Table of contents
- Material list for the planter
- DIY instructions for the planter box
- List of materials for the trellis
- Build a frame for the trellis
- Instructions for frame corner connections
- Build trellis
- Fasten the trellis to the plant box
- Conclusion
A trellis is ideal for decoratively staging creeping and climbing plants. The combination with a planter is a great advantage so that climbing artists such as roses, clematis and colleagues celebrate their art on the balcony or terrace. This means that facades, pergolas or fences that are not directly adjacent to the ground can also be greened. With a little manual skill, hobby gardeners can construct a tailor-made solution out of wood. The following DIY instructions show how to build a plant box with a trellis yourself.
Material list for the planter
In a garden that is in touch with nature, wood is the primary choice for the construction of a planter with an integrated climbing frame. Although all pressure-treated garden wood is suitable, types of wood such as pine, spruce and larch are particularly recommended as thermowood. To improve durability, this garden wood undergoes a thermal treatment at 170 to 230 degrees Celsius, so it is defined as thermowood. If the financial budget for the purchase of materials is a little more lavish, there is of course nothing to be said against using teak, Douglas fir or another tropical wood. To build the container you will need the following materials:
- 8 longitudinal strips measuring 2.5 x 9.4 x 115 cm
- 8 crossbars measuring 2.5 x 9.4 x 40 cm
- 3 floor boards measuring 2.5 x 9.4 x 120 cm
- 4 corner posts measuring 4.5 x 7 x 115 cm
- 3 skirting boards measuring 4.5 x 7 x 40 cm
- 2 swivel castors with or without brakes
- 1 piece of pond liner measuring 1.5 square meters x 1.2 mm thick
- 1 piece of drainage fleece with an area of 0.5 sqm
- and stainless steel screws
DIY instructions for the planter box
The frame is made up of 4 opposite longitudinal and transverse strips. These are stabilized at the corners by an upright corner post and connected with stainless steel screws. The longitudinal boards are 115 cm long and the transverse boards 40 cm. The bottom of the planter consists of 3 boards with a length of 120 cm. These are screwed at a distance of 2 cm so that excess irrigation water can run off unhindered and no waterlogging occurs. The 3 skirting boards also ensure good ventilation from below. In addition, you can optionally mount castors here to give the planter mobility. When choosing castors, please ensure that they can withstand a weight of at least 125 kg.
Finally, the finished planter box is lined with pond liner, which is provided with holes in several places. Alternatively, you can use a suitable plastic insert, which is ideally purchased before the planter is built, so that the dimensions can be adjusted if necessary. Here, too, attention should be paid to a sufficient number of floor openings so that water can drain off.
List of materials for the trellis
To ensure that the wooden box and trellis form a harmonious unit, the same type of wood should be used for both components. These materials are required:
- 4 vertical frame strips 2.5 x 6.0 x 120.0 cm
- 4 horizontal frame strips 2.5 x 6.0 x 100.0 cm
- 2 vertical frame strips 2.5 x 3.0 x 120.0 cm
- 2 horizontal frame strips 2.5 x 3.0 x 120.0 cm
As the later DIY instructions for the individual construction steps show, create a total of 3 frames. The lattice framework is clamped between two frames of the same size and firmly clamped by a third, smaller frame. This creates a high degree of stability, so that you can also use powerful climbing plants or berry bushes in the planter.
The following strips are to be purchased for the trellis between the frames:
- 2 strips 2.5 x 6.0 x 26.0 cm
- 2 strips 2.5 x 6.0 x 35.0 cm
- 2 strips 2.5 x 6.0 x 52.0 cm
- 2 strips 2.5 x 6.0 x 60.0 cm
- 2 strips 2.5 x 6.0 x 76.0 cm
- 2 strips 2.5 x 6.0 x 85.0 cm
- 2 strips 2.5 x 6.0 x 105.0 cm
- 2 strips 2.5 x 6.0 x 110.0 cm
- 2 strips 2.5 x 6.0 x 126.0 cm
- 2 strips 2.5 x 6.0 x 136.0 cm
- 2 strips 4.5 x 7.0 x 147.6 cm for attachment to the planter
- stainless steel screws
Build a frame for the trellis
The two outer frames of the trellis are made up of 2 strips each, 120 cm and 100 cm long. Screw the smaller frame with a width of 3.0 cm onto one of these two frames so that the outer edges of both frames are flush with each other. In this way you create a support surface for the lattice construction on the inside. To do this, it is necessary to push (shorten) the inner frame so that the crossbars later come to a length of 114 cm and the vertical battens to a length of 100 cm.
Instructions for frame corner connections
The safe connection of the frame corners is probably the biggest hurdle for most do-it-yourselfers. Since the trellis will not be subjected to a heavy load, the simplest variant of a frame corner connection comes into consideration: overlapping. How to do it right:
- Alternately saw out half of the frame thickness and half of the frame width
- The resulting connection is glued with wood glue
- Pins or screws provide additional stability
Alternatively, a doweled connection is an option. Here, the frames can be plugged together either bluntly, with or without pegs. It is important to note that the drill works precisely when drilling the dowel holes and does not run off. Otherwise there is a risk of a skewed position when assembling the frame, which is difficult to compensate for.
Build trellis
Now construct the grid by placing the 2.5 cm thick and 6 cm wide strips in the frame and cutting them to the right length. Place the second layer crosswise on top of the first layer. Where the two layers of strips cross, mark the places as precisely as possible, since you saw out the marked pieces of wood here so that a stable cross connection is created. To do this, arrange the marked slats in such a way that they can be processed with a fine saw. A perfect notch is exactly half as deep as the wooden slat is high. The width of the notch corresponds exactly to the batten width. Now all the strips can be joined together to form the desired lattice framework, clamped between the two frames and screwed together. The third frame can now be put on and fixed with the stainless steel screws.
Fasten the trellis to the plant box
The two strips measuring 4.5 x 7 x 147.6 cm are now used to connect the trellis and wooden planter. Screw these strips to the wide side of the box so that the lower edge of the strip is flush with the lower edge of the planter. The trellis is inserted between the two fastening slats in such a way that the upper edges are also flush. With these dimensions, there is a distance of 10 cm between the plant box and the grid. If you want a greater distance, the length of the bars must be changed accordingly.
Conclusion
A plant box with an integrated trellis creates a decorative eye-catcher on the balcony, terrace and in the garden. At the same time, this variant serves as a practical and nature-loving privacy screen or contributes to the greening of the facade, where the floor is sealed or covered. is paved. Craftsman-talented hobby gardeners insist on creating this construction themselves. This DIY guide shows you how to build a customized planter box with trellis yourself. The dimensions mentioned may serve as a guide and must be adjusted individually. A total of 3 frames ensure an extra portion of stability. The two outer frames are the same size and clamp the trellis, while the third, smaller frame clamps it firmly.
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