The times when in the suburban area you could see only an even row of beds and an empty lawn have long passed. More and more people began to use the cottage as a place of family relaxation. The decorative mill will easily set the mood for the entire house area. This article will tell you what varieties you can build in your garden and how to harmoniously fit the building into the surrounding space.
Once the mill was a real working giant. Using energy from the rotating blades, they ground the flour, treated the tree and pumped water. Today, majestic buildings have lost significance, however, people still have an idea of this element of the landscape as something attractive and majestic.
Below we will talk about a miniature copy of this mill, which will serve as a decorative decoration for a personal plot. It will create a sense of style and harmony, as well as evoke pleasant associative images of the atmosphere of the last century. The mill will give the site a rustic charm and coziness that the city dweller lacks so much.
Varieties:
wooden;
stone;
with a waterfall.
It can also be wind or water.
A standard windmill has the shape of an isosceles trapezoid. Blades are attached to one of the walls, which, if desired, can rotate. This will make the construction more interesting and reliable. The whole structure can be divided into four elements:
foundation and foundation;
housing;
roof;
wing wings.
Additionally, you can build on the roof a spindle that allows the mill to rotate in the wind, however, this is not necessary.
Where to place and with what to combine
A mill can become the center of a garden plot composition. A well in the same style, made in antique style or a decorative haystack, will support a given theme. Wooden figures of animals, shrubs and a flower garden will complement the picture.
The design can be placed anywhere. It will look equally harmonious in the garden among the trees, overgrown with tall grass and in the open space next to the terrace surrounded by flower beds.The main rule - the material of manufacture and decoration should fit into the general style of buildings on the site.
A mill with a waterfall is ideal for a recreation area. It is better to place it on the shore of a pond or stream. This will allow warm summer evenings to enjoy the calming splash of water.
Sizing and functionality
The design can be not only a decoration of the garden, but also a functional structure. In the form of a decorative mill, you can arrange:
cellar or shed for storing tools;
country toilet or shower;
doghouse;
multi-level flowerbed;
children's playhouse;
gazebo;
summer kitchen.
The last two options are suitable only for large areas, otherwise the structure will look bulky.
A decorative building will help to hide engineering communications, for example, an irrigation pipe or a hatch from a septic tank.
The size of the future mill depends on the anticipated needs, that is, will it carry any functional purpose or will it only be the decor and possibilities of the site allocated for the construction. Too large a structure in a small area will look ridiculous. The height of the mill, which serves as a decorative decoration of the garden, is on average 1-1.5 meters.
The propeller of the mill can be rotating or not. In the first case, it is necessary to make the wheel with the blades movable and minimize the friction force, then it will spin even from a small breeze.
Stone mill construction
The indisputable advantage of a stone mill is its durability. With minimal care, it will stand on the site for more than a dozen years. The disadvantages include the difficulty of moving, as well as dismantling, so the construction should be taken thoroughly.
Necessary materials and tools
Construction begins with the project. Having decided on the size and appearance of the future structure, you need to draw a plan. This will allow you to calculate the required amount of materials.
Materials:
brick or its broken fragments for the base;
cement and sand;
natural stone or tile for facing;
sheet metal or wooden slats for the manufacture of blades;
threaded rod; nails, bolts, nuts, self-tapping screws of different sizes.
Instruments:
a mixer and a bucket for mixing the solution;
putty knife;
Master OK;
roulette;
level;
if the blades are made of wood, then you need a saw, a hacksaw or a jigsaw.
Foundation
A stone mill will need a foundation, only in this way it can be guaranteed that the building will not float with the soil in the spring or during rain.
The depth of the bookmark depends on the overall size. For a small mill 1-1.5 m high, a 40 by 40 cm pit is excavated, a depth of about 30 cm, reinforcement is laid inside and poured with cement-sand mortar. The foundation should dry for several days, after which construction can continue.
To prepare the solution, one part of cement and three parts of sand are taken.
Erection of a house
Inside, the finished house will not be empty, so you need to prepare the foundation. It is most convenient to use a brick or its fragments. It is necessary to fold the masonry of the desired shape. Size and proportions can be any, but it is better to make a mill in the form of a trapezoid or cone. For the ligament, the same cement-sand mortar is used. The design should be flat, therefore, during construction, a level is used.
