Trellis Trio
by Better Homes and Gardens
Here is a fence that is not a fence, a screen that is not
a screen, and a vine pole that is more than a vine pole. These
trellises do the work of all three, with flexibility. 
Place the trellises close together for maximum mass and privacy.
Angle them like half-open shutters to soften a corner of your
yard. Or, put them in parallel rows to make an open-roofed arbor.
What You Need for One Trellis:
· Eight 8-foot 2x4s
· Sixteen 8-foot 1x2s
· One 6-foot 2x10
Instructions:
1. Begin construction by cutting a 30-degree angle at the top
end of each 2x4 post. We used a power miter saw for all cuts
but the radius. Cut the two 1x2 brackets; nail each one to the
inner face of a post, centering it side to side and with its
top end 1-1/2 inches from the angled cut.
2. Create pointed tips for each of the 1x2 trellis uprights with
45-degree cuts, then cut the uprights
to length. Crosscut the 1x2 trellis rails, then nail the trellis
rails and uprights together into a lattice assembly.
3.Cut the 2x4 top rail to length; position it between the posts,
and drive deck screws into countersunk pilot holes. Nail the
lattice assembly to the brackets. Complete the assembly by cutting
the roof pieces and screwing them into position.
4. For the arched trellis, cut the post tops square as shown
in the detail drawing. We used a weatherproof carpenter's glue
to join the 2x10s. We used a string and a pencil to draw the
radius, and cut it with a saber saw.
5. Dig a pair of 28-inch-deep holes for each trellis. Four inches
of crushed rock at the bottom of each hole provides drainage.
 |