Privacy screens

Are next-door’s windows only a metre or two away from your own? Then it’s time for a little screen job with these great-looking projects.

You open the curtains first thing in the morning, and there’s your neighbour, staring right back at you – there’s nothing worse. Your windows are so close together and so perfectly aligned that you may as well be living under the same roof. Imagine the horror of not having your hair freshly combed!

This is a common problem with small block sizes, apartments and townhouses. We’re all living closer together – and things are not likely to change. Even fences have their limitations. Lots of them are only 1500mm high, but the windows overlooking the fence may be 1800mm, 2100mm, or even higher – so you can see straight over the top.

However, you can solve this privacy dilemma. There is a range of screening options available, from inexpensive to flash, which will create a visual divide between you and your neighbour. But, bear in mind, that while a screen will give you privacy, it can block out light, too. So you need to achieve the right balance between privacy and light. And, of course, you’ll want the screen to look good from both sides as well.

Before you start

Check into the requirements of your local council and speak to your neighbours before installing a screen, to make sure everyone will be happy. There may be height restrictions and you may be limited in the materials you can use.

Simple screen

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This is one of the easiest (and cheapest) screens to build. Simply drape a roll of screening material over a timber frame you have screwed to the fence and fix it in place. If you need extra screening density, just double the roll over onto your neighbour’s side.

Gather your supplies
Two 70 x 45mm treated pine uprights and 3 rails; a screen roll of your choice.

Step 1
Work out the size you’ll need before cutting the frame to length. Judge the height by standing at your window and have a helper hold a tape vertically against the fence to find at what height privacy is assured. The width of the screen depends on width of the windows, but in many cases a width of 900 or 1200mm is all that is needed.

Step 2
Screw together a frame of 70 x 45mm treated pine uprights with a rail at the top, centre and 200mm up from the base.

Step 3
Screw the uprights to the rails of your fence by skew-screwing. Use a level to make sure the uprights are truly plumb (vertical) and the rails are level.

Step 4
inally, drape the screening over the frame. For wider bamboo slats, you should screw in place; for thinner slats, you can use U-nails or staples.

Screen panels

For something more modern, use ready-made screen panels made of timber slats, or bamboo (for an exotic Asian look). They are normally 1800 x 900mm in size and range in price from $75 to $90.


Gather your supplies
Treated pine packers between fence rails to provide a secure fixing for panels, plus the panels of choice

Step 1
To fit the pre-made panels, pack out behind them with timber framing packers. To install the packers, measure the distance between the rails of the fence, cut treated pine the same thickness as the fence rails above and below, and skew-screw them to the fence rails. Don’t rely on the palings for a secure fixing.

Step 2
Hold the panels in place with a clamp or two and check that the panels are plumb, then screw in place.

Lattice screen

The downside of any screening is that your side may look great, but your neighbour may be underwhelmed. One neighbour always seems to end up with the not-so-pretty side.
The cost of doubling up on many screen materials can be expensive, but a lattice screen is one of the cheapest options (starting from $45 per 1800 x 1200mm for the diagonal-pattern panel and under $60 for round-edge square-pattern panel).
This allows you to screen both sides of the fence, and the lattice slats can be offset to give a denser screening effect. The other advantage is that you can encourage vines to grow up between the slats.

Gather your supplies
Lattice panels; lattice channel uprights; rails to suit

Step 1
Place 2 layers of lattice on top of each other and adjust to 1 side and up so that the cross of 1 is exactly in the middle of the square opening of the other. Mark size of screening you want on each piece and cut out with a power saw.

Step 2
Cut lattice channel (framing timber with a groove machined on side to take the lattice) to lengths required. As lattice is only 1800mm high, extend the bottom of the uprights to the ground to lift the lattice screens to the height you want them. The length of the rails needs to be less than the panel width, to allow for the depth that the lattice will be housed in the channel of the uprights.

Step 3
Sandwich 1 of the lattice panels between the uprights at top, bring in the 2 rails and screw the uprights to the rails. Make the second screen in the same way. You can cover the unscreened bottom sections with plants, a bench or even shorter sections of matching screening.

Step 4
Stand the frames against the fence, check the uprights are square and the rails level, then screw to fence rails. Repeat on other side of fence, but don’t let the dog out. If fence has capping, you’ll need to notch the screen into capping so the uprights can fit snugly against rails.

Step 5
Cut 3 pieces of decking or fence capping to cover the gap between the 2 screens and screw in place.