Arbors vs. Trellises: Pros, Cons, and Costs

Many people use the terms arbors and trellises interchangeably because they’re similar structures. However, once you understand and see the differences between these two designs, you’ll know exactly how to deploy them for specific purposes in your landscaping. You don’t have to mix up arbors versus trellises again—learn their pros, cons, and costs.

Arbor vs. Trellis: Key Differences

A trellis is a flat lattice built to support a vine or climbing plant. The trellis can attach to a building or be freestanding. An arbor, meanwhile, can serve as a freestanding tunneled entryway for people to walk through as they enter a section of landscaping.

You can think of the arbor as having two vertical trellises on each side and an arched top section that connects the two vertical sections. A trellis can be part of an arbor, but not vice versa. The trellis is a flat, two-dimensional object, while arbors have a three-dimensional design.

What Are Arbors?

An arbor often serves as an entryway to a yard, patio, or garden. It often has an arched top section with a pair of vertical sections secured to the ground to create a mini-tunnel to use as an entryway. The arbor contains a lattice that serves as a platform for vines and climbing plants to grow and cover the lattice material. Between 8 and 10 feet in height is common for an arbor, but other heights are available. The lattices usually consist of vinyl, wood, or metal.

Best for:

• People who want to define an entryway

• Those who love tall climbing plants

• People who want to save money compared to a pergola or gazebo

Pros of Arbors

The best feature of an arbor is its aesthetically pleasing look. Whether you grow climbing plants or vines over the lattice of the arbor, its shape and size are striking ways to define an entryway. You can use it over the gate in a fence or at the entrance to a garden or patio.

The vertical sides of arbors—which are essentially two trellises—need a secure connection to the ground to stand up to wind or to support climbing plants. The arch shape at the top that connects the two vertical sides steadies the entire structure, even when it’s weighed down with plants.

Cons of Arbors

Arbors require some maintenance. Wood arbors may need painting, but even metal or vinyl arbors might become loose, requiring maintenance to secure them to the ground. As plants grow on the lattice, it becomes heavy and may need deeper staking.

Unless the plants climbing the arbor are thick and go completely across the top of the arched lattice, you won’t receive as much shade from the arbor as you could from a pergola or gazebo. Arbors can be more expensive than a trellis, but they should cost less than pergolas or gazebos.

What Are Trellises?

Trellises are wood or metal structures with a lattice design. The lattice can appear in several different flat shapes, such as rectangles, obelisks, ladders, fans, and hearts. Climbing roses, plants, and vines will use trellises to spread their leaves and flowers across the lattice for a unique look. The trellis allows growth to migrate upward along a wall, the side of a building, or across a freestanding structure, giving your plants the ability to spread out when you have limited horizontal space available.

Best for:

• People who want to improve the look of the side of a building

• Improving the health and flower or fruit production of a climbing plant

• Those who want to eventually create an arbor

Pros of Trellises

The trellis cost of $400 to $2,400 is lower than the arbor cost of $1,600 to $3,500. A trellis has less square footage of material compared to an arbor, explaining the cost difference. You can request a price quote from a local trellis, arbor, or pergola contractor.

You can incorporate almost any trellis ideas for designs when building the lattice, creating a pleasing aesthetic. Varying shapes, materials, and lattice designs can all contribute to the pleasing look of the trellis. Because the trellis allows the climbing plant to spread out, it’s easier for air and moisture to reach the leaves, helping the plant grow healthier. This design can even lead to greater fruit and flower production.

Cons of Trellises

Installing a trellis can be a challenging DIY project, especially when trying to secure a trellis that’s several feet in height. You have to secure it carefully, or it could fall over under the weight of the plants or the stress of a windstorm. Don’t underestimate the weight of a trellis that’s fully loaded with vines.

Trellises can be pricey, depending on the design. Wood can cost more than double that of a vinyl or metal trellis. Trellises that are 8 feet or taller will be significantly more expensive than those that are 6 feet or shorter. They may need painting or repairs to keep them in top condition and looking their best, too. Hiring a professional for repairs is a good idea if you spent a lot of money on the original trellis, rather than risking more damage with a DIY repair.

Arbors vs. Trellises

When deciding whether to install an arbor or a trellis, it’s helpful to compare the two options in a few key categories.

Appearance: Arbor

Because an arbor has an arched top section, it delivers a more striking look than a trellis. The arbor’s ability to frame the entrance to a garden or patio gives it an interesting appearance.

Options and Customizations: Arbor

An arbor offers a few more options in where you can use it compared to a trellis. Because it has two vertical sections, the arbor is easier to secure to the ground as a freestanding structure compared to securing a single freestanding trellis. Instead of using it as a freestanding structure, securing the trellis to an existing structure, like a home or garage, can make it sturdier.

Durability: Trellis

The materials used to create the lattices in the arbors or trellises play a key role in durability. However, because most people will secure a trellis to a building while most arbors will be freestanding, a trellis has a better chance of surviving a major windstorm, giving it more durability.

Price: Trellis

Trellises are quite a bit more affordable than arbors, but they also offer less square footage of lattice than arbors. 

Ease of Installation: Tie

Both arbors and trellises have some challenges when doing installation. Freestanding trellises or arbors can be difficult to secure for DIYers, especially if you’re working with a lattice that’s taller than 6 feet or is extremely wide. Even if you’re securing a trellis to an existing building, you may have to work while standing on a tall ladder, which complicates installation.

Maintenance: Tie

Both arbors and trellises will need occasional maintenance, based primarily on the materials used. Wood may need painting or repairs after a storm, while metal lattice needs less maintenance than some other materials.