Panels can serve as decorative enclosures that hide unsightly items such as equipment and air conditioners. Many people are interested in building panels to complement their gardening and landscaping, as well as the exterior of their homes for curb appeal. By creating your panels, you have the freedom to choose the design, pattern, and dimensions you need for your project.
Panels are structures made from strips of wood. The laths are overlapping, providing stability for a frame. The crossed strips also allow for a patterned design, which creates the element of décor and design for the panel. Most of the time, panels will be diamond or floral patterned, but there are many different designs you can incorporate, especially if you’re building your own.
Many homeowners are interested in building panels because of the limitations in the design and layout of commercially manufactured ones. Likewise, many of these options are made from plastic, which is not always ideal for hot climates. Read on for a brief guide on how to build lattice panels for outdoor home improvement projects.
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Steps To Build Your Own Lattice Panels
Making your lattice panels can be broken down into several steps.
- First, you’ll want to determine the specifics of your project. You’ll want to determine the size of the panels and the lath strips, the amount of space you want between strips, and if the strips will be placed together to form shapes like diamonds or squares.
- To make cutting lath strips easier, ensure that all strips are the same size. You don’t need to worry about perfect spacing; creative designs can be made regardless of how evenly apart the strips rest against each other. You might even find it easier to form patterns this way.
- Stain and paint the exterior you want for your lath before attaching it to the panels. You might consider an airless paint sprayer to speed up the painting portion. A paint roller can also make painting efficient.
Attaching Strips Together
After you’re done painting, lay the pieces on a worktable so that the connection points and the centerpiece are accessible. You want the perimeter piece strips to rest on the connection points and one piece to center the others. Lay cross pieces on these and staple them together at the intersections of each edge and crosspiece. Attach the longer pieces in the same fashion, with staples for each end and the center.
Multiple Installation Options
Installing your lattice panels can be done in many ways, based on your budget and the effort you’re willing to put in. You can attach the frame to your panel and then take that frame and attach the panel to the structure that will go in the back of it.
Also Read: A Look into The World of Fully Pledged Roofing Installers
Build The Designs You Want From Scratch
If you want to create lattice panels to last, consider building your own! Review the information in the above guide as you go about your next home improvement project with lattice panels from scratch.
