Outdoor PRIVACY SCREEN
Want more privacy in your outdoor spaces? DIY this wood
screen for beauty and function.
Hanging out in your outdoor living space should be relaxing, and privacy from the neighbors is paramount. For bloggers Andrew and Zoe Hunt of Crafted by the Hunts, the answer was a DIY privacy screen. “We recently updated our entire screened porch, and our DIY privacy wall with plants is the best feature,” Zoe says. “The beautiful wood adds warmth while the plants and design give it all the vacation vibes.” Here are their instructions for this beautiful and functional outdoor piece.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
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WHAT YOU’LL DO:
1.
Miter saw
Drill
Kreg jig
Electric sander
¾" wood paddle bit
3 – 4x4x8 pressure-treated boards (for the frame)
3 – 1x6x8 pine boards
6 – 1x4x8 pine boards
3 – 1x2x8 pine boards
8 – ⁵/8" x 4 ½" hex lag screws and washers
1 ½" outdoor Kreg screws
Stain of choice (we used Valspar One-Coat Stain and Sealer in semitransparent Pinebark)
7 – plant holders
14 – 1 ½" machine screws and nuts
Determine the placement of your privacy wall and measure twice. Remember that the 4x4s are actually
3 ½" wide.
Cut the wood. You’ll create a frame with the 4x4s. We kept our two posts at 96". The top 4×4 was 87"; then we cut the rest of our boards to 80". If you are making your privacy wall to fit a particular space like we did, dry fit the 4x4 frame.
Drill a pocket hole on either end of your 1x2s. Drill two pocket holes on either end of each 1×4 and 1×6.
Sand the boards with 80-grit sandpaper, then stain. Stain inside the pocket holes as well. Let them dry.
Pick your favorite side of each 4×4 and place face down. Predrill four holes on top of the top 4×4 (2 on each end, where the screws will go into the legs). Using a ¾" wood paddle bit, predrill enough to countersink the head of the hex lag screws.
Use a ratchet to insert the hex lag screws. Position the 4x4 legs. Put a washer on the end of your hex lag screws. Make sure the boards stay flush as you insert the screws. Dry fit the frame again.
Lay the frame down and place the
1x2s, 1x4s and 1x6s down in the order you want them to go. We left a gap at the top, so the first board was 21" from the top 4×4. To get consistent spacing between boards, use a spare board as a spacing guide.
Work your way down the structure, screwing in your pocket holes. Apply pressure to each so the fit is tight and consistent.
Determine where you want the planters to hang (the 1x4s and 1x6s only), and drill holes. Screw in the plant holders, and place a nut on the back of each screw; then secure until the washer is tight. The structure should be pretty stable at this point, but make sure someone is always holding it until it is secured.
10. Install the structure. For ground placement, dig holes and pour concrete around the 4×4 posts. For placement against an existing wall, predrill using a ¾" wood paddle bit and secure in multiple places.
11. Add plants and enjoy!
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