Despite the fact that the era of agriculture is in the distant past, people are once again striving to become closer to nature and prefer to turn to the earth and inexhaustible natural resources. This often contributes to modern approach To country house design, which allows you to significantly expand the field of imagination for summer residents who value extraordinary ideas. In this regard, windmills, previously installed for grinding grain crops, are now used as a decorative element in a personal garden or as an electric generator. And taking into account the fact that in rural areas, converting wind energy into electricity will significantly save the family budget, many people have the idea of building a windmill with their own hands. If you also asked the question: “How to make a windmill with your own hands?”, this article, which provides a step-by-step guide to its construction, will be extremely useful for you.
Windmill: decorative element or practical structure?
Modern design has crossed a new stage in its development, and therefore every owner of a suburban area strives to make his site as attractive as possible. At the moment, few people will appreciate the countryside if it is only well-groomed and clean. In this regard, more and more often in the country you can find pleasing solutions in landscape design. In the process of constructing a windmill, everyone will be able to try their hand at design and construction, since decorative structures, unlike buildings, can be made even from the most unexpected materials at hand.
Once you start searching for or independently developing a windmill diagram, carefully study your site and note its main features; perhaps you will be able to operate the windmill not only as a decorative building, but also practical construction, For example:
- A windmill can be used as a structure to hide unsightly places such as sewer hatch and other nuances that are undesirable for outsiders to see;
- If the windmill is made of lightweight materials or is small in size, it can act as a reliable protective “cap” for pipe valves and other significant engineering structures that need protection from precipitation;
- If you are confident in the strength and reliability of the decorative structure, it will make an excellent house for children's games in the fresh air, regardless of whether the design of the windmill involves an entrance inside. At the same time, pay attention to the stability of the homemade building;
- Mill, distinctive feature which will be of impressive size, can be an excellent place for storage gardening tools, and if it is made of stone, it can even take on the function of a barbecue;
- Another one important feature windmill will be useful for those who have moles operating on their property. To get rid of them, build a mill equipped with rotating blades and legs, which must be dug into the ground to a depth of 15-20 cm. The vibration that will emanate during the operation of the structure will drive away uninvited guests far beyond the site.
Windmill Design: Additional Features
According to experts, such a device as a windmill is completely undeservedly considered a relic of the past. This is due to the rapid development of modern technologies, which include the popular engineering direction - wind energy, thanks to which the traditional windmill has become a relatively inexpensive, but at the same time very effective and environmentally friendly source of energy, called a wind generator.
The energy generated by such a modified windmill, the power of which fluctuates within 10 kW, will be sufficient for full heating and hot water supply of a country cottage. Of course, it must be answered that the mills used to convert wind energy into thermal energy, are constructed in accordance with more complex circuits, however, the fact of using a windmill as a generator predicts a great future for it. As the popular trend of wind energy develops, windmill models continue to be modernized and improved, but the basics of their design remain unchanged - as in ancient times, windmills consist of a rotor located in the horizontal direction and several quadrangular wings. The only difference between modern modifications and the original designs is the materials used for their construction.
Windmill photo
Making a windmill: necessary materials and tools
Materials for making a windmill
Currently, the rich construction market practically does not limit your possibilities in choosing building materials from which you can make a windmill. You can choose plastic, plywood, wood, wild stone or brick. But we will immediately agree that in our article we describe the manufacture of a wooden mill, so we will choose wood as the main material. If you plan to use the decorative windmill as children's playhouse For summer games, make sure that its design allows for entry into the structure, and also ensure its absolute stability and safety, which will prevent the mill from turning over while its blades are operating. Therefore, in this case, the design of a homemade windmill should imply the presence solid foundation, for the manufacture of which you can use concrete or logs.
Also prepare building materials to construct the windmill roof. For these purposes, you can choose plywood, boards or ondulin. To enhance the decorative properties of the mill, you can purchase a ridge. Don’t forget about varnish and drying oil, which are necessary for protection. wooden materials, from which the mill is made, from aggressive environmental influences, for example, from excess moisture, dryness or aggressive biological agents.
So, prepare the following materials:
- Remains of thick plywood or chipboard;
- Wooden lining (In this case, class C euro lining is suitable, the choice of which is due to its lower cost). The windmill design we use involves the use of 10 panels, the length of which is 1.5 meters;
- Thin slats with a section of 20x40 mm;
- Thin wooden slats, called spreaders, which will be needed to make the blades;
- Wooden corners necessary to refine all joints and enhance the decorative properties of the finished windmill;
- Hardware (small nails and screws);
- Drying oil or wood varnish (we preferred alkyd quick-drying varnish);
- A pair of washers, a long bolt and nuts in the amount of 5 pieces.
Tools for making a windmill
Also prepare the following tools from the suggested list, as without them you will not be able to make an attractive windmill from wood.
The list is presented below:
- An electric machine, in the absence of which you can get by with a hacksaw or saw;
- Electric drill and screwdriver;
- Electric plane and sander;
- Hammer and a pair of brushes;
- Roulette;
- Sandpaper for cleaning the surface.
Choosing an area to install a windmill: basic rules
If you have prepared all the necessary materials and tools, start choosing the area most suitable for installing a windmill. The ideal location for its installation would be an open space where there are no even the slightest obstacles to the wind. This will cause the windmill blades to be in constant motion.
Having decided on the location of the building, clean the area, freeing it from excess vegetation, then level the ground and begin laying the foundation or the so-called platform. Before this, according to experts, for ease of manufacture, it is advisable to divide the mill structure into three main parts: lower, middle and upper, which, having been manufactured separately, are subsequently combined into a single structure. Decide in advance on the average size of the building: mill standard sizes is a structure in the shape of an isosceles trapezoid with sides of the following dimensions:
- The large base is characterized by dimensions: 1.5 - 2 m;
- Building height from base to roof: up to 2 m;
- The size of the small base is: 1.2-1.3 m.
Stages of making a windmill
As mentioned above, the process of making a windmill begins with the construction of a platform or base. To make the base using a jigsaw, two squares are cut out of plywood or chipboard remnants, one of which has a side of 40 cm, and the other of 30 cm. You can adjust this size according to your preferences. Having cut out the blanks for the future base, determine their central points, which can be found by drawing intersecting diagonals, and drill holes in them.
