Bicycle Wheel Porch Screen

 Rather than purchase pre made lattice or privacy  screens, I made my own out of bicycle wheels. It was surprisingly easy and practically free, not to mention whimsical and ecological.  

Materials:
needle nose pliers
wire cutters
steel wire
Eye screws
s hooks
small  steel chain
Bicycle wheels (I used 6 Discarded Rd. bike wheels)
measuring tool

Step 1. 
I went to the local bike store and talked to the folks who service my road bike and asked for bicycle wheels that were going into the dumpster.  They happily donated 6 wheels that were ready to be tossed. I took them home and cleaned them on my driveway with a scuba brush and soapy water.

Step 2.
I put the wheels together by laying them on the ground in two rows of three. I connected the wheels by wrapping steel wire (10 gauge) tightening with long nosed pliers and slightly overlapping the wheels to increase stability.  The wrapping needed to be tight to support the structure and prevent the metal from making noise.

Step 3
After connecting the wheels in two rows of three, I secured the rows together to form the basic structure.


Step 4.
I marked the spot to hang the wheels above .  I then screwed eye hooks into the porch above each outer center of the wheels.

Step 5
I secured the structure to the eye hooks by wrapping some chain through the wheels and securing to small  s hooks above the wheels.

Step 6
Wrapping some chain around the bottom railing and securing through the wheels helped to keep the structure secure and quiet.

Step 7
I invited my 5 yr. old neighbor/friend to help me decorate the wheels by attaching beads and found sea glass pieces on and around the spokes.  
We also used some old costume jewelry.

Step 8 
As the trumpet vine grows along the side of my house, it is beginning to creep up the porch and wrap itself around the bike wheel spokes and rims.  The effect it creates invites the vine to grow up in a creative, green and practical way!