The Bridge To Nowhere

Christine worked most of the weekend, so I decided to do a little project with the boys, something they could help out on. As a kid when I would go hiking with my parents, my favorite part was when the trails in the woods had bridges or boardwalks on them. Miles and Zander love playing on the trails we have around the house, so I figured we could build a bridge for their trail.

Miles is pounding the lag bolts into the pilot holes while Zander watches.


Pile of parts. I'd like to thank Remus for donating the wood. He dismantled his 100+ year old porch on his house a couple years ago and saved the old oak lumber. When he moved he didn't want to leave the wood behind so he offered it to me. I've had it laying in my backyard for about 8 months, I knew I would eventually find something to do with it.

The bridge is fully assembled (except for a top to the railing). I snapped off 7 lag bolts during assembly when tightening them down. I had drilled pilot holes, but that old oak is just too solid.

Another view, the kids had been long gone by this point. Sweating and getting bit by mosquitoes for 5 hours wasn't the kind of fun they were looking for afterall. Maybe I can get them to dig a pond under the bridge now.... doubtful. They were however excited whem mom got home from work, they couldn't wait to show her what they made. Christine wasn't quite as excited though, I think she may have murmered something that sounded like "Bedroom?".

Even more tile (and some trim)

If you recall awhile back I had built a niche/shelf/storage area in the bathroom above and behind the tub. It will be used for storing towels, etc up top, and blankets, etc in the compartments below. I tiled the niche area to match the floor. I still need to build the doors to cover the lower compartment. They will just be wood and painted to match the rest of the trim.


Here is the completed tile work. I also installed halogen lighting that is controlled with a wall switch.

I made a little progress trimming out the doors, I installed the first layer. I had to router the edge on 96 feet of 1"x6" boards (2 to 3 passes per board). There is still 2 more layers too add to this trim. The last piece to go on, called the "Edge Band" has to be custom milled at a lumberyard. I can't buy "clear stock" (no knots or splits) in a 2"x2" board at the regular lumber yards, I went to 7 different lumber stores! I will then have to router 3 of the edges (again 2-3 passes per edge). Basically what it boils down to is I got myself into a lot more work than I was planning on by trying to replicate the original trim that was around these doors.

The baseboards luckily didn't need any custom routering, but they are still built up out of 4 pieces of lumber. There is a 1"x8" board with a 2-1/2" rounded egg and dart trim piece on top. Covering the joint between those 2 pieces is a 1-3/8" mullion strip (not installed yet in this pic). Then along the floor is a standard 2-1/2" colonial casing. Overall the trim is about 10" tall.

Zander was hanging out while I painted the trim.