Bob's commentary on building the bridge: The frame of the bridge is treated pine and plywood. It was covered with 1/4" cement board, glued and screwed. The blocks were cut out of floor tile from Menards, using a wet saw. A long process. I wish I knew what I was in for before I started. The cut blocks were adhered with type 3 Mastic that is made for outside usage. The brown tile was from Italy and the cream colored from Turkey. I didn't keep track of the hours it took to make the bridge. I started the summer of 2009 and completed early fall 2010. No progress over the winter months. Two of the bridge's columns support the bridge, each setting on a 5-gallon bucket size footing. There is a stainless steel channel under each support with adjustment/leveling screws. I estimate the bridge weighs about 150 pounds. The curve of the bridge was made to match a 10 foot radius track. The design/style of the bridge is my own, I based it on a number of real bridges. I even embedded an electrical wire through the bridge in case I decided on adding lighting. The bridge has weathered the winters very well with minimum cracking. Each fall after at least 3 dry days I cover the bridge with a tarp and weigh the tarp down with paving bricks. Keeping most of the moisture away from the tile/grout seems to have worked. I've only had to have re-adhere 2 tiles over 13 years. The bridge actually sits just above the stream. To those supports I've added painted insulation foam that sets in the water.
01/13