Anybody seen good plans for a foot bridge? A book in my personal liabrary has a built up wood bridge that looks the best of what iv’e seen. A welder freind said “C channel” 4 or 5 peices 8 inches..
I must span 16 feet, only four feet wide. Foot bridge for picture opportunities. Five to ten people. No vehicle traffic.
I will buy plans and/or the book. . Or pay for drawings. My client wants a white painted wood surface and rail. Thanks in advance for your ideas to start my research.
Old Pro, not quite old, not quite pro, but closer every day on both…
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One of the woodworking mag's had arch'd bridge that they did last year. I think it was Wood. On their web site (woodmagazine.com) you can search the index.
I've built a couple footbridges and they're one of those fun projects that, with a little planning, can be quite attractive, unique and functional. A 16 foot span is short enough that it gives you a lot of latitude to play without getting into a bunch of engineering and such. The important part is building good underpinnings and, if out of wood, to protect the wood from the incursion of rot where it sits on the footings or piers. I'm sure any plans you acquire will deal with that.
I built one bridge using pressure treated lam beams for the stringers and though that bridge was a straight run, with lams you can incorporate arches if you choose to. Treated or not, straight or arched, lambeams give you a strong backbone over which you can build anykind of deck, railings, faux trusses, whatever. You can essentially hide the stringers so that your painted deck, railings, etc., really stand out.
Have fun...I'm jealous!
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with a piece of chalk and cut it with an axe.
Find a copy of THE BEST OF FINEHOMEBUILDING's "PORCHES, DECKS, AND OUTBUILDINGS" book. Mine is in paperback. Look on page 119. There's your little white foot bridge. The one in the book spans 20 feet, and has curved, laminated arches.
Check it out.
LOL.
Davo
"PORCHES, DECKS, AND OUTBUILDINGS" Yes you are correct, it is a great bridge. That is the plan I liked the best. I am just looking for a few other ideas.
ThanksOld Pro, not quite old, not quite pro, but closer every day on both...