The next step is to assemble the windmill frame. To do this, cut off a strip 50-60 cm long, which is equal to the height of the lower trapezoidal part of the frame. The length of the slats is also a variable parameter. The holes made in the central part of the squares are used to install a provisional (temporary) strip, which is attached using self-tapping screws, and to make a frame. The rail in this case plays an auxiliary role, and therefore, after manufacturing the main frame, it is removed. Having installed the auxiliary rail, we begin to assemble the main frame. To do this, pre-prepared and cut-to-size slats are secured to the four corners of the workpiece, which are secured using self-tapping screws. After fastening, the auxiliary rail is removed. As a result, we made the frame or platform for the lower part of the windmill.
Important! To avoid possible distortions when making the base, use a previously prepared tape measure and constantly check the diagonal dimensions of the structure.
If you decide to install the mill on grass or dirt, be aware that possible problems associated with getting wet wooden base. To extend the durability of the structure and increase its mobility, we suggest you attach 4 legs to the base.
We invite you to pay attention to interesting idea, the essence of which is to make legs from PVC pipes, the diameter of which is selected in random order. In addition to the pipe, you will need 4 bars, the diameter of which will allow them to fit firmly into the pipe. The beams are attached to the base using self-tapping screws internal corners platforms.
Important! The legs attached to the platform must be the same height to avoid distortions finished design. To check their height, use a building level.
Next, we begin to manufacture the upper part. Two identical isosceles triangles are cut out from the remains of chipboard or plywood, the lengths of the sides and the height of which are determined in any order. They are fastened together using pieces of slats, which are fastened with self-tapping screws. Ready frame At this stage, it is not recommended to attach the upper part to the lower part, as this will subsequently make it difficult to cover the structure with clapboard.
Next stage manufacturing the mill - covering the lower part of the frame with wooden clapboard. There is nothing complicated about this, since the whole point of the stage is to prepare lining blanks of the required length, install them in the right place, after which it is necessary to drill the required number of holes in the frame and attach the lining.
In this case, the corners, most likely, will not turn out to be perfectly even, but there is nothing to worry about, since subsequently all the unevenness will be hidden by the wooden corners. Once you have completed the upholstery of the lower part of the frame, you can begin to attach the upper triangular part of the mill to the lower one using self-tapping screws and, subsequently, move on to covering it with clapboard.
When covering the upper triangular part, place the lining in a vertical direction, which, in our opinion, looks more aesthetically pleasing. Once the finishing is complete, you can use an electric jigsaw to cut out the decorative door and windows, after which you move on to making a base for installing the blades.
Installing the blade axle is also easy. To do this, drill a hole in the upper part and install a long bolt, placing two washers to strengthen the structure, and fix it with a nut. Having made the axis for the blades, they proceed to covering the roof of the windmill with wooden clapboard, and finally masking the irregularities using wooden corners, followed by sanding the structure sandpaper.
The next stage of manufacturing is the production of blades, followed by their installation. For their manufacture, wooden slats are used. Their shape and appearance can be arbitrary and depend only on the imagination of the master. The blades are fastened to each other using small nails. Having fastened the blades together, a hole is drilled in the center of their intersection and installed on the axis, which is fixed on both sides using a pair of nuts. Windmill blades should not be made excessively heavy. Ideally, they should deviate along the axis and, like a traditional fan, capture the wind.
Roofing is another integral step in making a windmill. For the roof, you can use ondulin, which is laid on a sheathed roof frame in the form of tiles.
That's all, the mill design is ready. All that remains is to coat the mill with varnish and choose a place for its installation. All wooden elements of the mill are coated with drying oil and varnish.
Installation of a windmill as the final stage of production
After the varnish has dried, the decorative mill is installed on the site. Although our design is protected from excessive contact with the ground and excess humidity, it is advisable to protect the structure from unnecessary contact with them. To do this, it is advisable to install the mill on a concrete base or other material that will prevent the conduction of moisture from the soil, for example, it could be decorative stone or paving tiles. Such a mill will be appropriate in any garden and will appeal to even the most capricious owner of a suburban area. Concerning landscape design territory, then the decorative mill will look optimal in the area planted green lawn or next to nearby multi-colored mixborders.
An original idea for decorating a windmill is to install lighting. Near the door or windows of the mill, you can install several spotlights to which you need to conduct electrical wiring. By choosing this option, you will turn the decorative mill into a source of lighting in the dark.
As you already understand, there are many options for making a windmill, which can be not only a decorative element of the garden, but also an extremely functional building needed on the territory of a suburban area. We looked at the most common and simple version of a windmill, based on which a skilled craftsman will be able to make a building to his liking.
Windmills video
When there is at least some free space, which is in dire need of filling, many of us are awakened by the desire to make something with our own hands and put the result of our work in this very place. Considering that our country is rich in talents and jacks of all trades, it is not difficult to guess how much interest the ideas of various original crafts and structures. And the windmill is one of these attractive little things. Why is it needed?
Why is it needed?
We are, of course, talking about decorative mills, small copies of their prototypes. Why put them on plots? First of all, it is beautiful, it is stylish, it is harmony, inspired by associative images. And if the large mill is still used as a power generator, then it is in our interests to create a beautiful place on the site - be it just for decoration or even in the form of a house for children on the playground.
Decorative mill - an excellent decoration for the site (video)
Of course, small mills can be adapted for economic needs, but first of all we will consider the decorative component of this issue.
Photo gallery of decorative mills in garden plots
Mill, stylized as a Russian hut 
High mill without varnish coating 
Dark wood mill 
Mill among flowers 
Mill with encircling balcony
Tools and materials
The choice of material for the mill is entirely up to the taste of the owner. Whether you make it natural - from wood or plywood or more modern - from plastic or metal - depends only on your decision. In this case, consider the classic version made of wood. Therefore, we will acquire wooden beams, boards, plywood, polyethylene and roofing felt.
You should also take into account the materials for the foundation, if you are going to make one, as well as fasteners and decoration.
It is better to choose the simplest and most accessible tools - brushes, buckets, a grinder, a hammer, a hacksaw, a plane and a drill, plus additional special little things that simplify the work process, which will be discussed later.
