Building A Privacy Trellis

Recreating The Privacy Trellis

Comment

In December of 2010 we added an eight foot 4x4 lamp post to the high end of our new deck which looks out over a wash that on occasion becomes a stream.

Though only a couple of feet high, one could easily forget it was there, fall off and break something. The bottom of the post was firmly clamped into a steel anchor going down about 16" between a couple of below-grade boulders. A quarter of the way up, it was also attached to the steel reinforced deck frame.

A square reinforced 2x4 frame was then joined firmly to the deck and to the post. The top rail of this frame extended far enough out to accommodate a relaxed arm holding a cup of coffee or a beer. Adjacent to a comfortable wrought iron chair, it was at the perfect height for this purpose.

The quietly tucked away deck overlooks a wide and open valley with only a few roof tops visible on the downslope and then a low mountain range beyond. The open-air expanse of sunny terrain and sky between the ranges is very pleasant to just sit there and look at. However, occasionally vehicles do pass by as do people, including immediate neighbors just beyond a hedge on the other side of the wash. We decided that we would like a little more privacy, especially when walking to the outdoor shower enclosure wrapped in only a towel.

In February of 2012, we added a two-panel trellis hung between a pair of decorative hollow metal posts stuck in the ground. This casual wall of lattice was placed just beyond a deck level bedrock boulder that spans from the lamppost to the shower enclosure. It looked great and it did the job.

In time, the occasional gale-force wind gusts began to warp this configuration out of shape. Trellis slats broke or came loose. Screws fell out and were replaced by steel hose clamps. The hollow steel posts rusted at ground-level and snapped on 3 sides.

Three foot steel straps were added up top for additional support. They ran from the top ends of the trellis pair to the post and to the shower. Even their screw heads would gradually wear out and disappear. We would often walk out our door after an afternoon breeze (part gale) to find it twisted every whitchaway.

In April of 2017, I decided to rethink the whole thing.

The lesson here is: "Don't expect anything rigid to remain rigid inside a wind tunnel".

An eight foot 2" aluminum strap was run straight across and perfectly level from the top of the post to just below the shower enclosure roof, bowed out to hang just beyond the deck-level boulder. The top of an eight foot solid (not hollow) steel decorative plant hanging post, discovered at Tractor Supply, was bolted to the center of the eight foot strap.

Three (rebuilt) lattice panels were hung loosely from the aluminum strap on solid zinc hooks that would allow the left and right panels to swing out to their hearts content without falling off. (The center panel is between the steel post and the boulder.) Each claw-like hook was enclosed within a clear soft vinyl aquarium hose so that they could not be heard swinging and will not wear out.

I think that this setup might work.