from the creek’s banks. For our example, we are assuming a 7-foot creek bed (gap) with a 12-foot bridge length. Site your bridge where the banks are relatively level and at roughly the same elevation.If the latter isn’t the case, you will want to consult with your local permitting agency and possibly an engineering firm before proceeding.ĭOWNLOAD detailed plans for a version of this bridge used by the U.S. Our project assumes that you don’t have to worry about swift water flowing over the banks of the ditch and that you don’t require a permit for your project. Our bridge is plenty stout for a 4-foot-wide by 12-foot-long span that will handle a 1,000-pound live load. While you might be able to procure a culvert and haul in sufficient fill to create a path across the gap, in many cases a bridge is more practical and aesthetically pleasing-and it may be the only method permitted in the case of controlled waterways.ĭon’t be afraid to modify the following plan to suit your situation, but be keenly aware of load-bearing capacities for the lumber you choose and the length of your span. You might even want to get your wheelbarrow, lawn tractor or ATV to the other side without tearing up the ground or the equipment. When you live out past where the pavement ends, you’re bound to encounter a small seasonal creek, drainage ditch or damp swale that you wish to cross with minimal fuss, not to mention dry feet.