How to Build Bridges Over Water in Valheim

Once players are comfortable surviving in the world of Valheim, they will be able to build a settlement that includes modern conveniences like basic infrastructure. To make travel around the massive, procedurally generated open world, players will need to cull trees and plants and build roads that lead back to the most important areas in the game. They can also build portals to fast-travel between locations and rafts and boats to get across water. For smaller bodies of water, particularly in the Meadows biome, players may instead wish to build bridges that prevent them from taking a Wet debuff, allow them to bring a cart over water, and prevent them from depleting stamina by swimming longer distances. Bridges can also serve as landmarks to help players orient themselves while exploring.

It is difficult to build in water because placing a foundation requires level ground. However, players can build bridges and docks easily, provided they have unlocked the ability to raise the ground with rocks when using their hoe tool. There are several ways to design bridges once the foundation is laid. Here are some tips for building a bridge over rivers or lakes in Valheim.

How to Build Foundations in Water in Valheim

It is possible to start building a bridge in Valheim in the early game, even when players only have access to wood structures. They will need to place a Workbench near the water on either side to make sure the full area they want to place the bridge is covered. If players anticipate needing to repair their hammer during the building process, they may want to make sure to place at least one Workbench in a structure with four walls and a roof, but this is not required for building.

Building in water in Valheim can be difficult, especially the deeper a player goes, but as long as they have enough stone to raise the ground, it should not be a problem. Players can start this build by leveling the ground on either side of the water where they would like to place the bridge.

There are a few ways players can place their foundations, but the easiest seems to be using 2×2 Floor Tiles. Players can place two of these side-by-side, then continue building into the water.

When they have about six tiles laid, they should find the 45-degree wooden beam and place two on the ends of the floor tiles at the very start of the bridge. Next, they can use the Wood Beam 2m or Log Beam 4m and place them against the 45-degree beams. Then, every 3 tiles a player places in the water, they should add a support pillar, either the Log Pole 4m or or regular Wood Pole. It should snap against the end of the Beam and the corner of the Floor Tile.

As players build toward deeper waters, they may need to use the Raise Ground feature with their hoe to place their Log or Wood Pole vertically. They will need to take care not to raise the ground too high, however, or their foundation will not be even.

Once players have built all the way across the water, they can place stairs on either end of the bridge on top of the floor tiles, two stairs wide if possible. Then, they can place new floor tiles at the top of the stairs and atop the Log Beams for a perfectly even, sturdy bridge.

For an added layer of design and aesthetics, players can add walls or half-walls to this upper layer of flooring tiles. They can also build windows and include a thatched roof over the top of the bridge if they so desire. There are many different details players can add demonstrate their build style and make a bridge truly their own. For example, some players have built bridges with a space beneath that allows small boats to pass under them, while others have built bridges that have a mini-base built on top. A player’s only limit is their imagination.

Players struggling to build a bridge may also benefit from the advanced building options added with the Valheim Plus Mod. The features in this mod allow players to build almost anywhere and include more precise placement for objects and structures. Players can install the mod prior to starting their build for best results.

It is possible to forego a bridge’s foundation and simply place Flooring Tiles at the top of stairs first, then place Log or Wood Poles in the water to support the Floor Tiles. However, this is not recommended. It is more difficult to get the pillars to snap in place with this method, and it is possible the bridge will have weak points that break easily.

Players can check out the video tutorial below, created by Quick Tips, to see this bridge building technique in action.

This same process can very easily translate to the shores near the ocean and be used to build docks. Players can use the same foundation techniques, without the decorative elements, to build a dock. This way, they will no longer need to craft or repair their ships while standing in the water and will have a safe place to keep their vessel when it’s not being used.

Valheimis in Steam Early Access and is available for PC.

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