Added height overloads the posts
Trellis on top of a 1.8m fence increases wind load on posts that were never set for it. The trellis does not fail on its own; it takes the posts with it.
Trellis & screening · Bracknell, Berkshire & Surrey
Trellis And Garden ScreeningIn Bracknell For PrivacyWithout Boxing You In
Extra height, real privacy and something for planting to climb, added to a boundary that can take the wind load, priced in writing within 48 hours of a free site visit and guaranteed for up to 5 years on new installations.
20+ years' experience · Up to 5 years' guarantee · Checkatrade member
Fencing experience
Public liability insured
Guarantee on new installs
Quote after your site visit
Checkatrade member
Service overview
What Trellis And ScreeningAre Used For
Trellis and screening are the parts of a boundary that add height, break sightlines and support planting without turning the garden into a walled box. That covers trellis toppers on an existing fence, full-height trellis panels, slatted screens, louvre and batten screening, and standalone screens used to hide a bin store, a hot tub or an overlooked corner.
The design question is always the same: how much do you want to block, and how much light and air do you want to keep? Solid screening gives complete privacy and takes full wind load. Slatted and trellis screening breaks sightlines, keeps the garden feeling open, passes wind through and gives climbers something to grip.
Why professional installation matters
Adding height changes the physics of a fence. A trellis topper on posts that were set for 1.8m increases the sail area and the leverage on those posts, so the posts, not the trellis, decide whether it survives the winter. Fitting screening properly often means replacing or extending posts rather than screwing a panel to the top of what is there.
There is a practical side too: extra height on a boundary can affect neighbours and, above certain heights, permitted development. We will flag anything worth checking before we fit rather than after.
Who it is for
- Homeowners overlooked by a neighbouring window, extension or raised deck
- Gardens where a 1.8m fence is not quite enough but a solid wall is too much
- Anyone wanting to hide bins, oil tanks, hot tubs or a utility corner
- Gardeners who want a structure for climbers, roses and espalier planting
When it is needed
- A new extension or loft conversion next door has changed your privacy
- You are already replacing a fence and want the extra height built in now
- A seating area or new deck feels exposed from one particular angle
- Planting needs support and there is nothing for it to climb
What it costs to wait
Why Bolt-On ScreeningBlows Down First
Screening is the most commonly under-engineered part of a garden, because it looks lightweight and is treated as decoration.
Solid screening acts as a sail
Close-boarded screening in an exposed position needs the post spacing and depth to match. Fitted like a trellis panel, it becomes the first thing down in a gale.
Planting doubles the load
A mature climber on trellis adds significant weight and catches far more wind. Screening that held fine bare can fail once it is grown over.
Neighbour and height problems
Height added without thought creates a dispute or a structure that has to come back down, an expensive way to find out.
Common mistakes we are called out to fix
- Screwing trellis to the top of existing panels rather than to extended or new posts
- Adding height to posts that are already soft at ground level
- Choosing solid screening in a wind-funnel position where slatted would survive
- Fixing screening flat against a fence with no airflow, trapping damp on both
- Using thin, stapled garden-centre trellis on a structural boundary
- Planting a vigorous climber onto screening never designed to carry it
Our process
Five Steps From EnquiryTo Guaranteed Finish
- 01
Free site visit and sightline check
We stand where you actually sit and look at what needs blocking; a window, a deck, a path, then check the existing posts, their depth and condition, and how exposed that boundary is to wind.
- 02
Written quote within 48 hours
You get the screening type, height, fixing method and any post work priced in writing, normally within 48 hours. If the existing posts cannot take the added height, that is on the quote from the start rather than raised mid-job.
- 03
Post work and preparation
Posts are extended, replaced or newly set in concrete to suit the finished height and the wind load. This is the step that decides whether the screening is still standing in three years.
- 04
Fit screening and trellis
Panels, slats or trellis are fitted level and to line, with airflow allowed behind where they sit against an existing fence, and capping or trims used to close off exposed top edges and cut ends.
- 05
Check, tidy and guarantee
We load-check the finished screening, walk the sightline with you to confirm it does the job you wanted, and clear the site. New installations carry up to 5 years' guarantee depending on the style installed.
What you get
The Practical DifferenceOn Your Property
Privacy where you need it
Screening set at the height and position that blocks the actual sightline, checked from where you sit rather than guessed from a plan.
Height without a walled-in garden
Slatted and trellis options break views while keeping light and air moving, so the garden still feels open.
Engineered for wind
Posts specified and set for the finished height and the solidity of the screen; the reason ours stays up.
Something for planting
Trellis built to carry climbers, roses and espalier planting rather than thin stapled panels that collapse under growth.
Hides what you do not want seen
Bin stores, oil tanks, hot tub plant and utility corners screened off neatly and left accessible.
Guaranteed and insured
Up to 5 years' guarantee on new installations, with £5m public liability and employers' liability cover.