During the laying of bricks, a threaded stud is walled into the base for further fastening of the blades. In advance, a plate is welded onto it or a large nut is screwed, with which it hooks onto the brickwork.
At the same stage, other technical holes are provided at the base of the mill, because when the solution hardens, it will no longer be possible to change the design. Of course, you can try to drill the masonry, but in this case, the split of the entire base is not excluded.
The shape of the roof depends on the shape of the house.For a cylindrical base in the form of a tower, a traditional cone-shaped roof is suitable, the coating of which is made of facing material, and for a rectangle a usual gable roof.
How to decorate
You can decorate the mill with natural or artificial stone. Tiles made in the form of small bricks look best. Lined with such material, the building will look like a small copy of a real ancient mill. It is necessary to lay the outer layer on moisture-resistant glue, avoiding voids. The better the work is done, the less moisture will penetrate inside, and the mill will retain a good appearance for longer.
Propeller manufacturing
The blades rotating under the influence of wind are the most recognizable part of the mill, however, in the manufacture of a decorative variant, they can be motionless.
There are several ways to assemble a propeller.
First option:
Two circles with a diameter of 15-25 cm are cut out of plywood, and a hole for a hairpin is made in the center with a drill.
Separately, the blades are assembled from the reiki. In order for the wind to spin the propeller and rotate the millstones, in a real mill they are slightly at an angle, which allows you to capture air currents.
Both parts are treated with an antiseptic and covered with paint.
The blades at the same distance from each other are clamped between two circles of plywood with glue or bolts.
The finished propeller is put on a hairpin; a nut is screwed on both sides.
The second option:
Two long slats, using glue, connect cross to cross.
A hole for the stud is made in the center of the intersection.
Blades in the form of a blade are nailed to each edge.
The finished propeller is put on a hairpin and secured with nuts.
If desired, the blades can be cut from sheet metal. In this case, sharp edges must be processed, and the parts welded together.A decorative stone mill with a metal propeller looks more harmonious, but the iron must be painted to avoid rust.
Wood construction
A wooden mill will not be as durable as a stone mill, however, the product looks completely different and creates a different mood. It may seem to someone that assembling a wooden structure is much easier, but this is not entirely true. Carpentry skills are indispensable.
Wood products do not tolerate high humidity, so for the winter the mill must be brought into the room. This will help to avoid rotting and darkening of the array.
Necessary materials and tools
You can make a wooden mill from the remains of building material or buy everything you need in the store. Any trimmings of solid wood and lumber will do.
It is easiest to work with a pine tree - it has a soft plastic structure, in addition it is the most inexpensive and affordable tree in the store.
Materials:
wooden beam;
moisture resistant plywood;
wood for decoration;
lath for blades;
roofing material
nails, bolts, screws of various sizes;
threaded rod;
varnish for wood or drying oil.
Instruments:
saw, hacksaw or jigsaw;
drill or screwdriver;
Sander;
sandpaper;
hammer;
brush;
roulette.
Foundation - is it needed?
A small wooden mill with a decorative function does not need a foundation. The mobility of the structure will allow you to rearrange it at any time in any part of the garden.
In the case when the stability of the future building is in doubt, four legs are used as a foundation from a beam pointed at the ends, which are attached to the bottom of the support platform on one side and stuck into the ground on the other.
If you plan a thorough construction with a utility room or a children's playground inside, then you can not do without a foundation. This will prevent the mill from turning over.In this case, a shallow foundation is laid along the perimeter of future walls.
Support platform
The support platform will give stability to the mill. A square of the required size is assembled from the bar. For stiffness, you can optionally connect opposite corners cross to cross.
If desired, the area of the support platform may be larger than the base of the mill. This will protect the structure from falling during strong winds and can serve as an additional platform for decoration, for example, a wooden fence.
Body manufacture
The simplest housing for the mill is a box in the form of a trapezoid. To the supporting platform, with the help of self-tapping screws, four bars of the same length are vertically joined. From above the edges are additionally connected by a horizontal bar. When assembling, it is important to maintain symmetry.
The edges of the resulting structure are lined with wood. You can use almost any material. Looks good lining, block house or imitation timber.