Selecting a location
The location for the mill must be level. It is desirable that it be elevated
Despite the fact that we are building a decorative wooden mill, this does not mean that its blades will be fixed. And if so, you will have to choose a place away from all buildings and trees, preferably elevated and level, in order to ensure the full functionality of your product.
As soon as we have chosen a place, we will clear it of everything that is here, be it garbage or vegetation. You need several square meters of clean and level surface so that nothing interferes with your work.
Mill base
We are considering a situation where there is no need to dig holes and create a foundation. This means that the mill will stand on several logs or strong bars.
We select the dimensions of the sides, lay down logs or beams and begin installing the frame from wooden beam. We duplicate the frame, while reducing the sides - this will be the base of the future roof. The dimensions need to be reduced by one and a half times so that the final design takes the form of a trapezoid.
Both frames will be connected vertical posts, going at a certain angle, depending on the height of the racks. We place the racks on the lower frame, fasten them and connect them to the upper frame. Now we have the skeletal structure of the mill.
Sheathing of the structure
The lining of the mill must be done taking into account where the windows and door will be located, as well as the roof and blades. Where the openings will be installed, reinforcement is made. To install the blades, you will need reinforced beams or wooden beams.
We carry out the cladding using a wooden board and then plywood. This way, the inside of our mill will become quite airtight, and the outside will become more attractive and closer to nature. The board is installed on nails, and closer to the top you can use plywood, except perhaps in the place where the mill access points are located.
Cladding and decorative finishing are very important processes, thanks to which you can perfectly fit the new building into the style of the site.
Putting on the roof
The roof can be gable, classic or flat and with a slight slope to allow water to drain. Since for a decorative mill the appearance has great importance, it is better to spend more time, but achieve a result that is pleasing to the eye.
The simplest option for a roof frame is sheathing, timber joists, slats, stretched roofing felt and plywood flooring or another type of roofing that goes on top.
As soon as the roof is installed, you will see an almost finished structure that requires minor modifications.
The mill roof can be of any shape and size, its appearance is especially important
Wind blades
The blades are the main part that makes a mill a mill. There is no need to worry about their design; after all, we are making a decorative mill. But simply knocking down a structure made of boards and hanging it on the building will not be enough. You should consider parameters such as the size and width of the blades, their weight and tilt from the axis. These parameters determine how the blades will take on the wind and spin.
The blades of a windmill must be calculated. It is especially important to pay attention to size and weight
The following materials can be used to create blades:
- Wooden slats with plywood - considered lightweight and practical at the same time;
- Wooden beams and dense polyethylene film;
- Thin wooden slats are attached to the axis that rotates the blades.
The size of the blades and their mass are what should be taken into account first. The blades should not scrape the ground, overweigh the overall structure, put unnecessary pressure on the axle and affect the strength of the structure. Typically the blades weigh several kilograms. To put it another way, their weight is 10% of the total weight of the mill.
On last stage you need to install the axle and reinforced beams inside the structure, then put on and secure the blades.
The frame where the blades and roof are installed must be reinforced, despite the size of the structure as a whole.
Decorative finishing
Finishing is quite simple and consists of protecting the wood from weather influences in the form of rain, sun and wind. For protection, use drying oil or varnish. Windows and doors are subject to registration. If the mill was intended as a playhouse for children, you can put a table with chairs inside and also line the floor wooden flooring, thereby providing the best protection against the cold.
Decorative finishing helps the mill find its identity and protects it from external natural influences
Approximate Dimensions
Of course, the size of the mill is chosen solely by the owner of the garden. You can make it as a building of several floors, where you will need to equip interior spaces, and a purely decorative model, half human height. In the latter case, it will no longer be possible to make a table with chairs for children, but it will be an excellent decorative accent on the site.
You can focus on the dimensions of the mill, which we considered in in this example. So the width of each side at the base is 1.5 meters. The height of the frame racks (from the ground to the roof joists) is no higher than two meters. The dimensions of the upper frame (side lengths) range from 1 to 1.2 meters.
The size of the roof and its type are chosen by the owner based on the size of the building and his own preferences. In addition, even in the process of developing a plan, the materials used, sizes, types of fasteners, finishing and other aspects may change.
In general, the construction of a mill on one’s own site is not challenging task for a person who has at least a little experience working with materials and tools. It is important to follow the plan and create a safe and reliable building that will decorate the site for many years.
Do country cottage area Various design solutions help make things beautiful.
One of them is a decorative mill, which will harmoniously fit into any landscape and will be an excellent addition to the garden.
Garden mills are windmills and are completely decorative and functional, that is, adapted for household needs.
Its appearance and size depend on the purpose of the structure. This could be a mini-mill or a building 1.5 meters high or higher.
You can build a decorative windmill yourself very quickly and at low cost.
Mill structure
Windmills can have completely different appearances, however, they are designed the same.
Main parts of the mill:
- Platform (base of the building, its lower part);
- Building frame (the body of the building with all decorative elements such as windows, doors, balconies, etc.);
- Roof;
- Vertical and horizontal axes (installed between the roof and frame, for rotation of the roof and blades);
- Blade propeller;
- Sail (a tail on the roof of a structure that allows it to spin in the wind). May be present, but not required.
On a note! The roof can be a classic gable or hipped, semicircular or flat (under minimum angle for drainage of rainwater).
The structure is made of wood. To build a windmill you need to prepare the following tools:
- Pencils, markers, pens, markers, compasses;
- Ruler or square (for drawing right angles);
- Tape measure or meter;
- Screwdriver or screwdriver;
- Drill and drill bits;
- Hammer.
- Jigsaw, jigsaw or saw;
- Nails, screws, bolts, washers, screws (their length is calculated by summing the thickness of the boards on the roof slopes and the thickness of the mill blades - this is the thickest place);
- Sanding paper (sandpaper) or sanding machine;
The amount of materials depends on the size of the building. To make a mill you will need:
- Plywood, lining or wide board for the body;
- Bars for mill walls;
- Any material for hull cladding;
- Reiki, metal tubes for blades;
- Corners with a side of 3 cm;
- Plywood for roof;
- Slats for collecting roof parts;
- Spire and bearing for blade propeller.
