# Forum Home Renovation Pergolas, Gazebos, Strombellas & Rotundas  Best options for supporting pergola vines?

## Savvas

Hi Folks, 
I would value advice on the best way to support vines I'm growing over a pergola. Long story short - I have a large pergola structure on the west side of my house (over a driveway) constructed on 120 x 45mm Oregon beams spanning about 3 metres. Hung at 1.2 metre centres from a wall plate on one side & a post-supported plate on the other. I put this up when I first bought this wreck of a house 30 years ago to get some shade from the afternoon sun. Planted a bouganvilia on the fence line supported by wire cables. While this provided great shade, in the longer term it was a disaster, getting completely out of control & (apparently) wrecking the neighbour's plumbing. The tree surgeon I got to remove it reckoned it weighed several tons - it certainly filled a tip truck! 
So the Bouganvilia has gone but I still need shade so I'm planting ornamental & fruiting grape vines in large half-food barrels along the house-side of the drive way. I plan to train them up wall-mounted trellis and thence over the pergola structure. I doubt they'll ever get particularly 'woody' or heavy as I'm told planting them in barrels will naturally limit their growth.  
So my question is, what's the best way to support these vines once they get up to roof height? My brother (who has done something similar) tells me to use 6mm steel reinforcing mesh cut into appropriate sized sheets (probably 3 x 1.8m, that being what I can fit on the use!)  
The 6mm reinforcing mesh feels quite rigid but will it be 'overkill'? Could I get away with a roll of 2mm fencing mesh perhaps (I suspect I'd need some sort of extra support for the fencing mesh)? The reo is ungalvanised and will rust - should I be concerned about that? Can you get F62 in galvanised form? I'm probably overthinking this - eh? 
Thanks, Sam.

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## Bart1080

Is the vine on the roof going across the rafters or in line with the rafters?
If the latter, then should be self-supporting.  
 I've seen everything from:  2mm wires run across the rafters at 300 to 400mm spacings 2.5 high tensile plain fencing wire weld mesh 100x100 (gal)F62 or F72 concrete reo meshtreated pine wooden batterns 
and all seem to work fine (for ornamental grape vines.
Even growing these vines across the fascia of a veranda with only a wire stapled (rural fence staples) across the front. 
Looking at the many cafes/wineries in the area, wire seems to be the most common method used across the rafters but hey, nothing wrong with gal 100x100 weld mesh if thats what your preference is .

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## ForeverYoung

> ...
>  I've seen everything from:  2mm wires run across the rafters at 300 to 400mm spacings 2.5 high tensile plain fencing wire weld mesh 100x100 (gal)F62 or F72 concrete reo meshtreated pine wooden batterns  
> and all seem to work fine ...

  Until it doesn't.
You must have been looking at mine?
It recently fell down.
Propped it up. Will redo it all in winter when it is nude. 
I blame the extension lead for stretching, they don't make em like they used to.

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## Bart1080

> I blame the extension lead for stretching, they don't make em like they used to.

  Note for next time:  Use a 15A extension lead instead of a 10A lead  :Smilie:

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## ForeverYoung

> Note for next time:  Use a 15A extension lead instead of a 10A lead

  but that would have meant filing the earth pin down to fit the GPO.

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## METRIX

Be very careful planting something that will grow over an Oregon pergola, vines hold water which causes timber structures to rot.
I have seen many damaged pergolas due to vines growing on them, Oregon does not like being wet it will dramatically shorten the life of it.

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## Savvas

Here are some pics which may better illustrate the project...

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## Savvas

Thanks Metrix, The pergola seems to have survived the previous bouganvilia 'infestation' which was incredibly heavy & dense. I've been thinking of painting it with some sort of wood preserver while the weather is still dry & warm. Maybe capping the beams with some plastic protective tape I have left over from the deck too. Can you recommend a suitable wood sealer or preserver?

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## Savvas

Thanks Bart,  
On reflection - and it seems stupidly obvious now I'm typing this out - the existing beams with the 3-4 tensioned cables I put up initially, supported the very heavy bouganvilia without collapsing (although the cables did seem to stretch a bit).  
So I guess strength is probably not the major issue! I'm probably more concerned with making it look 'nice', preserving the woodwork & making it easier to prune regularly (something that proved impossible with the thorny & downright dangerous bouganvilia)! 
Can you actually buy galvanised weld mesh, or does it only come in a 'raw' steel form? 
Thanks, Sam.

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## Bart1080

just Google "100x100 weld mesh" 
..***Take note of Metrix's comment as he is right in that origan doesnt fair well with moisture.  
Looking at the pics, I'm surprised they are looking as well as they are presented in the pics given they appear unpainted....unless this is a more recent construction? 
whats the spacing between the rafters?

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## Savvas

Yes - I'm surprised too. I've had a close look and there doesn't appear to be any significant decay etc - but I am in Adelaide where it doesn't always rain!  
I used old, salvaged timber so maybe it was a better quality... Anyway I do plan to treat it with something and maybe put some left-over plastic decking capping I have on top.  
It was all built about 20 years ago. The rafter spacing is about 1200mm. 
Thanks, Sam.

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## METRIX

20 years, I'm surprised it's lasted that long especially with a vine growing on it, you mustn't not get a lot of rain there, 20 years in Sydney and exposed Oregon is suffering very bad.
If you used old timbers, these may have already been very old, so could be the good stuff. 
Oregon of the "old days" was from old growth forests (80-120 years old) it was very dense and strong and could be used outdoors.
New plantation grown Oregon from NZ and USA is cut at a much younger age (as little as 10 years) so it doesn't get the chance to tighten the growth rings and is classified now as suitable for internal use only. 
Here is a good article from NZ, not the Product Information - intended use.  https://www.thoratimbers.com.au/site...s_Fir_2018.pdf

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