Outdoor Trellis

Do you have fond memories of your first home? Well I certainly do.  My first home was a wonderful little cottage that I spent many hours working on, and I enjoyed every minute of it.  The garden was no exception.  I constructed these great looking trellises to give my garage and garden a little extra detail.  And the beauty of the project is that most of it is already done for you.  The main body of the trellis is a pre-constructed trellis I purchased at a home center.  So if you are looking for a great garden enhancer look no further than the instructions below. 

Materials List:

• Trellis (pre-purchased)
• 1”x4” Cedar Lumber
• 1” x 10” Cedar Lumber
• Jig Saw
• Circular Saw
• Drill/Drill bits
• 1 ½ inch Galvanized Screws
• 1 ½ inch Galvanized box nails

Instructions:

Purchase a trellis that is already built from your local home center or garden center.  This project takes a ready-made trellis, encloses it in a box, and creates a more ornate trellis.  You will build a rectangular box that is framed with sides and top plates that will become the box frame for the purchased trellis.

1) Measure the purchased trellis and build a rectangular box to those dimensions.  This will be the outer edge of the trellis.  You will need two side pieces and a top and bottom piece.  Add 4 inches to the side measurement of the frame; this will give the finished frame a more height and a larger look. Use cedar boards to construct the box, cedar will hold up to weather and is insect resistant.  Assemble the pieces using galvanized screws; don’t forget to drill pilot holes.

2) The outer frame will now be covered with the top plates.   The first plate to construct is the top.  Using a piece of 1” x 10” cedar cut to the width of the side frame.  Lay the two 1” x 4” cedar side pieces across the width of the 1 x 10 on the ends and mark the location with a pencil.  Draw a soft curve from the marks.  Cut out the curve using a jig saw.

3) Attach the top plate to the top of the rectangular frame using the galvanized box nails.

4) Cut the bottom plate length which is the width of the rectangular frame, attach to the bottom of the frame using the galvanized box nails.

5) Measure and cut the side plates and secure to the frame using the box nails.

6) Turn the box frame over, placing it on a soft surface so the front doesn’t mar.  Cut the 1 x 1 inch cedar trim to the length of the inside of the box plate edges.  Attach the trim to the inside of the box, being sure to be flush with the outside edge of the side plates.  Use the galvanize screws to attach.

*The use of the trim inside the box, create a shadow box effect so that the trellis is not flush with the back of the top plates.

7) Place the purchased trellis on top of the 1 x 1 trim and attach using the wood screws. 
 

A

ttach the trellis to the wall by cutting a piece of 1 x 1 inch trim to form a cleat, do this by measuring the inside width of the box and cut to length.  Attach this board to the wall that the trellis will be hung using galvanized screws.  Place the top of the trellis box on this board, and secure from the front using galvanized screws into the cleat. 

Once you build one of these trellises, the rest will be a snap.  Come up with your own design and let me know how it turns out.  Now the hard part will be picking the type of plant you will have growing up your new trellis.

M

att

 
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