I Hate Lattice

Greg Di

Yeah...it's official. I hate lattice. I hate working with it. I hate cutting it. I hate installing it.

I really try to discourage installation of lattice because it's so labor intensive to install and the results are usually lackluster at best, but I often get stuck having to do it nonetheless.

We use PVC lattice that has the endcaps and the H-channel for joining panels.

It's just such a miserable product to install.

We run PT along the ground as a nailer with stakes into the ground and generally try to hang the lattice from from the deck fascia. The outside and inside corners are weird connections. Usually I take the endcaps and glue/screw them together to make a cornerboard, but it's cheesy.

I have done 1x Azek frames with pocket screws and the whole nine yards, but it's ridiculously expensive and is a tough sell AND I don't want to lose a guy for two whole days screwing around with lattice work because it's just not profitable. Period.

Can someone give me the magic bullet on PVC lattice installs that is not terribly time and material intensive? I must be missing something because it's just killing us.

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buildenterprise

I concur, lattice sucks and there's no way around it. Especially when you're using the garden lattice, you need nailers all over so it lays flat. And don't forget the oversized holes so it can move with the temperature changes. We also paint the framing black so it disappears once the lattice is installed.

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woodworkbykirk

i hear ya, every chance i get i sell the customer on fence boards or vertical azek. much cleaner looking and way more durable

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putting down subfloor with glue and screws, well i saw dr. smith and the robot too , i had a martian burger and a sonic shake

loneframer

I always build PT kneewalls layed out so the studs are hidden by the vertical lattice strips. I only use square privacy lattice, no diamond type. After the lattice is attached to the walls, Azek frames are applied over top of the panels.

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"Walking the fine line between production and perfection"



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Celtic

Nice jobs LF.



Greg....maybe this will make you feel better [it WON'T make the task any easier]....hopefully you'll get a chuckle over it.

In my yard, we had the fence posts cut at 8' above grade with the intention of putting lattice in the top 2' [yea, I know....code violation...LOL]
I took the Mrs. out w/me to find the material and make sure what I got was what she wanted.
So we are in the fence place and she INSISTS on calling it "LA TISE" [say it like it's french]
Only AFTER we left the place, did I tell her it was "lattice" ...like lettuce

The ride home was very quiet


I bust her chops about that continuously

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loneframer

That's one of those moments that will never be forgotten. I'm sure it was worth the silent treatment.

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"Walking the fine line between production and perfection"



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Greg Di

See now, that's nice, but we don't have those nice CMU corners to make life easier OR level/flat terrain.

I wish I had it THAT easy!

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loneframer

Trying to hide the "lean" on those corners wasn't all that easy, but I get your drift.

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"Walking the fine line between production and perfection"



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Celtic

Definitely!


Not to hijack Greg's bad day post ....but more chuckles from my wife...


At a Devil's game....
during a lull in the action, they usually crank some music up ....
They have Bush's "Machine Head" blaring:
People are singing and toe tapping, air guitar and what not

The Mrs. is happily singing "along" with everyone else


We leave after the game....
Hop in the car....
I turn on the mp3 player....
Yup.... >> to Bush.....
I ask her: What's the name of this song?
She says: Mushy Head!
Me: Ya think it might be MACHINE Head?

Another quiet ride home

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al10fred1081

usually what I do is take and put a nailer behind the bandboard with 2x4 pt, then just plumb down.usuallty I nail a 2x4 corner post together then set it into place and pound three pieces of 1/2 rebar into the ground that is turned on the top to hold the bottom plumb. I guess you could paint the framing black if you wanted but I've never had a problem with a customer about seeing the framing behind it because the lattice is so bright.

with the vinyl lattice the trick is not to fasten the lattice. fasten the frame but let the lattice set freely in the frame and cut it 1/4 short all the way around to allow for expansion and contraction. if you fasten the lattice without predrilling the hole to be larger than the fastener it will bow up. (then what kind of fastener are you gonna use with it? White screws? buttons?) I shoot the lattice frame on with 16 ga stainless trim nails. you have to hit the spine of the u or h channel so it doesn't restrict the lattice movement at all. it usually takes me about 4 hours to trim out the lattice work on anything under a 30' deck.

The other way I have done it is to cut all the pieces for the lattice and stick it in place on a perimeter frame, then sandwich it with azek 1x4 or some azek rips. it looks good either way, but I can't stand seeing vinyl lattice face nailed and all bowed up. With the azek trimboard you don't see the framing behind it.

I much rather build a soldier wall with decking planks or use bandboard material to create a siding effect below the deck if it is higher the 4 foot and the house has siding on it. I've done that a few times. the corners end up being cut like clapboard or shake corners.

so far as cutting it you can't get much easier than vinyl. circ, grinder, tablesaw, snips, whatever will chop this stuff. I usually use a table saw once I snap a line on it and set my flip top to catch it. I just free hand the cut since it goes into the frame anyways.

redwood

We don't ever use plastic lattice, only the real thing. Squares only, no diamonds.

PT verticals, hung from the back of the fascia, horizontals, between verticals (blocking) off fascia, horizontal at grade, with braces back to deck posts.

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Mark
Los Gatos, CA
www.creative-redwood-designs.com

loneframer

Does your wife have any sisters? Sounds like I could have a great relationship with a girl like that. My ex wife always thought the male pubic region was called the "gronning"

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"Walking the fine line between production and perfection"



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Celtic

She's an only child

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carpentershane

I recently built a bunch of paint grade lattice panels around someones landings and part of their deck. Square lattice, 2" holes , I built the frames out of 2x4 with a 1/2" (width of lattice) channel dadoed out of it and assembled it basically along the same lines as a fillet and shoe rail with a stair case. Alot of work but it turned out pretty nice.