Roof arrangement and blade assembly
The roof can be both gable and four-gable. The second option is best used for large structures, and for a small gable roof is ideal.
We put together two ends in the form of a triangle from a bar. Once upon a time, large flour mills were covered with real roof tiles made of fired clay. The decorative material can be the same material that was used for the base, trim the colored profiled sheet, or modern tiles made in antique style. Under the roofing material, a slope of plywood is previously laid.
The joint of the ribs on the roof should cover the ridge. It can be purchased or assembled independently. Without a ridge, the roof will look unfinished, and rain will fall inside the structure.
The finished roof is put on the mill body and secured from the inside with long self-tapping screws.
The propeller is assembled in exactly the same way as for a stone mill.A stud is installed in one of the faces of the base, only in the case of a stone it is walled up in masonry, and here it is fixed with nuts. Similarly to the previous embodiment, the blades are put on the other side of the stud and fixed.
Decorative finish
The wooden mill has a ton of decorative finishes. Next to her flowers and greens look good. As an option, turn the building into a flower garden. To do this, its base should contain a box for the earth, where marigolds, phlox, petunia, or any other annual garden plants are planted in the spring.
The finished mill must be impregnated with a protective solution and painted, or coated with varnish or varnish. If you walk a tree with wood stain before that, you can emphasize the structure of the tree. Each additional layer will darken the surface of the mill.
Decorative mill with a waterfall
The murmur of water and the rustle of spinning blades in the evening garden create an indescribable feeling of comfort and tranquility. A decorative water mill with a waterfall will be a great addition to the design of the garden.
The principle of the water mill
If the windmill uses wind power in order to move the blades from the place, then in the water mill the river flow is responsible for this. The heart of such a mill is a wheel mounted on the shore of a reservoir under a gutter through which water flows.
An ideal place for installation is a flowing pond. Naturally running water will create a constant torsional force. If there is no river or stream on the garden site, and the mill really wants to, you can recreate the strength of the stream artificially.
Possible options:
Install the mill wheel under the gutter. In this case, it will spin in the rain.
To create a stream, use a hill on the terrain. At the highest point of the site, a water collection point is created, which will be fed to the wheel blades through the gutter.
Run the water in a circle using a pump.An artificial hill is created, for example, from compacted earth or stones. A hose is laid inside, through which water will be supplied upward.
Today in stores there are installations that can generate energy from the power of rotation of the wheel. A small wooden mill will be able to provide electricity for the operation of its own pump and LED backlight.
Materials and Tools
Necessary materials:
wooden beam, slats, plywood;
threaded rod;
nails, screws, bolts with nuts of different sizes;
chimney pipe;
moisture resistant glue;
protective impregnation, varnish or drying oil.
The amount of materials needed is determined by the size of the future building.
The mill wheel has constant contact with water, so all wooden elements must be impregnated with a protective solution, and the use of unpainted metal elements is minimized.
To create a water mill you will need a standard set of tools:
saw, hacksaw or jigsaw;
drill or screwdriver;
hammer:
roulette;
level.
Step-by-step instruction
House
The house of the water mill can be made of any shape and from any material or absent altogether. The construction of the building is standard: the platform, the base of the house and the roof. It is better to erect a building in the same order as in the case of a windmill. First, the platform is assembled or, if necessary, the foundation is laid. This step is best not to be neglected; an insufficiently fixed design can carry the flow of water.
On the finished platform we install the base of the house. The 18th-century water mill looked like a regular rectangle with a roof, windows and a door. The base can be assembled from timber and finished with boards, or folded from stone or tile.
The roof frame is assembled from timber and plywood. Roofing material is laid, after which all the details of the house are assembled together and fastened with screws and glue.
A hairpin is installed in one of the walls of the house. It should be carefully fixed.
Wheel
The finished wheel of a water mill can be: a wire coil, a bicycle wheel, a plastic pipe connected with a ring with attached blades, and other household items with an axis of rotation.
The water mill wheel itself can be made of moisture-proof plywood or wood. The design consists of two discs, between which, with the same interval, the blades are fixed. In the center, a hole is drilled through which the wheel is put on a hairpin. When water enters the pockets between the blades, the entire structure will rotate.