Important! It is necessary to stock up on wood, bars and slats in a slightly larger volume than calculated for production, since there is a possibility of spoiling or breaking one of the parts.
Manufacturing stages
The mill is a fairly simple design; anyone can handle its construction. Most easy way– make a base, a frame with a roof, axles, a sail, blades and assemble all the parts together.
Part marking
Step 1. First of all you should draw sketch layout of the windmill and decide on the type of building and its size.
Step 2. Using drawings, we calculate the dimensions of all parts (they must be in harmony with each other).
Step 3. We select the material from which our mill will be made. The optimal tree for work is considered pine(it is accessible, cheap, soft and easy to process).
Step 4. Base.
First, let's mark 4 square(side length 25 cm) with lined crosses inside. At the midpoint of the crosses we make hole.
Then we draw 4 equal blocks for the sides. If smooth walls are needed, then the parts are cut out of solid pieces of wood (35 x 54 cm).
They will add decorativeness trapezoidal walls, which consist of 6 parts attached to each other (each part is 2 cm smaller than the previous one, starting from 35 cm and ending with 25 cm).
Step 5. Frame.
To assemble the frame you will need bars cross section 40 x 40 mm(54 cm – 8 pcs., 38 cm – 8 pcs., 36 cm – 4 pcs.) and 30 x 30 mm(54 cm – 4 pcs., 10 cm – 4 pcs.).
Roof for the mill.
For marking we use pattern: draw a straight line 38 cm long.
We retreat 19 cm on it (exactly half) and draw a straight line 30 cm long. Along the side seam triangle has a length of 35.5 cm.
Using this pattern, we mark 10 pieces of lining for the roof slopes (5 pieces for each).
Step 7 Blade propeller.
We draw from pieces 45 x 15 mm blade propeller parts: 1 piece – 91 cm, 2 pieces – 45.5 cm; 4 pieces each - 8 cm, 17 cm, 26 cm; 20 pieces – 19 cm.
Details recommended cut after everything is lined up blanks, but you can cut out one at a time, immediately after marking. Step 8 All details follow well from sand with sandpaper or machine. You need to go especially carefully along the side cuts and ends.
Advice! To sand wood, use glass and flint sandpapers. Corundum and other dark-colored skins form dust of the same color, which contaminates the wood.
Impregnation of wooden parts
Special formulations wood impregnations (Aquatex, Pinotext, Belinka, Senezh and others) will allow you not to worry about the safety of your mill.
Antiseptics provide reliable and long-term protection wooden parts from precipitation, fungi, mold, algae and insect pests.
Impregnation of wood with special antiseptic compounds is carried out in 2-3 steps with each layer completely drying.
Attention! Some antiseptics may be toxic and must be handled with precautions.
After processing and drying the parts, you can begin assembly:
- Side parts We fasten them together with slats. Prefabricated walls should first be screwed with self-tapping screws to the lath to create a single structure, and then to the laths to fasten the walls to each other. This will further strengthen the walls and make the building more stable.
- Base we assemble from two squares with a drilled middle. You can also put together a square box from four boards and fasten it with slats. The base is fastened to the mill body using self-tapping screws, which are screwed into internal sides into slats.
- For roofs First, we knock together the end bars according to the pattern (2 triangles with a base of 38 cm and sides of 35.5 cm). The bars are filed and fastened to each other with self-tapping screws. Next, we screw the outer and inside plywood or clapboard. The roof slopes consist of 10 parts (5 pieces on each side). The protrusion is 1 cm. We decorate the top of the roof with a beautiful skate
- Frame turntables we make it from wooden slats (on a long rail, on both sides, smaller slats are screwed on) or metal pipes. Short slats (in the shape of a brush) are screwed onto the ends of the blades, in increments of 2–3 cm.
Two circles are screwed onto self-tapping screws into the center of the cross of blades. In the middle of the circles we drill holes for the pin, and in the end of the frame (at the level of the blades) - a hole for the bearing. Using a hammer, we drive the bearings into the holes (at the end) and thread the pin. We tighten the structure with a nut, having previously placed washers on the spire. We fasten all parts together with nuts. - We finish assembling the mill by putting the roof on the body and fixing it with self-tapping screws.
For a slideshow of all stages of manufacturing a decorative windmill - from sketch to finished product - see our video:
Ready product can be covered varnish, then the mill will look more natural. True, this option is acceptable if the structure is made of clean, carefully processed pieces of wood that are identical in texture.
Every owner personal plot has a desire to make his possessions more attractive. Some people like functional buildings, such as bathhouses, gazebos, sports grounds etc. Others prefer decorative items along with a mass of green vegetation. There are also those who manage to harmoniously combine functional and decorative buildings with green vegetation. There are quite a lot of decorative elements that can be integrated into the landscape. This article will talk about how to make a decorative mill for the garden with your own hands.
Those times when there were only flat beds, lawns and orchards on the plot near the house are already far behind us. Today, as a rule, dachas are used for friendly gatherings, as creative workshops and for family recreation.
A wooden decorative mill can complement a simple landscape designed in a rustic style. This design can be combined with a decorative antique well and funny figurines of animals or fairy-tale characters, such as gnomes.
The false mill is intended to decorate the area near the house, but some craftsmen build a functional structure. For example, you can make a country toilet in the form of a mill, a small barn or a cellar entrance. Another option is a children's playhouse in the shape of a mill or a booth for a guard dog.
Also, using a simple design, you can hide unsightly elements of the landscape, such as a faucet for watering the garden, a septic tank hatch, or a ventilation pipe from the cellar.
You can make a small decorative mill with virtually no investment if you have some materials left over from construction - timber, plywood, fasteners, varnish and paint.
When choosing a size, it is important to consider the size of the plot, financial capabilities and personal preferences. Large size mills look great on large hilly and multi-level areas with a beautifully designed landscape. Small structures look good on a hill.
If you make a larger false mill, then inside it you can organize a dining room, a gazebo, or summer kitchen. But this idea can only be realized on a large-scale site. In a small area, such a large building will look ridiculous.
