A garden trellis brings a welcome sense of peace and serenity to your property.
Trellis
A trellis is a horizontal structure meant to support vines and other vegetation on lattice work.
A freestanding trellis isnotattached to the side of the house.
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This is an entirely scalable project, too.
For a longer trellis, simply add more 8-foot sections.
Adopting a few qualities of a boundary fence, this garden trellis stands independent of other structures.
You may wish to position the trellis westward or southward so that the plants can gain better sun.
You get the same visual effect with none of the damage that comes with plant-to-house contact.
Check with your local permitting office about permits for building a garden trellis in your yard.
Post holes must be dug, which can be difficult in frozen ground.
Safety Considerations
Building a freestanding garden trellis requires you to dig deep fence post holes.
As withbuilding a fence, begin by digging two holes with the post-hole digger.
Situated eight feet apart, the holes should be about 9 inches wide by 2-1/2 feet deep.
Set Posts
Pour all-purpose gravel into the holes until you have reached about six inches of gravel.
Tamp down the gravel with one of the 4x4 posts.
Use the bubble level to ensure the post is plumb.
Prop up the 4x4 securely for four hours for the concrete to cure and fully set.
Repeat for the second post.
Attach 2x2s to the Posts
Cut each of the two 2x2s to 5 feet long.
Place each one so that it is about 6 inches lower than the height of the posts.
Screw through the holes in the brackets to secure the 2x2s.
Begin with the top strip and bring it to level with thebubble level.
Next, nail in the bottom strip.
you’ve got the option to play with the spacing as your eye sees fit.
Attach Vertical Slats
Attach the 1x2s vertically to the horizontal slats.
Alternatively, you may wish to use a cordless or compressed air nailer.
In this case, back support would be beneficial but not necessary.
Space these vertical slats equally down the line (about 12 inches apart, on-center).
First, nail the remaining lath strip to the very top of the vertical members.
Locate this final lath strip so that its flat side is parallel to the ground.
Second, nail the post covers to the tops of the 4x4s.
