Presented with a rotted wood gazebo bell tower, our team was tasked to create a replica that will not suffer the same water damage and will not need to be repainted or touched up. To meet these characteristics we decided to use Marine Board, this modified HDPE sheet is rot and water resistant, won’t de-laminate, and is easy to cut, router, drill and saw. These properties make it an ideal material for polymer fabrications used in outdoor applications.
Due to its size and variety of detailed machined parts, careful consideration was needed to perfect the design. Using complex joinery, our team's design minimized the use of visible polymer welds and mechanical fasteners, while also leaving room for material expansion and contraction. This bell tower will outlive any of its wooden counterparts. Once the body of the bell tower was complete, it was reunited with its original copper roof, restoring its original character and charm.