Detail that matters
Trellis & Garden Screening In Detail, Materials, Methods And Variations
Screening and trellis options
Each option trades privacy against light, wind load and planting support differently.
- Trellis toppers, 300mm–600mm of trellis above an existing fence for height and climbing support.
- Full-height trellis panels: a boundary that is a planting structure from the ground up.
- Slatted screens, horizontal slats with set gaps; contemporary, wind-permeable, adjustable privacy.
- Solid boarded screening, full privacy for seating areas and hot tubs, with post work to match the load.
- Louvre and batten screening, angled boards that block a specific sightline while keeping light.
- Composite screening: the low-maintenance route, matched to a composite fence or deck.
- Standalone screens, freestanding runs to hide bins, tanks or plant, or to divide a garden into zones.
Fixing method and wind load
The correct method depends on what is already there. Where posts are sound and long enough, trellis can be fitted between post extensions. Where posts were set for the existing height only, they need extending with properly fixed sections or replacing with longer posts set deeper, which is the honest answer more often than people expect.
Solidity is the other variable. A slatted screen lets wind through and loads posts far less than a boarded screen of the same height. On exposed boundaries we will steer you towards slatted or spaced designs, or specify heavier posts and closer centres if you want solid.
Height, neighbours and planting
Added height is the most common cause of boundary friction, so it is worth agreeing what is going up before it goes up. There are also general limits on boundary structure height under permitted development, and we will flag when a proposed height is worth checking with the council before we fit it.
For planting, the trellis has to carry the mature plant, not the one you buy. Vigorous climbers get heavy and catch wind, so we build the structure and fix it for the loaded condition and can leave an airflow gap behind so the fence and the plant both last.
Screening with fencing and decking
Screening works best specified alongside the fence or deck rather than added later. Doing both at once means posts are set for the final height first time, the boards and finishes match, and you pay for one set of groundwork instead of two.
We install trellis and garden screening across Bracknell, Wokingham, Camberley, Ascot, Reading, Bagshot, Addlestone, Chertsey and Windlesham for homeowners, landlords, agricultural and commercial clients.
Related services
Areas we cover for this service
Bracknell · Wokingham · Camberley · Ascot · Reading · Bagshot · Addlestone · Chertsey · Windlesham
Based in Bracknell, working across Berkshire and Surrey every day. See the full areas we cover or contact us to check your postcode.
Before you enquire
Trellis & Garden ScreeningQuestions, Answered
Still not sure? Call 07939 405646 and speak to Robert directly, no call centre, no sales script.
- How much does trellis and garden screening cost?
- It depends on the height added, the type of screening, and whether the existing posts can take the load or need extending or replacing. The site visit is free and the written quote follows, normally within 48 hours.
- Can trellis be added to my existing fence?
- Often yes, but it depends on the posts. Adding height increases wind load, so posts have to be sound, deep enough and long enough, or extended. We check them on the site visit and tell you straight.
- How high can I make my fence with screening on top?
- There are general permitted development limits on boundary structure height, and going above them can require consent. We will flag when your proposed height is worth checking with the council before anything is fitted.
- Will screening block my light?
- Solid screening will, which is why slatted, louvre and trellis options exist. We look at the sightline from where you actually sit and recommend the least intrusive design that still does the job.
- What is the most private option?
- Solid boarded or composite screening gives complete privacy. It also takes the most wind, so posts and spacing are specified accordingly, which is included in the quote rather than discovered later.
- How long does screening take to install?
- Trellis toppers on sound posts are often a single visit. Where posts need replacing or extending, allow longer so the concrete can hold before the screening goes on. Duration is on your quote.
- Can climbing plants grow on it?
- That is what trellis is for, but the structure has to carry the mature plant, not the young one. We build and fix for the loaded condition and can leave an airflow gap behind so the fence and plant both last.
- Is screening guaranteed?
- New installations carry up to 5 years' guarantee depending on the style installed; repairs carry 1 year. We hold £5,000,000 public liability insurance and employers' liability cover.
- Can you screen off bins, a hot tub or an oil tank?
- Yes, standalone screens are a common request. They are built for access as well as concealment, so you can still get to what is behind them easily.
- Should I do screening at the same time as new fencing?
- Yes, if you can. Setting posts once for the final height is cheaper and stronger than fitting a fence now and adding height later, and the finishes match.
Next step
Get Your Privacy SortedBefore Next Summer
Free site visit and sightline check, written quote within 48 hours, up to 5 years' guarantee, payment on completion.
- Free site visit before any price
- Written quote within 48 hours
- Repairs from £150 + VAT
- Up to 5 years' guarantee on new installs
- £5m public liability insured
- Payment due on completion
Book Your Free Site VisitTailored quote within 48 hours. Payment is due on completion.
Prefer to talk it through? 07939 405646