The axis can be fixed in two ways:
on one support from the side of the house - in this case, the wheel should hold well;
on two supports on both sides - the wheel is mounted between them.
The intensity of rotation of the wheel depends on the strength of the flow, and therefore its size and design. Fast flow combined with a small diameter will give a high rotation speed. It is good if the mill serves as a source of energy, and not a decorative element. For measured calm rotation you will need to increase or weight the wheel.
An important stage in the construction of a water mill is wood processing. Sand every detail thoroughly with sandpaper and cover it with protective impregnation in several layers. Over time, the coating will be washed off, so the procedure must be repeated every few years.
Installation
After all the parts are ready, it is necessary to install the mill so that it works. The house is placed on the shore of the reservoir, and the wheel under the stream. Water is supplied to the upper blades through the gutter. You can make it by cutting a pipe of suitable diameter in half. If everything is done correctly, the wheel will begin to spin.
Dressing
A simple wooden wheel on the shore of a pond looks boring, so the house attached to it will become the main object for decoration.There is room for imagination here - carved windows with shutters, doors, colored platbands. A separate element of decor at a water mill may be a roof covered with reeds, reeds or thatch.
The natural landscape is supported by wild flowers and shrubs, as well as stones randomly laid around. Coniferous crops ideally fit into the front garden, broken down near the mill: thuja, juniper, stunted spruce and dwarf pine. The pond also represents a field for activity - fern thickets and water lily leaves floating on the surface will create a sense of pristine.
Another idea for decorating a water mill is the LED backlight. You can mount lighting both outside and under water. The iridescent light of small bulbs will not allow the mill to get lost at dusk. Mysteries will be given by the windows of the miller’s house glowing at night.
Japanese style
The main components are water, stones and plants. There should be nothing superfluous, because the style is based on elegance and minimalism. In a Japanese garden with a water mill, nothing should distract from the contemplation of the natural element.
The mill will be complemented by a stone castle and a bench made of the same material. The shore of the pond or its bottom can be laid out with white pebbles and a shell rock, and Japanese maple and stunted sakura can be planted in the front garden. Plants with bright colors will violate deliberate severity, but the use of bamboo in the design of tubes will come in handy.
Country
The design option is suitable for those whose entire plot resembles a cozy house in the village. A water mill with a wooden wheel and a thatched roof will fit perfectly among wooden benches, a log bridge and a well. Emphasize the atmosphere of the most ordinary reeds.
Russian style
The design in this style has similar features to the country, however, it brings to everyone the familiar charm of the Russian village.The mill house should look like a classic wooden hut assembled from a rough beam, and the windows should be closed on carved shutters. On the roof you can place a traditional weather vane in the form of a rooster. Atmospheres will add details: a ceramic figure of a miller, clay pots hung on a wicker fence, a yellow sunflower peeking around the corner and a bed with daisies. You can spy on other ideas for decoration in Russian folk tales.
Dutch style
This style is of great interest to landscape designers, because it so successfully combines bright rich colors and provincial charm. A water mill may be at the center of the composition; for this, the house must be done in the traditional Dutch style with half-timbered houses, which have a frame in which they are located outside the building. Another characteristic feature is the ground grass. Let tulips, crocuses and hyacinths surround the mill from all sides, and a hedge curls around.
Conclusion
The decorative mill on the plot looks original and interesting. The design can be of any size and arbitrary shape, made of wood, stone, tile residues or other materials. It will harmoniously fit into any corner of the garden. Construction will not require accurate calculations and will provide an excellent opportunity to show design abilities.
The times when in the suburban area you could see only an even row of beds and an empty lawn have long passed. More and more people began to use the cottage as a place of family relaxation. The decorative mill will easily set the mood for the entire house area. This article will tell you what varieties you can build in your garden and how to harmoniously fit the building into the surrounding space.
Content
Rustic garden charm
Once the mill was a real working giant. Using energy from the rotating blades, they ground the flour, treated the tree and pumped water. Today, majestic buildings have lost significance, however, people still have an idea of this element of the landscape as something attractive and majestic.
Below we will talk about a miniature copy of this mill, which will serve as a decorative decoration for a personal plot. It will create a sense of style and harmony, as well as evoke pleasant associative images of the atmosphere of the last century. The mill will give the site a rustic charm and coziness that the city dweller lacks so much.
