Keep your plants growing vertically and enhance the design of your garden with this DIY trellis. Building a trellis is a fantastic idea for gardeners looking to display climbing plants like vines and roses.
A DIY garden trellis can also help separate, organize and support veggies in your outdoor space. Looking to build your own trellis? Follow our step-by-step guide and learn how to build a trellis today.
There are 4 steps to completing this project:
For this project you will need six pieces of 1” x 2” x 8’ pine wood and four pieces of 7/16-inch x 13/16 x 8' basswood base shoe. Taking one piece of pine, measure out two 36 inch cuts. These will act as your top and bottom rails. On your base shoe, measure out one 12 inch piece and create a 45-degree line on each end.
First, take your piece of pine with the two 36-inch cut marks and make straight cuts. This will leave you with two straight 36-inch pieces. Next, you will want to angle your saw at a 45-degree angle and create your first chevron piece. Cutting along your marks, make sure this measures 12 inches from tip to tip. To make the next chevron piece, use your existing chevron piece to create your new cut lines. Ensure all pieces are at the same size and angle. You will want to continue this step twelve times. Since our base shoe has a groove on one side, you can flip it over and use that to mark the other pieces for your chevron. After completing this process, you should have twelve left chevron pieces and twelve right chevron pieces, which will align together.
In a well ventilated area, paint all materials in your desired colour. For the purpose of this DIY, we chose to use a black matte finish. Lay out a drop cloth and paint both sides of your materials. Let everything dry for a few hours and come back once it is completely dried.
The assembly for this project is quite simple and is best done on the ground or on a large flat-surfaced area. First, align your five posts at an equal distance. Next, place your 36-inch rails on the top of the trellis and measure 5 feet from the top (to find the spot for your next rail to be placed). Starting from the bottom up, line up your left and right chevron pieces on the edges of your batons to create the desired design. Once you get to the top, you may notice a bit of overhang; to compensate measure a straight line to cut off.
Once you have all pieces in their desired spots, you can start nailing them together. You can do this by either using a nail gun or by using galvanized finishing nails and securing them with a hammer. Try not to allow for movement when securing all your pieces to ensure your final product is well spaced out.
Your project is now complete. Now it is time to enjoy your DIY trellis.