If you think through the construction of a small mill, then it can also be useful. For example, by equipping it drawers, you can plant flower beds with different varieties of plants in them. Are you planning to build a pond? In this case, make a mill on it, which can also serve as a place to store pond care equipment, as well as fishing rods.
Essentially, a false mill can be made from any material that you have in your garden. Modern technologies allow you to decorate any construction material. Even broken brick is suitable for the construction of this small-sized structure, which, upon completion of the construction process, is simply decorated with decorative stone.
Traditionally, mills are made of wood. It is inexpensive, easy to process and presentable material. Its only drawback is its instability to weather conditions. In view of this, the wooden structure will need to be painted regularly, and winter period hide in a barn, which implies the manufacture of a mobile mill. This article will discuss two technologies for manufacturing a false mill: from wood and stone.
So, before you make a classic wooden decorative mill, you need to purchase:
- Wooden beam with a cross section of 20×20 mm.
- Wooden slats for making blades.
- Self-tapping screws for wood, 25 mm long.
- Paint (color depends only on your preferences).
- Moisture-resistant plywood that will cover the frame.
- Electric jigsaw.
- Screwdriver.
- Tassels.
- Bits for tightening self-tapping screws.
- Roulette and level.
To build a stone mill, you will need:
- Brick or other block material from which the false mill will be formed.
- Sand and cement for mixing mortar.
- Cut natural stone or tiles for cladding.
- Sheet iron/plastic for making wind blades.
Tools you will need:
- Putty knife.
- Master OK.
- Mixer for mixing the solution.
- Bucket and shovel.
- Grinder for trimming facing material and cutting out blades.
- Roulette and level.
It’s worth noting right away that building a decorative mill is much easier than its wooden counterpart. To assemble the latter, you will most likely have to use drawings. The entire construction process consists of several stages.
It would be unwise to build a stone structure without a foundation, because in this case it would soon simply collapse. So, you need to cast a shallow foundation in the soil, approximately 40x40 cm. The depth of the foundation is 1-2 spade bayonets.
First, dig a hole, place reinforcement in it and fill it with concrete. Then the foundation must dry, this will take several days.
Construction of a house
The dimensions, proportions and shape of the house depend entirely on your imagination and wishes. The main thing is that the size of the foundation matches the base of the mill. The structure must be level relative to the level. The dressing of pebbles should be as close to the actual size as possible.
In the upper part of the house you need to embed a threaded rod, onto which the blades will subsequently be installed. Weld a plate onto the stud to secure it to the masonry.
You can install the stud after the construction process is completed, but in this case you will have to drill a hole for it in the house. And these events can lead to disruption of the masonry.
To make the structure look as realistic as possible, you need to cut the tiles in the shape of the bricks. In this case, the tiles are laid in the usual way.
When laying tiles, it is important that no voids form in the adhesive.
As for the choice of glue, it is better to purchase a frost-resistant composition. This could be Cerezit CM 17 and CM 117.
Making a propeller
To make a propeller, you need to cut a circle from plywood, in which a hole is made equal to the diameter of the pin. Then attach pre-prepared blades from the slats to this disk. Place them on the stud and tighten them with nuts and washers on both sides.
Before installation, a propeller made of wooden slats should be treated with special impregnations and antiseptics, and then painted.
A wooden mill consists of 4 main components:
- lightweight foundation;
- support platform;
- frame;
- blades.
To begin with, it is important to think through the foundation of the structure. Then you can start making the remaining elements of the mill, which need to be made separately and then connected.
Foundation. Is it necessary
The simplest option is a metal strip poured into concrete underground to the depth of two shovel bayonets. Subsequently, a decorative structure will be installed on this plank.
A mill installed on such a base cannot be stolen. But if there are no reasons to worry about safety, then wooden legs with plastic tips. That is, there is no need to fill the foundation at all.
Mills on legs can serve as mill tips PVC pipes corresponding diameter. Fastening plastic and wood is as easy as shelling pears - use self-tapping screws for this.
Support platform
Initially, the lower part of the mill is manufactured - the platform. It must be sufficiently stable to withstand the load of the entire structure.
The higher the mill, the wider its base should be.
For these purposes, you can use boards that are 15 cm wide and 20 mm thick. It is best to use lining as a material for the platform. If we are talking about building a gazebo in the shape of a mill, then you should pour a lightweight version of a strip, columnar or monolithic foundation.
Let's look at the manufacture of a wooden mill using the example of a structure decorating a garden up to 2 m high. To build it, you will need a platform measuring 60x60 cm. It is important that it does not warp during the manufacturing process.
The finished platform can be laid on a pre-prepared foundation, special legs or a sand cushion covered with roofing felt. Be that as it may, before installing the mill platform, treat it with antiseptics to prevent rotting of the material. In addition, it should be covered weatherproof paint or varnish.
Drill small holes in the platform so that when it rains, water does not linger on it.
To make the mill body, you need to take 4 beams with a section of 40x40 mm and 4 beams with a section of 25x25 mm. First, you should assemble a pyramid from thicker beams, fastening them with self-tapping screws. The same needs to be done with thin elements. So, you will get the body of the mill. It must be strictly vertical, which can be checked using a building level.
No structure is complete without a roof. The decorative mill is no exception. For it you need to make a gable roof, consisting of two parts in the shape of an isosceles triangle. The size of the slopes is 30x30 cm, and the base is 35 cm.
Slopes can be made from chipboard or plywood. The size of the sides may not correspond to the above parameters, the main thing is that the roof is harmoniously combined with the frame.
The slopes should be connected with slats on the sides and top. As a result, you should get a voluminous triangle. Now is the time to secure the roof to the frame, screwing the slats with self-tapping screws.
The next step is to make a hole in the front slope of the roof. Then assemble the blades. To do this, lay out 2 slats crosswise. Make a through hole in the center of the cross; it should be equal to the diameter of the hole in the roof.
Pass the bolt through the cross hole and the hole in the roof. Then secure it with washers on both sides.
Now take the prepared blade slats and small nails and carefully nail them onto 4 sides of the blades installed on the roof.
The shape of the blades can be arbitrary. Traditionally, trapezoidal and rectangular shapes are used.
Cover the sides of the roof with clapboard. This can be done vertically and horizontally. There is no fundamental difference, it all depends on your preferences. You can sheathe the sides of the roof with more durable material, for example, galvanized sheets.
