What is the Best wood for a Backyard Trellis?

When deciding what the best wood for a backyard trellis is, you will naturally want to select the longest-lasting wood, if the price is reasonable. Trellises come in a multitude of sizes and shapes. They are usually backyard structures which are used to support vines and train them into esthetically-pleasing shapes. Trellises can support grapevines or flowering vines such as wisteria, clematis or climbing roses. They can be very dramatic.

You could select pine lumber, which would probably cost the least. Pine is not noted for longevity, when used outdoors. You could treat it with a wood preservative and/or stain it to lengthen the lifespan and change the color. A disadvantage of using a finish which needs to be renewed periodically, is the difficulty of re-coating the trellis when it is covered with the vine which it is supporting. This can be a tedious and aggravating task and result in an incomplete job at best.

A more sensible choice would be to select a wood that is naturally weather-resistant and very long lasting. Two such woods are western red cedar and northern white cedar. Cedar contains a high concentration of tannic acid which protects it naturally from insects, rot and decay. Red cedar has a higher concentration than white cedar, resulting in more weather and rot resistance. It also has a much tighter grain which reduces water absorption, also giving it more weather resistance.

The weathered appearance of red cedar is a dark, rich hue. White cedar tends to weather to a silver gray hue. Unprotected white cedar may last at least 10 years while red cedar should last 20 to 30 years. Coating with a high-quality wood preservative should extend the life of both considerably.

This should help you decide what the best wood for a backyard trellis is.