Wood bridges can be an attractive addition to rural properties, but there are some things that you want to know about building timber driveway bridges. There are options for the designs for bridges that you will want to consider for your property. When building a bridge that needs to support vehicles, there are certain design aspects that need to be carefully calculated. The following wood bridge design guide for residential driveways will help you add these attractive elements to your property:
- Building solid foundations to support the bridge—The beginning of building a wood bridge should start with the installation of a solid foundation. With a bridge, the footings may need to be heavy stone and concrete footings that anchor the bridge and protect it from water currents, winds, or stormwater runoff. In these areas, calculations need to be done to determine the structural foundation that is needed to anchor the bridge structure to prevent it from being washed away. The calculations also need to be done for the support of the weight of the bridge and vehicles driving over it.
- Support pillars that will hold the timber beams—From the foundation footings of the bridge, pillar systems need to extend up to the base of the bridge where the wood or steel support systems will rest. These systems should also be structural concrete installations, but they can be faced with stone or masonry to help give them an authentic look that blends in well with the wooden bridge that is being built.
- Timber-framed structure with steel reinforcements—Most often, the wood bridges that are built for residential driveways are built with large timber beams and a timber deck for the surface of the bridge. These designs can be reinforced with steel plates and brackets, which can be hidden in the design or exposed design elements that help enhance the appearance of wood bridge designs.
- Decorative architectural elements and details for residential wood bridges—There are also decorative features that you may want to add to the design of your bridge. If you are doing a covered bridge design, these can be elements that give the covered structure a unique, custom design. Some of the architectural elements that you may want to add to a wood bridge design can also include features like timber brackets and other elements.
The design of your wood driveway bridge needs to be structurally sound and attractive to ad value to your property. Contact a wood driveway bridge builder for help with designing and building a bridge, especially for the needs of your property.