How to Build a Garden Trellis: Step-by-Step
Building and making a garden trellis is not only cheaper than buying it ready-made, but also ensures you can get it the right shape, size, and thickness to match what you’re growing.
For instance, if growing peas or sweet peas, your material will need to be quite thin so it can cling. For roses, you may need something thicker and stronger to give ample support to the thick branches.
A good solution is to use wire within a wooden frame to build a trellis. This can be purchased in any thickness, to suit your garden and plants.
These trellises can also create a handy border and section off parts of your garden, so they’re decorative as well as practical.
You can purchase ready-cut wood, or cut your own using a circular saw (or jigsaw if the wood is thin). The wood can be painted and then fitted to the style and size you want.
How to Make a Trellis
A frame trellis can be mobile and taken down over winter, or more permanent. Tall climbing plants which need something to cling to, as well as vining or sprawling edibles in a vegetable garden, can benefit from one.
You will need to work out how tall and wide the trellis has to be, how many wood poles are required for your plants to cling to, and the overall style. Also decide whether your trellis will be freestanding or a wall trellis.
Using a wooden frame, with wire mesh in the centre, will be the easiest way to make your trellis. This way, all plants can adapt to the wire, and it won’t be too thick for fragile climbers.
You will need:
- Timber
- Wire panels/mesh (chicken wire can be ideal & affordable)
- Corner brackets (enough for attaching all wood pieces)
- Impact driver
- Wood screws
- Wood staples
- Hammer
- Circular saw (optional)
- Heavy-duty metal clippers (if the wire needs cutting down)
Work out the size your timber frame needs to be. If you need to cut them to size, a circular saw will be the easiest way. You can also purchase them pre-cut from hardware stores such as B&Q.
If inserting the wood into soil, ensure you leave enough length at the base of the frame before the wire starts, to sink it into the ground.
When carrying out DIY and using power tools, always wear gloves, eye protection, ear protection, and a dust mask when working with wood. You can purchase all necessary PPE for any project from Speedy Hire.
Step 1: Fasten the wood
You need to first make the wood frame. If you’re painting the wood, paint first to ensure all the wood can be covered.
Once dry, cut the wood to size using your saw if it isn’t pre-cut, and loosely place it in the shape required.
Once you have the frame shape, attach the wood strips together. Use the corner brackets to fit these, which will be the most secure and strongest option.
Use your impact driver and screws to attach the brackets.
Step 2: Lay the wire mesh
Once you have the frame built, you need to attach the wire.
Fasten one corner in place first. A screw will hold it in place until you stretch all of the wire across the frame, using screws to hold the corners in place.
Step 3: Staple the wire
When the wire is in place and you’re happy with it, use wood staples to fasten the wire to the wood. This will keep it secure when it is vertical.
Place every foot or so for maximum security.
Alternatively, you can just purchase wood screws with large heads which will hold the wire. This can depend on the thickness of your wire, though.
A hammer will be able to knock the staples in.
Step 4: Erect the trellis frame
When it is all built and secure, you need to actually put it in place. If sinking into soil, it is just a matter of sinking the frame into the ground. Ensure the wood is preserved before inserting it into the soil.
SPEEDY TOP TIP: If your trellis will remain in place, dig holes, and pour in concrete to sink the frame into. This will prevent the wood from rotting and will keep it more secure.
Alternatively, you may want to fasten the trellis to a wall. Read our guide on how to drill into brick; you will need a hammer drill, masonry drill bit, wall plugs, and masonry screws. You can either drill through the wood to attach the frame or use angled corner brackets.
If using brackets, attach these to the frame first, before screwing to the wall.
READY FOR MORE GARDENING TIPS?
If you’re transforming your garden, you can read more of our tips and ideas on our page.
We have information on how to build a garden fence, as well as how to lay a patio.
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*Photo by Eric Brehm on Unsplash
