Redwood Trellis Adds Fun and Screens Sun

Redwood decks let the sun shine in to brighten outdoor living. But there are days when you look for the cool, cool shade. The answer is to shelter your deck or patio with a redwood trellis. An overhead redwood shade shelter adds livability, privacy and value to your home. By filtering the sun that comes in through your windows, a redwood trellis is also a natural way to save on air-conditioning and keep your furniture, curtains and artwork from fading.

The basic support frame for a redwood shade structure consists of posts resting on a deck or concrete footings with beams joining them at the top. This frame holds whatever shade elements you choose.

The design of a redwood shade shelter can vary from a lattice trellis to a post, beam and rafter construction or the more elaborate angles of a pagoda or gazebo-style shelter. A trellis can be built for different uses, effects and climates.

In hot, dry weather, open trellising, lath, eggcrate blocking and slats left uncovered cast interesting shadow patterns while filtering direct sunlight. They also form a windbreak but allow vertical air circulation.

For summer rain, trellising can be covered with shingles, shakes, reed fencing bamboo, window screens, louvers, canvas, glass or plastic. Removable sections allow extra control of wind, light and insects to make a deck or patio more livable. The design possibilities are almost limitless. A well-planned redwood trellis greatly complements your home and its surrounding landscape.

Redwood is a natural choice for shelters because its inherent dimensional stability helps to keep posts, beams and joists from twisting or splitting and other elements such at lattice and louvers from warping. For the do-it-yourselfer, redwood is the easiest material to work with because it is easy to handle, saw and nail.

Redwood is available in a variety of grades to suit almost any style. Construction Heart and Construction Common, the knot-textured garden grades of redwood, are more economical than the clear grades commonly used for siding and paneling. No matter which grade you choose, make sure to select all-heartwood lumber for posts and ledger boards. Because posts are close to the ground and ledger boards tend to trap moisture, they are more susceptible to decay. Natural extractives in redwood’s heartwood help protect it from decay and from insect attack as well. For beams, joists and shade elements, it is not necessary to use an all heartwood grade.

To avoid stains, be sure to buy non-corroding stainless steel, aluminum or hot-dipped galvanized hardware. For optimum long-term appearance and weatherability, apply a clear or pigmented finish to your completed project. The best finishes contain water repellents, mildewcides and ultraviolet protection.

A sheltering overhead trellis will make your yard more enjoyable year round. The California Redwood Association offers a package which includes a plan for a simple trellis and a 12-page color booklet, Redwood Landscape Architecture, showing a variety of trellises, decks, fences and other outdoor projects. Send $1.00 to California Redwood Association, Department TR7, 405 Enfrente Drive, Suite 200, Novato, CA 94949.