As a DIY project, painting the trellis - it's easy, it's quick and it's an ideal project to use or get familiar with your trusty paint sprayer. In this guide, we show you what to look out for when choosing a wood preservative and how to proceed when spraying the wall trellis. You can find out how to build your own trellis in our "Build your own trellis" instructions.
You have your sprayer and the chosen wood preservative ready? Then we are ready to go:
If your trellis is on the wall of the house, unscrew it. You can brush off loose dirt with a hand brush and algae or fungi with a wire brush. Then sand the wood and remove the dust with a brush, or a microfibre cloth.
If it is a new Trellis, we recommend that you also countersink the holes directly for screwing on!
A stain or wood preservative can be sprayed undiluted. For paint, thinning by up to 10 % is recommended - the supplied stirring stick will help you here. Simply fill up to the next notch with water and you have a perfect mixing ratio.
If you use a handle extension, attach it to the paint sprayer, as well as the filled paint container. Adjust the amount of paint and air and test the spray on a piece of cardboard. The jet should run out softly, without large visible drops of paint.
Depending on how you work, you have the option of aligning the riser tube differently. Turn the opening of the riser tube forward when spraying mainly downwards and backwards when working mainly overhead. If you are only spraying straight, it does not matter how the riser tube is oriented.
Reduce the spray angle at the front of the nozzle. This way you get a narrow spray strip. This is good for details and perfect for narrow wood like this - because less paint is lost.
With the handle extension as an accessory, you do not have to bend down and can work standing up, which is easy on your back. Make sure you spray at a steady speed with as consistent angle to the surface. Cover all sides of the wood!
Now you just have to let the trellis dry - and then screw it back onto the wall. And then it's a matter of happily watching the plants climb along the plant support! Of course, these instructions also apply to other types of trellis - for example, if you have one for your climbing roses and would like to recoat it soon, or if you have bought a new rose arch and want to design it.
A trellis on a house wall is exposed to rain and moisture, wind and sunlight at all times, which of course damages the wood in the long term. Algae, bacteria, insects and fungi can get at the wood and endanger the stability of the trellis.
However, wood preservatives lose their effect over time. Stains allow the wood to breathe, but also mean that wind and weather leave traces in the long term. And even the thickest layer of paint can crack or flake off. Accordingly, you should look carefully at your Trellis and other outdoor wooden furniture every spring.
If the wood looks worn, if the varnish has many open spots or if you simply no longer like the colour, it is time to refresh the wood!
Make sure to use a paint that will protect your wooden trellis from the weather. And even if you want to paint other wooden garden furniture, you should choose an outdoor wood preservative that will weatherproof your furniture and decorative garden design, ensuring it will last for the long term.
Then the question is whether you still want to see the grain of the wood. If so, only a varnish, or more precisely a clear varnish, should be considered. Here you have the choice between a clear varnish or one with colour pigments. You can either leave the wood completely untreated or apply a translucent colour sheen. Another option would be a stain.
If you want a smooth finish and a uniform colour tone, you can choose a paint or a thicker stain. These form a hardened, protective film. This gives you a uniform colour appearance, but the grain of the wood is no longer visible.
You can find more information on paints, stains and varnishes and how to apply them with a paint sprayers in our guides:
Spraying with stains: It's easy with our tips and Spraying varnishes: Instructions and tips!
A plant border can serve as a green screen: Put up a trellis and let it be overgrown by climbing plants. Natural and private!
On a balcony, a trellis on a wall is a good way to save space - vegetables can also be attached, such as tomatoes or peas. Cucumbers and courgettes can grow vertically instead of horizontally.
Likewise, a free-standing trellis on the wall can serve as decoration: Climbing plants can cover the exterior without affecting the exterior paint.
On the other hand, a trellis in a bright colour combined with colourful flowers can be a beautiful splash of colour in the grey of the city!
These plants grow very quickly and can damage exteriors with their suckers! If you don't want to constantly trim branches and stems, ask your local DIY store or garden centre for advice on which climbing plant is well suited to your location - whether balcony, garden or terrace.
To repaint or stain a wooden trellis, our HVLP units are ideal! HVLP stands for "High Volume Low Pressure" and means that the material is atomised with a lot of air volume but little air pressure. This gives you a fine spray - with only a small spray mist! The following sprayers are suitable for coating your trellis:
Learn the best way to spray woodstain, what you should look out for, why it's worth spraying stains and what the best equipment is for it.
Spraying varnishes