Varieties:
It can also be wind or water.
A standard windmill has the shape of an isosceles trapezoid. Blades are attached to one of the walls, which, if desired, can rotate. This will make the construction more interesting and reliable. The whole structure can be divided into four elements:
Additionally, you can build on the roof a spindle that allows the mill to rotate in the wind, however, this is not necessary.
Where to place and with what to combine
A mill can become the center of a garden plot composition. A well in the same style, made in antique style or a decorative haystack, will support a given theme. Wooden figures of animals, shrubs and a flower garden will complement the picture.
The design can be placed anywhere. It will look equally harmonious in the garden among the trees, overgrown with tall grass and in the open space next to the terrace surrounded by flower beds.The main rule - the material of manufacture and decoration should fit into the general style of buildings on the site.
A mill with a waterfall is ideal for a recreation area. It is better to place it on the shore of a pond or stream. This will allow warm summer evenings to enjoy the calming splash of water.
Sizing and functionality
The design can be not only a decoration of the garden, but also a functional structure. In the form of a decorative mill, you can arrange:
The last two options are suitable only for large areas, otherwise the structure will look bulky.
The size of the future mill depends on the anticipated needs, that is, will it carry any functional purpose or will it only be the decor and possibilities of the site allocated for the construction. Too large a structure in a small area will look ridiculous. The height of the mill, which serves as a decorative decoration of the garden, is on average 1-1.5 meters.
The propeller of the mill can be rotating or not. In the first case, it is necessary to make the wheel with the blades movable and minimize the friction force, then it will spin even from a small breeze.
Stone mill construction
The indisputable advantage of a stone mill is its durability. With minimal care, it will stand on the site for more than a dozen years. The disadvantages include the difficulty of moving, as well as dismantling, so the construction should be taken thoroughly.
Necessary materials and tools
Construction begins with the project. Having decided on the size and appearance of the future structure, you need to draw a plan. This will allow you to calculate the required amount of materials.
Materials:
nails, bolts, nuts, self-tapping screws of different sizes.
Instruments:
Foundation
A stone mill will need a foundation, only in this way it can be guaranteed that the building will not float with the soil in the spring or during rain.
The depth of the bookmark depends on the overall size. For a small mill 1-1.5 m high, a 40 by 40 cm pit is excavated, a depth of about 30 cm, reinforcement is laid inside and poured with cement-sand mortar. The foundation should dry for several days, after which construction can continue.
Erection of a house
Inside, the finished house will not be empty, so you need to prepare the foundation. It is most convenient to use a brick or its fragments. It is necessary to fold the masonry of the desired shape. Size and proportions can be any, but it is better to make a mill in the form of a trapezoid or cone. For the ligament, the same cement-sand mortar is used. The design should be flat, therefore, during construction, a level is used.
During the laying of bricks, a threaded stud is walled into the base for further fastening of the blades. In advance, a plate is welded onto it or a large nut is screwed, with which it hooks onto the brickwork.
At the same stage, other technical holes are provided at the base of the mill, because when the solution hardens, it will no longer be possible to change the design. Of course, you can try to drill the masonry, but in this case, the split of the entire base is not excluded.
The shape of the roof depends on the shape of the house.For a cylindrical base in the form of a tower, a traditional cone-shaped roof is suitable, the coating of which is made of facing material, and for a rectangle a usual gable roof.
How to decorate
You can decorate the mill with natural or artificial stone. Tiles made in the form of small bricks look best. Lined with such material, the building will look like a small copy of a real ancient mill.
It is necessary to lay the outer layer on moisture-resistant glue, avoiding voids. The better the work is done, the less moisture will penetrate inside, and the mill will retain a good appearance for longer.
Propeller manufacturing
The blades rotating under the influence of wind are the most recognizable part of the mill, however, in the manufacture of a decorative variant, they can be motionless.
There are several ways to assemble a propeller.
First option:
The second option:
If desired, the blades can be cut from sheet metal. In this case, sharp edges must be processed, and the parts welded together.A decorative stone mill with a metal propeller looks more harmonious, but the iron must be painted to avoid rust.
