How to Build a Fan Trellis

Add a touch of sophistication to any garden or yard with a fan trellis. Use the trellis as a support for running or vining plants and vegetables. Take a few hours and build a fan trellis of your own. The process is simple and the result is worth the effort. Read on to learn how to build a fan trellis.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 Pressure Treated 2-by-2 Foot Board Cut to 4 Feet
• 1 Knot-Free 1-by-4 Foot Board Cut to 8 Feet
• 4 1/4-by-2-1/2 Inch Machine Bolts With Washers and Nuts
• 15 4D-Galvanized Nails
• Wrench
• Hammer
• Table Saw or Radial Arm Saw
• C-Clamp
• Power Drill With 1/4-Inch Bit and 1/16-Inch Pre-Drill Bit

1. Cut five fan pieces at 3/8 by 3/4 by 80 inches from a 1-by-4 foot board.

2. Cut a top crosspiece at 3/8 by 3/4 by 49-7/8 inches from a 1-by-4 foot board.

3. Measure and cut 3/8 by 3/4 by 38 inches from a 1-by-4 foot board for the center crosspiece.

4. Cut a stake at 1-1/2 by 1-1/2 inches by 3 feet from a 2-by-2 foot board of pressure-treated wood.

5. Clamp the five fan pieces together 6 inches from the bottom with the c-clamp.

6. Drill two holes into the clamped wood. Insert two machine bolts with washers and nuts to hold the pieces together.

7. Mark and drill pilot holes every 12 inches along the top center piece.

8. Line up the fan pieces with the pilot holes. The far left fan piece should line up with the far left hole in the top center piece.

9. Nail the 4d galvanized nails into the top center and fan pieces through the pilot holes.

10. Measure 16 inches from the top of the trellis. Attach a cross piece to each fan piece with 4d nails.

11. Attach the lower crosspiece. Measure 16 inches down from the center cross piece and nail each fan piece in place.

12. Drive the stake into the ground to place the trellis. Keep pounding it into the ground until only 8 inches of the stake remains above the ground.

13. Secure the trellis to the stake with the c-clamp.

14. Attach the trellis to the stake using 2-1/2-inch bolts.

Tips & Warnings

• Reject lumber with defects such as knots or splitting.
• Seal the trellis with a water seal stain to keep it from rotting over time.

[SunflowerOcity]

on 10/19/2007 Good stuff! See also: http://www.ehow.com/how_2108615_build-sunflower-stalk-trellis.html