After fixing the frame, trim the walls with clapboard vertically. To make the mill more interesting, make it have windows, a door and a small balcony in which you can plant flowers.
To spend decorative finishing paint, tinted/clear varnish, etc. should be used. To preserve the natural structure of the wood, the surface can be opened with clear varnish.
It is best to use weatherproof varnish on alkyd based. This can be PF-170 or Yacht Varnish.
In order to make the wood darker, thus imitating noble species, you can use stain. In this simple way, from affordable pine you can get a mill for cherry, walnut, ash or oak. With each layer the surface will look darker.
To improve the aesthetic characteristics of the mill, attach platbands or regular moldings to it. By painting them in a color contrasting with the base, you will make the structure more impressive. The dark brown body with yellow moldings combines very nicely.
Another option for decorating a mill is to install lighting. For example, you can place LED lights inside to provide additional lighting in the evening. The lighting looks most harmonious in decorative mills with small windows. No windows? No problem. Install LED backlight along the perimeter of the roof.
Do you want to advantageously mark the mill in the area near your house? Then make a flower garden around it. To prevent the structure from getting lost in the thicket of plants, plant only creeping ground cover crops.
Whatever type of mill you choose, whether wooden or stone, if you follow the instructions in the article, you will really be able to beautifully decorate the area around your house. Do you have any questions on the topic? In this case, write comments on the article.
Video
You can see how to make a decorative wooden mill in practice using knowledge in the video:
Photo
The photo gallery provides different ideas for implementation, which will help you decide on the type and features of this decorative element of the garden:
Blueprints
The drawings below will help you decide on the size and functionality of the decorative mill:
Landscaping a personal plot includes not only flower beds, vegetable gardens, greenhouses and paths, but also many other elements, including those that are performed exclusively decorative function. An example of such an object is a small copy of a garden mill. Many of its varieties today can be purchased in stores or from individual craftsmen. But often the price for such decorative objects is too high, and if you know how to work with wood, then it makes sense to try to make a windmill with your own hands for the garden. And this article will help you.
The main function of such a structure is, of course, decorative - a mill on the site pleases the eye and creates an atmosphere of comfort. It is also used to decorate gardens and flower beds in the Old Russian or European style (depending on the appearance of the object itself). A good addition to the mill would be benches, miniature carts, fences, fences or a small pond.
In addition, it can bring you practical benefits. With the help of a small mill, some gardeners “hide” not so attractive elements of communications - taps, hatches, containers, etc. As a result, everything that the eye can catch on in the poor sense of the word is hidden, the harmony between trees, flowers, stones and decorative objects do not disturb anything. In addition, the gardener has the opportunity to combine the flowerbed and the mill into one structure - you just need to supplement the base with boxes of soil.
And if you increase the structure in size, it can be turned into a gazebo or children's playhouse. Or, if functionality is more important, turn the mill into a shed and a place to store garden tools.
Garden mill gazebo
Construction of a garden mill
Most of these decorative objects consist of the following parts:
- platform;
- base;
- frame;
- roof;
- rotation mechanism;
- blades.
Platform- This is the place where the garden mill will be installed. The structure can, of course, simply be placed on the ground in the garden or on a flower bed, but then it will not last long - dampness will do its job and render the decorative object unusable. Therefore, it is advisable to build a platform of concrete or stone. The last option will be more beautiful.
Base– the lower part of the mill itself, usually wider for better stability. The most stringent requirements must be met for the quality of base treatment - this part of the structure is in most contact with wet soil and plants.
Frame– the main part of the decorative object, the wall of the mill. It is assembled from boards, plywood, slats, lining, small logs and many other materials. In addition, the frame has a decorative function and is often decorated with windows, doors, balconies and other small elements.
Important! When choosing a location for a mill, pay attention to the surrounding environment - the appearance of the structure should be harmoniously combined with everything around it.
Roof - the upper part of the structure. Usually assembled from slats, planks or lining. In some cases, plastic is used, especially for rounded roofs, which are difficult to make from wood. By its color, this part of the mill should stand out from the frame.
Inside the roof is located rotation mechanism– axle on two ball bearings. In most cases, it passes through the entire structure; this arrangement is reliable and stable. The mechanism can be supplemented by connecting the mill roof to the frame on a vertical axis and adding a sail - then the structure will not only rotate the blades, but also turn in the direction of the wind.
Blades, also known as wings - second in importance decorative element mills. It is assembled from plywood, planks and thin bars. The main condition is that all blades must have the same mass and be balanced, then the mill will last a long time and without problems. Examples of different design options The wings of the mill are shown in the pictures below.
Table. Types of decorative mills for the garden.
| View | Description |
|---|---|
| Enough simple design. The walls are quadrangular, straight or inclined. Typically, such a mill is completed with a gable roof, but other designs are also found. Great option for those gardeners who do not have great experience working with wood. |
| More complex design. Requires fairly high precision in cutting parts the right size and giving them bevels. Often the walls of such a hexagonal mill taper towards the top. It ends with a dome or polygonal roof. Compared to the previous option, all other properties being equal, it is more attractive. |
| The decorative windmill has the simplest design due to the absence of casing and complex roof. In addition to decoration, it helps to determine the direction and strength of the wind on the site. In addition to wood, a windmill can be made from steel profiles, if it is easier and more convenient for you to work with them. |
There are many ways to ensure that a tree on your site dries out quickly. However, the most common of them are those that involve the use of chemicals. preparations intended to destroy plants. Read more in .
Decorative mill for the garden made of plywood - instructions for creating
Introducing step by step instructions on creating a hexagonal decorative windmill for the garden, made of plywood. With the proper skills and the availability of woodworking tools, assembly will not take much of your time and effort.
Important! All parts of decorative mills require careful and multi-layer treatment with antiseptics, protective compounds and varnishes. This is the only way they will not lose their attractive appearance over time and will be able to decorate the site or yard for many years. Example of good protective coating for the mill - ship or yacht varnish.
Start working with the middle part of the structure, called the frame in the picture above. It is a truncated hexagonal pyramid with a straight base. All parts are assembled from thick plywood.
