Built a Steel Trellis Fence - 40ft!

[Measure2x]

So I recently built a steel trellis fence to bridge two sections of block wall. I'll ultimately grow some vines on it and it will serve as a way to break-up all of the concrete and block around the pool area.

In retrospect, it would have been a hell of a lot easier to just pay the block guy for an extra 40-ft. Wouldn't have been a big cost difference easier.

The two panels on the end are 4-ft. The other panels are all 8-ft. The frame is angle iron. I secured them using bolts into concrete pillars I poured. Pillars are 10-in in diameter and go 30-in in the ground. Overkill, probably.

Lessons learned:
- I hate anchor bolts. The first half of the panels were secured just using anchor bolts. They wanted to slip all the time. I ended up using anchor bolts + epoxy on the remaining. Way better. I would add epoxy to the hole. Insert bolt. Tighten a little. Let it dry 24-hrs. Then fully tighten the bold

- I should've used something other than flat stock for the bottom of the panels. Angle would have made the structure more rigid.

- This was a big *** project. Each pillar took 5 bags of 80-lb concrete. Plus all the welding and securing. Worst part was messing with anchoring the panels to the concrete columns. Welding was relatively straight forward. I did most of this during the summer in Phoenix. Pretty sure I started to have serious heat illness on at least one occasion.

Enjoy the pics!

 

[Kevin54]

I like it, but how you gonna deal with rust?

 

[Measure2x]

I like it, but how you gonna deal with rust?

Rust is encouraged

Since it's above grade, I shouldn't get any serious corrosion. Surface rust is something that I want. Worst case, I can replace a panel since they are bolted to the concrete instead of set inside of it.

 

[03ranger]

Here is Arizona we don’t call it rust, it’s “Patina” Many things made out of steel here in Arizona are not paint or treated and allowed to have patina. Some people will encourage patina by mixing water and mild acid such as clorine together and spraying the steel to create the patina.

 

[matt_i]

Great stuff, so did you fab all the panels to 1/32" tolerances in the shop or did you bring the welding rig out into the yard to finalize the last one? I think it will look great when you get the vines going.

There is something about sack crete which doesn't play well with expansion anchor bolts, I've had the same experience in the past. I don't know if the concrete is more crumbly or somehow the holes drill slightly oversize but the concrete poured from a truck is much more consistent when dealing with these type of anchors. Nice way to fix the problem though!

 

[TTMotorsports]

Very nice. I'm going to be building something similar and planning on using u bolts into the concrete for the anchors. Make a cheap fixture out of some wood and angle iron on ends to get spacing correct then pour concrete. Anchor bolts are hit and miss for me. Sometimes solid and sometimes loose like you said. Epoxy works great.

 

[hefnerconstructionlc]

Looks great, that will fantastic covered in green stuff! Very cool.

 

[Measure2x]

I built the panels and set them one at a time so I didn't have to worry about being super precise.

I think the u bolt template is a decent idea. I was just super paranoid of setting something in concrete then realizing later I screwed up dimensions!

Sent from my Pixel 2 using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[bad_idea]

Cool idea. Will float it past the wife as we are sorting the backyard at our new (to us) home. Our yard is a blank canvas with no fence, limited vegetation, and a decent lawn of bermuda grass.

 

[Bretny]

Nice job. I wish we could "let" things rust here. They rust no matter what you do to them.

 

[Measure2x]

Nice job. I wish we could "let" things rust here. They rust no matter what you do to them.

Quite the opposite out here where people sometimes have to 'force' it to rust!

Will

I have a website: www.measuretwiceplans.com