Installing Lattice Fence

Shade and Support

Lattice fencing is a lightweight material designed to provide partial shade and privacy while allowing air and light to continue to flow. It provides support for vine plants and roosts for small birds, such as finches. Vine flowers, such as morning glory, clematis and sweet pea, attract hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. Lattice fencing weathers well when properly sealed. Repairs consist of replacing broken slats rather than entire fence sections. Because sections are light, lattice fencing can use shorter, lighter poles.

Make It Yourself

You can buy ready-made lattice or make your own lattice sections. Lay two strips of stock lattice wood about 3 feet apart. Lay mitered lattice strips across the top and bottom strips of your lattice section at a 45-degree angle, with the mitered ends of each piece flush with the top and bottom edges. Use carpenter's staples and a staple gun to fasten the strips instead of hammers and nails. Hammers are too heavy, and most nails will cause lattice to crack, split or break. Hang the sections horizontally for border fences or vertically for privacy fences, depending on the height needed.

Use 2-by-2 inch or 2-by-4 inch stock lumber for poles. It's not necessary to use anything heavier unless you have taken down an existing fence and want to salvage the old posts. Reinforce corners with metal storm straps or corner braces if you live in an area subject to high winds.

Keep It Level

Make sure all posts are set tight in the ground, preferably in concrete, so that they don't shift position. This will cause the fence to buckle and appear unsightly. Hang a plumb bob from a spirit level to ensure that each post is set at a 90-degree angle from level ground and that the tops of each post are either level with one another or decrease in slope at the same ratio from one pair to the next.

Good Fences, Good Neighbors

Check local ordinances regarding allowable fence heights, required setbacks and easements before installing your lattice fence. Some areas require a 12- to 24-inch setback from the property line so that the fence owner can mow and maintain the fence without trespassing on his neighbor's property. Other areas consider fences to be owned in common, with the landowner on each side of the fence responsible for the cost of installation and ongoing upkeep.

Easements can be a particular headache. Make sure that you don't lose your investment to a new utility line, street expansion or required sidewalk installation. Have your property surveyed by a professional and mark boundaries clearly. Have utility companies spray paint the location and direction of any underground wires or pipes, and don't build your fence across or directly adjacent to these areas.