Step 1. Prepare drawings and part templates. Given the complexity of the design, the dimensional accuracy of each element becomes very important.
Step 2. Using a pencil, mark on the sheets of plywood the individual elements of the frame - trapezoids elongated in height. Then cut them out electric jigsaw. Don't forget to cut the side ends at an angle of 45° to connect with the rest of the elements.
Step 3. Place the finished plywood pieces together so that the cuts form grooves facing down. Refer to the image below. Connect the parts together using tape.
Step 4. Turn the resulting structure over and apply glue into the grooves formed by the cuts. Act quickly, but at the same time carefully.
Step 5. Fold all the frame parts into a hexagon so that the glued ends fit tightly to each other. Use the tape again so that the structure holds its shape for a while.
Step 6. Wait until the applied glue dries, lay the walls on their sides and remove any excess. Remove the tape from the structure.
Step 7 Cut out a hexagonal cover according to the internal dimensions of the upper narrow part of the frame. Do not screw in the screw completely on one side - it will act as a kind of handle for installation. Apply glue to the edge of the upper narrow part of the frame, turn it this side down and, using a screw, mount the hexagonal cover. Place some weight on top of it. Wait until the glue dries and remove any remaining residue.
The truncated pyramid that makes up the walls of the mill is ready. Now start creating the base. It is a straight hexagonal prism. To connect to the base of the structure, a central vertical beam is used, which is secured with a screw on the top cover of the prism and passes through the corresponding hole in the bottom.
Step 1. Cut out two hexagonal covers to the size of the base of the previously made truncated pyramid. In the center of one of the parts, make a mark for a screw, in the other - square hole along the cross section of the beam.
Step 2. Place both covers on one of the faces, cut out the vertical walls of the prism. Connect the first three of them to the lids with glue; use tape and clamps to maintain the shape. Everything is shown in the image below.
Step 3. Repeat the previous operation with the three remaining faces of the prism.
Step 4. Insert the beam into the hole in the bottom cover. Move it until it touches the top hexagon. There, screw in the screw according to the mark and secure the beam.
The beam must be screwed to the upper hexagon
Step 5. Treat the lower walls of the truncated pyramid and the top of the prism with glue and connect them to each other. Use tape again to maintain the shape.
Step 6. Once the glue has dried, remove adhesive tapes and process the resulting design grinder or sandpaper.
The next part of the mill to be made is the base, which consists of three parts:
- the lower part is a large straight hexagonal prism with fastening for a vertical beam;
- the middle one is a truncated hexagonal pyramid;
- upper – small straight hexagonal prism with grooves for decorative observation deck.
As with the walls of the mill, we present the manufacture in the form of step-by-step instructions.
Step 1. Prepare the fasteners for the timber mentioned above. It consists of a board mounted on a lower hexagonal prism and a hollow box for the cross-section of a beam.
Step 2. Cut out six parts for the lower prism from plywood, make cuts in them at the side ends, as shown in the instructions about the walls of the mill. Connect with glue and tape together. Then secure the board and box for fastening the timber from the previous step. Make sure that they are positioned exactly according to the drawing.
Finished bottom prism of the base with fasteners for timber
Step 3. Now proceed to the truncated base pyramid. Cut out trapezoidal-shaped parts from plywood, and use a jigsaw to make cuts on the side ends at an angle of 45°. Then connect with outside elements of the pyramid with tape, gluing the grooves and assemble a hexagonal structure. After drying, get rid of any remaining glue.
Step 4. Make a small upper base prism. Cut small grooves at the corners to attach an observation platform that will decorate your mill.
Step 5. Connect all three parts of the base to each other using glue. Place a weight on top of them, which can be a bucket of water. The weight is necessary for better adhesion of the glue.
Important! Do not overdo it with the weight of the load; the base structure may not withstand excess loads.
After completing the bottom of the mill, proceed to the observation deck. The latter consists of supports made of small bars, a path of slats and railings. The platform is screwed to the bottom of the mill wall and installed with supports in the grooves of the base.
Step 1. Cut out the base bars. Then make marks or small holes on them for attaching the viewing platform to the walls of the mill with screws.
Step 2. Prepare a template according to which the observation deck floor slats will be laid. It should be a hexagon with marks made in pencil. It makes sense to glue it with double-sided tape so that the floor slats do not move due to the slightest movement or contact with the supports during installation.
Step 3. Lay five rows of timber as shown in the photo below to form the floor of the observation deck. They are connected to each other using a small amount of glue. From above, with its help, secure the supports to each of the corners of the hexagon. Use clamps to clamp.
Step 4. Wait for the glue to dry and carefully separate the floor and viewing platform supports from the template.
Step 5. Attach vertical bars to the outer edges of the supports - these will be the railing posts. Fastening is done with screws.
Step 6. Carefully glue the slats that will form the walls of the railing to the posts. Use clamps or plastic clamps to form.
Step 7 Turn the mill frame over and place it on the floor or workplace beam up. Also flip the viewing platform over and secure it to the bottom hexagonal cover of the frustum with screws. Then glue the grooves in the upper part of the base with glue and attach the frame of the mill to it along with the viewing platform.
The creation of a decorative windmill for the garden is nearing completion. The next stage is the dome and the inner part of the “wings” rotation mechanism. The roof of the mill is made of a plastic hemisphere, to the bottom of which a plywood ring is attached. It, in turn, is connected with screws to a circle that is mounted on the top cover of the structure frame.
Step 1. Process the dome, cut out a ring and a circle from plywood of the required size.
The dome, as well as the circle and ring, cut from plywood
Step 2. Make holes or marks for them in the same places in the circle and ring - this will be needed for subsequent assembly. Mount the circle on the top cover of the mill frame.
Step 3. Make fasteners for the bearings of the mill wing rotation mechanism. They are wooden blocks with holes of the appropriate diameter. Their structure and creation are shown in more detail in the images below.
Important! For many garden decorative mill assembly jobs, your an indispensable assistant will become a stand for vertical mounting drill, which thus turns into a drilling machine.
Step 4. Connect the lower halves of the bearing fasteners by inserting horizontal bars between them and at the ends, as shown below.
Step 5. Install bearings into the holes of the fasteners, mount the entire structure with screws, add a small support in the front to provide some tilt.
