How to Build a Trellis

(Page 2 of 2)

June 26, 2008
By Steve Maxwell 
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Always use corrosion-resistant metal hardware to hold parts together. Stainless steel is king, but hot-dipped galvanized screws and nails work well, too. Twenty years of experience has taught me the hard way that plain steel or electro-plated fasteners rust fast and fail quickly — sometimes in less than five years.

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Are you building a trellis from milled lumber? Then use glue to supplement the nails and screws. Over the last 10 years the quality and availability of weatherproof, outdoor glues has increased to the point where using it is a no-brainer. A few daubs of type III PVA (Polyvinyl acetates) glue or a polyurethane adhesive, such as Gorilla Glue, will add tremendous strength to any wooden trellis or arbor. The thinner the wood that you’re working with, the more important glued-and-screwed joints become.   

Today more than ever, we need to build things that last. And while the forces of rot, corrosion, wind and frost will quickly destroy any trellis not designed to endure, doing things right can double the life of your trellis. Not only does this make the most of the time and resources you’ve invested in the structure, but it’s especially important if your trellis or arbor will be supporting a long-lasting perennial. 

For more information on building and using trellises, check out these articles:

High-rise Plantings

Mother's Pyramid Trellis

Building Tomato Towers

Use a Trellis to Create More Garden Space 
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