Build a Bridge in the Woods
Woods are great places to go hiking, but occasionally a creek or small river can cut across your path, forcing you to change course. Bridges offer up a great solution, provided you know how to build one.
Steps
- Find the narrowest part of the creek or river. This will make it easier to find logs that are long enough to lie across the banks of the creek.
- Find 2 strong logs that are relatively the same length. Hold each at chest height, then drop them on the ground. If they make a cracking noise or break, they are not suitable for this project. Also check to ensure they are thick enough. Each log should be one inch thick for every foot of its length. For example, a six foot long log should be at least six inches thick.
- Lay them across the creek. Leave a margin of at least one foot of the log on either bank of the creek. Otherwise, the logs may snap off at the edges or slide off of the creek bank. For a typical walking bridge, the logs should be about two feet apart. If there isn't much of a bank on one or both sides, or if they are really low to the water level, then the bridge should be raised (detailed below).
- Raise the bridge, if necessary. If the logs laid across the creek are less then one foot above the water, raising your bridge is necessary so that it won't wash away during a storm or flood. Set each end of your bridge on a thick log or rock, ensuring that this new base is flat, even, and that your foundation doesn't wobble.
- Lay the cross sticks. Find sticks that are relatively thick and long enough to lay across the top of the two foundation logs (follow the 1 inch per 1 foot rule). Lay the sticks closely together, less than an inch apart. If strength is an issue, it may be necessary to move your foundation logs closer together so that they're only {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} apart.
- If you want a wider bridge you will need a slightly different design, see the "Wider Bridge" section.
- Lash the bridge. Once you have all of the cross sticks laid perpendicularly across the top of the foundation logs, lash everything together. Using twine or thin rope, tie the cross sticks to the logs and to each other tightly, making sure the cross sticks don't roll or twist under weight.
- Pave the bridge. This is optional, but it will increase the longevity of your bridge and greatly improve its usefulness and attractiveness.
- Find mud or clay thick enough that it doesn't run through your fingers when they're spread apart, and use a shovel to transfer it onto the bridge. Continue shoveling mud or clay onto your bridge until it forms a crust {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} thick. Add small stones for additional strength.
- Finish paving your bridge by packing {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of dry dirt on top of the mud/clay layer, and finally walk slowly over the bridge to pack down this final layer.
- If you find spots that the mud/clay keeps falling through, use sticks to patch the hole.
Wider Bridge
- For a wider bridge, you will need more than two base logs. If you want a bridge that's {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} wide, you will need at least 3 base logs, and one additional log for every additional {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of width.
- Lay additional cross sticks in a staggered fashion across the foundation logs, bridging the empty spaces between the large logs, then follow the steps above regarding lashing and paving.
Tips
- If you are aiming to make your bridge as strong as possible, apply only a thin layer of dirt in the paving process above, as dirt is very heavy!
Warnings
- Keep in mind that this is not meant for carrying things over a certain weight and can break.
- Remember that your bridge won't last forever. Your bridge will start to rot, and get weaker over time.
Things You'll Need
- Multiple logs/sticks
- Clay or mud
- Dry dirt
- Shovel
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