Step 6. Now you need to connect the bearings to the axle from of stainless steel. To do this, use nuts and washers, screwed on all sides of both fastening bars.
Step 7 Install the bars with bearings and axle on the circle previously mounted on the mill frame.
Step 8 Determine the point where you need to make a hole in the plastic dome for the axle.
Step 9 Drill a hole in the dome for the axle. Then glue a plywood ring to the bottom side. Use tape as a clamp (crosswise).
Step 10 Carefully mount the dome on a circle of plywood, threading the axle through the hole. Use screws as fasteners, turning them into the marks or small holes made in step 2.
After this, it is necessary to manufacture the outer part of the mill mechanism - the blades and their attachment to the axis.
Step 1. Cut out a block to secure the mill to the axis. Its manufacture is shown in detail below.
Step 2. From relatively thin sheets Using a pre-made template, cut out four blades from plywood.
Step 3. Prepare four long bars. With their help, the mill blades will be attached to the central block and axle.
Step 4. From one of the ends in each of the bars, drill a hole for a pin.
Step 5. Glue the bars to the blades. Be especially careful and respect the dimensions.
Step 6. Prepare the pins with clamps, attach them on one side with glue to the bars with blades.
Step 7 Insert the clamps into the corresponding holes in the central block, then insert the blades with studs from the ends. Fasten everything accurately and carefully.
Step 8 Install the central block and blades onto the mill axis. Check if the mechanism works. If everything is in order, the decorative structure is ready! All that remains is to paint it, varnish it and put it in the garden or flower bed.
Advice! If you think that the design of the decorative mill outlined above is too complicated, then it makes sense to try to create a more simplified version - with four walls and a frame made of regular boards or lining.
Video – Decorative mill
DIY log mill - instructions
Its design is a smaller copy of real log houses. Shovel cuttings can be used as “logs” - they are cheap and available at any hardware or gardening store. List necessary tools the same as in the instructions for the previous mill, only a ring attachment for the drill is added to them, which is necessary for sawing rounded grooves under the log house
Step 1. Prepare the cuttings, remove their packaging, if any. Place the two cuttings together and secure with clamps and screws. The parts of the workpieces extending beyond one of them should be slightly larger than the length of the walls of the future mill. Mark the places for cutting out the cups (as the grooves in the log house are called). This instruction shows how to create a mill with hexagonal walls, so the connection individual elements the log house is not at a right angle. Therefore, the cups in the cuttings should be “oblique”, at an angle of 60°. To do this, prepare a wedge as in the image below.
1 – Handle and hole saw for wood. The diameter of the latter must be equal to that of the former; 2 – Fixing two cuttings together; 3 – Wedge
Step 2. Place two cuttings connected together and clamped on inclined surface wedge and secure. Hole saw attached to an electric drill, cut the cups for the frame in one operation in both blanks, as shown in the image below. Then turn the cuttings with clamps 180° and make two more grooves, but from the other edge of the cuttings. After this, use a jigsaw to cut off what is located behind the edge of the clamp. The logs for the base of the log mill are ready.
4 – Installation of cuttings on a wedge for sawing cups; 5 – Finished result, two logs with oblique grooves located at an angle of 60°
Step 3. Move the clamp higher along the cuttings, again mark the points for drilling the cups and repeat the previous operations until required quantity the logs will not be ready.
Step 4. Carefully cut six similar logs lengthwise into two halves - one with cups, the other without. The first will go to the top of the mill base, the second to the bottom.
Step 5. In this case, the logs are connected to each other by pins inserted into the base, so drill a hole of the required diameter in the middle of the cups in each of them. Alternative way connections - wood glue.
Step 6. Prepare a hexagonal base. Assemble it from two glued trapezoidal boards or cut it from a single piece of plywood. Insert the studs into the corners of the future log house.
Step 7 Place the first three elements of the frame on the studs - halves of logs without cups, prepared in step 5.
6 – Sawing holes for pins in logs; 7 – Beginning of the formation of the log house; 8 – Finished “log” walls of the mill base
Step 8 Sequentially place logs on the studs, forming a log house, as in the image below. You can cut holes inside for decorative doors or windows.
Step 9 Treat the hexagonal base and walls of the frame with stain or varnish to give it a more attractive appearance and protect it from damage. Attach another hexagon to the studs on top, made in the same way as the product from step 6. In turn, fix the metal corners on it.
Important! For durability, equip the base of the mill with legs or supports made of wood varieties that are resistant to external influences. It could be oak or larch.
Step 10 Attach long and thin bars to the corners, which will act as a frame for the walls of the mill. At the top they are attached to a hexagonal plate of slightly smaller board or plywood to create a slight slope.
Step 11 Cover the frame of the mill with small slats, which are then treated with varnish or stain. At the same time, to improve the appearance, cut holes in the walls for decorative windows and doors. Then make rectangular base for the roof, assemble its frame from the same bars and cover the ends with slats, and the roof with glazing beads. Cover the fastening points here and on the walls of the mill with decorative strips.
9 – Treated base with corners for fastening the wall frame; 10 – Installation of frame bars and upper hexagonal plate; 11 – Finished walls and roof of the mill, covered with slats and decorative strips
Step 12 Prepare holes for the axle at the ends of the roof. It can be made of metal or wood. At the outer end of the axle, attach an octagonal block, on which four holes are made at equal intervals for fastening the blades.
Step 13 Cut out three bars that will play the role of a “frame” of the blades - two side ones, located at an angle, and one central one. At the end of the latter, make a rounded pin for mounting the blade on the axle. Then nail the “frame” bars onto the slats and cut them along in the required form, as in the image below.
12 – Axle with an octagon, necessary for fastening the blades. The ends are covered with cuttings; 13 – Preparation of the blade. Three bars are its frame, the slats just have to be cut to achieve the desired shape
Step 14 Process the blades and secure them to the axle. If necessary, balance them so that the mass is approximately the same and the mill is not subjected to unnecessary stress. Install it in the right place in the garden, preferably on a support made of stones - this way the structure will last longer.
With the right attitude and some skill in working with wood, you can easily get an excellent mill that will decorate your garden, yard or flower beds for many years.
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