How to Make a Trellis Privacy Screen

Marie Overton
May 22, 2023
2 min read

Updated: Jun 5

I love to upcycle items that are intended for the landfill. I think it started with me reading The Boxcar Children as a child. The creativity I feel as I take these used-up, unwanted ingredients and make them into something new and worthwhile makes me happy. I knew someone who was getting rid of old metal trellises for in the garden. They were so intriguing I couldn’t pass them up. I am so glad I kept them because I was able to create a large foldable privacy screen that I thought was just beautiful. And it worked perfectly for up at our fair to separate out the sewing area from the flower section of our still life barn.

Wooden garden arch with metal accents by a white picket fence. Lush red and green trees in the background. Bright and serene setting.

completed screen

Supplies

3 trellises

(8) 2x4s

(6) hinges

(8) corner brackets

Jolie Brown Finishing Wax

Construction of Privacy Screen

Woman assembling wooden and metal garden trellis on concrete. She kneels in gray sweater, focusing on aligning pieces. Outdoors, overcast day.

dado blade edges

Begin by using a dado blade to create a groove in the edge of the boards that is big enough for the edge of the trellis to fit inside.

Cut the boards at a 45-degree angle to fit tightly around the trellis.

Person holds a wood plank stained with finishing oil. Several planks and a can labeled "Finishing Wax" are on a wooden table.

apply finishing wax

Use the finishing wax to treat your boards before putting it together so you don’t have to worry about avoiding the wire trellis.

Person kneeling on pavement assembling a wooden gate with metal bars and orange straps. Sunlit scene with a bottle nearby.

cinch with tie straps

Using 4 tie down straps cinch the boards together around the trellis. For extra security you can add wood glue before putting them together.

Person in jeans uses a yellow drill on a wooden frame outdoors, with scattered screws and grass nearby. Sunlit concrete background.

install corner brackets

Use the corner brackets on each corner, front and back.

A person assembles a wooden and metal box shape on a concrete ground, using a tool. Grass and rolled cables are in the background.

install hinges

Now that each of the panels are completed, they need to be connected with hinges. I use three at each joining. I like to make it accordion style so that it will fold flat for storage or transport.