3D Growing Trellis

Looking for a way to expand and build a garden trellis in a customizable way? 3D printing seems like a great fit! Using 3D designed connectors, I was able to use pieces of 1 x 2 lumber to build a trellis of any size and then customize the look.

1 x 2 lumber

3D printer and filament

Liquid Nails glue

1" screwa

With the dimensions of your trellis in mind, start printing the 3D connectors and cutting lumber. I decided that each segment of the trellis would have 6 inch spaces. I then decided how wide I wanted the trellis (12 inches) and how long the initial legs that would go into the ground (12 inches). Cut your lumber and lay it out. For this project, I used six 12 inch pieces and six 6 inch pieces of lumber.

This might take the longest time to print, so get started with the connectors. You'll need as many connectors as you want to add for each segment of the trellis. This one uses 6 of the three point connectors and then 2 of the right angle connectors to finish the top. Test the fit of your first print with the lumber you are using. I ended up reducing the size of my prints on my slicer to 99% to get a more snug fit. Remember, if you want to paint your lumber later, you may want to leave a bit of wiggle room.

After my lumber is cut and parts are printed, I put it all together to check the fit (without glue). I like the size and look of the trellis and am ready to paint.

Using a general purpose spray paint, I painted the wood, then added a clear coat to the lumber.

Using liquid nails, I filled each insert segment with glue, then carefully connected each piece together. The glue takes a long time to set (over 24 hours) so you have lots of time to adjust as needed. Be sure to wipe excess glue from the connectors.

When the trellis was assembled, it seemed a little empty and might present some difficulty for our plants to grow on the large wood. A 3D printed background could make a great addition. I designed this hex shape to fit a gap with 6 inch segments.

Use two one inch screws for each segment of the hex shape. This will be the back side of the trellis, so plan carefully which side will be the front. Attach as many hex pieces as needed. My trellis is 12 inches wide, so fits 3 hex pieces nicely in each gap.

Once the trellis is complete, install in your garden bed. I dug two deep holes in the soil, inserted the lumber and backfilled the holes.The only step left was to help our sweet peas to climb. You can see two different styles of trellis design here. Happy growing!

Three .stl files included for the project.