Bring a sense of peace to your property with a garden trellis! A free day, basic tools and cheap materials are all you need to build a simple garden trellis that will add charm to your garden.
Tools and materials:
2x 4-inch x 4-inch x 8-foot Fence Posts (4x4)
7x 1-inch x 2-inch x 8-foot Lumber (1x2)
2x 2-inch x 2-inch x 8-foot Lumber (2x2)
14x 8-foot Wooden Slats
4x 100mm Security Fence Brackets
2x Bags of All-Purpose Gravel
Post Hole Digger
Hand saw
1x Pack of Exterior/Deck screws
Fitting the Fence Posts
For the fence posts, follow these instructions on how to erect them.
Attach 2x2s to the Posts
Once the fence posts have set, it’s time to start the trellis! Cut each of the 2x2s so they’re 5 feet long.
Attach two of the 100mm security fence brackets to the inside of one post and two to the other post. Situate them so that the top brackets are about 12 inches below the top of the post and the bottom brackets are about 12 inches above ground level.
Attach the 2x2s to the inside of the 4x4 fence posts so they’re resting inside the brackets.
Place the first 2x2 6 inches below the top of the fence post and the second 6 inches above the bottom of the post.
Screw through the holes in the brackets to secure the 2x2s.
Attach Horizontal Slats
Nail all but one of the slats horizontally to the 2x2s, spacing them out with about 5 inches between them. Begin with the top strip and bring it to level with the bubble level. Next, nail in the bottom strip.
You can play around with the spacing as your eye sees fit. You may want to break up the grid pattern with your own preferred spacing.
Attach Vertical Slats
Attach the 1x2s vertically to the horizontal slats. You might want an assistant at this point to hold the trellis to prevent any wobbling when nailing. Space the vertical slats equally down the line, about 12 inches apart from the centre.
Finishing Touches
Two more elements can give your trellis a polished look. First, nail the remaining lath strip to the very top of the vertical members. Locate the final lath strip so that its flat side is parallel to the ground. Second, nail the post caps to the tops of the 4x4s.
The caps will prevent water from pooling on top of the posts and damaging them, as well as giving them a finished look.