Wood construction
A wooden mill will not be as durable as a stone mill, however, the product looks completely different and creates a different mood. It may seem to someone that assembling a wooden structure is much easier, but this is not entirely true. Carpentry skills are indispensable.
Wood products do not tolerate high humidity, so for the winter the mill must be brought into the room. This will help to avoid rotting and darkening of the array.
Necessary materials and tools
You can make a wooden mill from the remains of building material or buy everything you need in the store. Any trimmings of solid wood and lumber will do.
Materials:
Instruments:
Foundation - is it needed?
A small wooden mill with a decorative function does not need a foundation. The mobility of the structure will allow you to rearrange it at any time in any part of the garden.
In the case when the stability of the future building is in doubt, four legs are used as a foundation from a beam pointed at the ends, which are attached to the bottom of the support platform on one side and stuck into the ground on the other.
If you plan a thorough construction with a utility room or a children's playground inside, then you can not do without a foundation. This will prevent the mill from turning over.In this case, a shallow foundation is laid along the perimeter of future walls.
Support platform
The support platform will give stability to the mill. A square of the required size is assembled from the bar. For stiffness, you can optionally connect opposite corners cross to cross.
If desired, the area of the support platform may be larger than the base of the mill. This will protect the structure from falling during strong winds and can serve as an additional platform for decoration, for example, a wooden fence.
Body manufacture
The simplest housing for the mill is a box in the form of a trapezoid. To the supporting platform, with the help of self-tapping screws, four bars of the same length are vertically joined. From above the edges are additionally connected by a horizontal bar. When assembling, it is important to maintain symmetry.
The edges of the resulting structure are lined with wood. You can use almost any material. Looks good lining, block house or imitation timber.
Roof arrangement and blade assembly
The roof can be both gable and four-gable. The second option is best used for large structures, and for a small gable roof is ideal.
We put together two ends in the form of a triangle from a bar. Once upon a time, large flour mills were covered with real roof tiles made of fired clay. The decorative material can be the same material that was used for the base, trim the colored profiled sheet, or modern tiles made in antique style. Under the roofing material, a slope of plywood is previously laid.
The finished roof is put on the mill body and secured from the inside with long self-tapping screws.
The propeller is assembled in exactly the same way as for a stone mill.A stud is installed in one of the faces of the base, only in the case of a stone it is walled up in masonry, and here it is fixed with nuts. Similarly to the previous embodiment, the blades are put on the other side of the stud and fixed.
Decorative finish
The wooden mill has a ton of decorative finishes. Next to her flowers and greens look good. As an option, turn the building into a flower garden. To do this, its base should contain a box for the earth, where marigolds, phlox, petunia, or any other annual garden plants are planted in the spring.
The finished mill must be impregnated with a protective solution and painted, or coated with varnish or varnish. If you walk a tree with wood stain before that, you can emphasize the structure of the tree. Each additional layer will darken the surface of the mill.
Decorative mill with a waterfall
The murmur of water and the rustle of spinning blades in the evening garden create an indescribable feeling of comfort and tranquility. A decorative water mill with a waterfall will be a great addition to the design of the garden.
The principle of the water mill
If the windmill uses wind power in order to move the blades from the place, then in the water mill the river flow is responsible for this. The heart of such a mill is a wheel mounted on the shore of a reservoir under a gutter through which water flows.
An ideal place for installation is a flowing pond. Naturally running water will create a constant torsional force. If there is no river or stream on the garden site, and the mill really wants to, you can recreate the strength of the stream artificially.
Possible options:
Today in stores there are installations that can generate energy from the power of rotation of the wheel. A small wooden mill will be able to provide electricity for the operation of its own pump and LED backlight.
Materials and Tools
Necessary materials:
The amount of materials needed is determined by the size of the future building.
The mill wheel has constant contact with water, so all wooden elements must be impregnated with a protective solution, and the use of unpainted metal elements is minimized.
To create a water mill you will need a standard set of tools:
Step-by-step instruction
House
The house of the water mill can be made of any shape and from any material or absent altogether. The construction of the building is standard: the platform, the base of the house and the roof.
It is better to erect a building in the same order as in the case of a windmill. First, the platform is assembled or, if necessary, the foundation is laid. This step is best not to be neglected; an insufficiently fixed design can carry the flow of water.
