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About This Project
Copper is an ideal outdoor material for garden structures. It has a warm, natural look, whether shiny or tarnished. It lasts for years without upkeep. And it’s easy to work with and relatively inexpensive.
We built this copper garden trellis from standard 1/2-in. and 3/4-in. type M copper plumbing tubes. We’ll show you a unique joining method that allows you to solder the tubing together without fittings. To simplify the process, we’ll show you how to assemble a simple 2x4 jig to keep the tubes aligned while you solder them. Don’t worry if you’ve never soldered copper. This project is a great place to learn, since you don’t have to be concerned about critical plumbing joints leaking. If you goof up and one of the joints lets loose, just resolder it.
Even working at a casual pace, you’ll be able to complete this project in a weekend. You can pick up all the materials and tools at a home center. You’ll need a tubing cutter ($12 to $23), propane torch ($10 to $30), propane canister ($3), emery cloth, roll of solder, flux and flux brush for the soldering work, and a hammer and saw to build the jig. If you want to anchor the trellis in the ground, buy a 10-ft. length of 1/2-in. electrical conduit (EMT). You’ll find it in the electrical department. Including the jig and EMT, the materials will cost about $50.
Cut the Tubing and Build the Jig
If you object to the lettering on the
copper tubes, remove it with steel wool or an abrasive nylon pad. Then mark and cut the lengths of copper needed following the Cutting List. You could use a hacksaw to cut the tubing, but a tubing cutter is much easier to use and results in a
cleaner cut. Start by snugging the wheel onto the tube at the cutting mark. Spin the cutter once around and tighten it a little. Continue spinning and tightening until the tube is cut. After a few tries, you’ll know how much to tighten it each time for the most efficient
cutting. If you plan to build several trellises, buy a top-quality tubing cutter. The Ridgid model No. 150 ($23) shown is one
example. It will last a lifetime and give better results with less effort than an inexpensive cutter.
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