One of the most common requests we field is from customers who like their existing fence but wish it were a little taller, usually for privacy. Replacing the whole boundary is rarely necessary. A trellis top panel, or a trellis section added above an existing run, often solves the problem at a fraction of the cost. As a supplier of fencing and timber supplies in Clitheroe, we stock the 6ft trellis fence panel and trellis sections precisely because adding height the right way is such a frequent need across the area.
Why Trellis Beats a Solid Extension
The instinct when you want more height is to add solid timber, but that is often the wrong move. Adding a solid section to the top of a fence dramatically increases the wind load on posts that were never designed to carry it, and the result is frequently a fence that blows down in the next gale. Trellis is the smarter answer because its open framework lets wind pass through rather than catching it. You gain the height and the screening without turning your boundary into a sail.
Trellis also brings a softer, more attractive look than a solid extension. The open diamond or square pattern is designed to be planted, and a season or two of climbers transforms it into a living green screen that gives far more privacy than the timber alone. For a garden that feels overlooked, a trellis top with established climbers is one of the most effective and pleasant ways to reclaim a sense of seclusion.
Adding Trellis to What You Already Have
There are two routes. You can fit full 6ft trellis fence panels as a complete run where you want an open, decorative boundary from the ground up, or you can add a trellis section above an existing fence to gain height. The second approach needs care, because the existing posts must be sound and tall enough, or extended, to carry the added section. If the posts are already leaning or rotten, adding height will only hasten their failure, so it is worth checking the posts honestly before you build up.
Privacy, Planting and the Wind Question
Trellis gives privacy in two stages. On its own it breaks up sightlines and adds height immediately. Planted with climbers, it becomes a genuine screen over time. The benefit, particularly in the exposed gardens around the valley, is that even fully grown a trellis-and-climber screen still flexes and passes some wind, where a solid wall of the same height would be under constant strain. Our article on benefits of using trellis with fencing goes into the planting and privacy angle in more detail.
Keeping the Boundary Strong Underneath
Adding height is a good moment to make sure the foundations of the fence are right. Sound posts, secure clips and a gravel board at the base all matter more once a fence is carrying extra height and planting. If you are reviewing the whole boundary, our guide on how to improve garden privacy without losing light pairs naturally with this approach. You can see the trellis options on our decorative fence panels and trellis page.
Choosing the Right Climbers for a Trellis Top
The plant you train through a trellis top makes a real difference to how the screen performs and how much work it becomes. Evergreen climbers give year-round screening, which matters most when you want privacy through the bare winter months as well as summer, while a vigorous deciduous climber offers a lush summer screen that thins in winter to let more light through, which some gardens actually prefer. Bear in mind that a heavy, woody climber adds considerable weight and wind resistance to the trellis over a few years, so for an exposed valley boundary it is wise to pair vigorous planting with solid posts and good fixings rather than relying on a lightweight panel to carry it. Lighter annual climbers are the low-commitment option if you want greenery without the long-term load.
To work out whether to add a trellis top or fit full trellis panels, call 01200 449930 and describe your existing fence. We deliver trellis and panels across Clitheroe and the BB postcode areas, with free delivery over £150.