On the finished platform we install the base of the house. The 18th-century water mill looked like a regular rectangle with a roof, windows and a door. The base can be assembled from timber and finished with boards, or folded from stone or tile.
The roof frame is assembled from timber and plywood. Roofing material is laid, after which all the details of the house are assembled together and fastened with screws and glue.
A hairpin is installed in one of the walls of the house. It should be carefully fixed.
Wheel
The finished wheel of a water mill can be: a wire coil, a bicycle wheel, a plastic pipe connected with a ring with attached blades, and other household items with an axis of rotation.
The water mill wheel itself can be made of moisture-proof plywood or wood. The design consists of two discs, between which, with the same interval, the blades are fixed. In the center, a hole is drilled through which the wheel is put on a hairpin. When water enters the pockets between the blades, the entire structure will rotate.
The axis can be fixed in two ways:
The intensity of rotation of the wheel depends on the strength of the flow, and therefore its size and design. Fast flow combined with a small diameter will give a high rotation speed. It is good if the mill serves as a source of energy, and not a decorative element. For measured calm rotation you will need to increase or weight the wheel.
An important stage in the construction of a water mill is wood processing. Sand every detail thoroughly with sandpaper and cover it with protective impregnation in several layers. Over time, the coating will be washed off, so the procedure must be repeated every few years.
Installation
After all the parts are ready, it is necessary to install the mill so that it works. The house is placed on the shore of the reservoir, and the wheel under the stream. Water is supplied to the upper blades through the gutter. You can make it by cutting a pipe of suitable diameter in half. If everything is done correctly, the wheel will begin to spin.
Dressing
A simple wooden wheel on the shore of a pond looks boring, so the house attached to it will become the main object for decoration.There is room for imagination here - carved windows with shutters, doors, colored platbands. A separate element of decor at a water mill may be a roof covered with reeds, reeds or thatch.
The natural landscape is supported by wild flowers and shrubs, as well as stones randomly laid around. Coniferous crops ideally fit into the front garden, broken down near the mill: thuja, juniper, stunted spruce and dwarf pine. The pond also represents a field for activity - fern thickets and water lily leaves floating on the surface will create a sense of pristine.
Another idea for decorating a water mill is the LED backlight. You can mount lighting both outside and under water. The iridescent light of small bulbs will not allow the mill to get lost at dusk. Mysteries will be given by the windows of the miller’s house glowing at night.
Japanese style
The main components are water, stones and plants. There should be nothing superfluous, because the style is based on elegance and minimalism. In a Japanese garden with a water mill, nothing should distract from the contemplation of the natural element.
The mill will be complemented by a stone castle and a bench made of the same material. The shore of the pond or its bottom can be laid out with white pebbles and a shell rock, and Japanese maple and stunted sakura can be planted in the front garden. Plants with bright colors will violate deliberate severity, but the use of bamboo in the design of tubes will come in handy.
Country
The design option is suitable for those whose entire plot resembles a cozy house in the village. A water mill with a wooden wheel and a thatched roof will fit perfectly among wooden benches, a log bridge and a well. Emphasize the atmosphere of the most ordinary reeds.
Russian style
The design in this style has similar features to the country, however, it brings to everyone the familiar charm of the Russian village.The mill house should look like a classic wooden hut assembled from a rough beam, and the windows should be closed on carved shutters. On the roof you can place a traditional weather vane in the form of a rooster. Atmospheres will add details: a ceramic figure of a miller, clay pots hung on a wicker fence, a yellow sunflower peeking around the corner and a bed with daisies. You can spy on other ideas for decoration in Russian folk tales.
Dutch style
This style is of great interest to landscape designers, because it so successfully combines bright rich colors and provincial charm. A water mill may be at the center of the composition; for this, the house must be done in the traditional Dutch style with half-timbered houses, which have a frame in which they are located outside the building. Another characteristic feature is the ground grass. Let tulips, crocuses and hyacinths surround the mill from all sides, and a hedge curls around.
Conclusion
The decorative mill on the plot looks original and interesting. The design can be of any size and arbitrary shape, made of wood, stone, tile residues or other materials. It will harmoniously fit into any corner of the garden. Construction will not require accurate calculations and will provide an excellent opportunity to show design abilities.