Saving a Covered Bridge in Newtown CT

A few years ago I color-matched a leaf from the garden to get the desired color for solid-staining the decking boards of this amazing covered bridge located on what used to be an old sawmill.

We stained and painted the rest according to the existing color scheme and hung the client’s giant saw-blade as a chandelier to add drama.

A new sluice board was also added to the ongoing, ever-expanding scope of this delightful but challenging project to help control the flow of water.

One glaring issue remained with this bridge—the original roof. Visually it was charming all covered in moss. But it was disintegrating and impacting the structural integrity, so it finally went on the schedule.

The materials needed to be in keeping with the original and, as you can imagine, access to work on a roof like this was not easy. But where there’s A Wicked Wand, there’s a way! Chris did a magnificent job! We sourced the shingles, timbers, and boards from our favorite open secret, Powlowski Lumber in Bethel, CT, and while it will take a few seasons to soften the “new wood” look, the results should hold up for years to come.