Bustling neighborhoods are great for building community and meaningful friendships, but sometimes you want to step into your own space and relax. There are plenty of deck privacy ideas to help you enjoy outdoor living without disturbing the neighbors and preventing your own distractions.
Whether you just want to improve the peace and quiet of your space, or you’re aiming for the ultimate secluded getaway from city life, these deck wall and patio cover ideas will help you create the backyard oasis you’ve always wanted.
In This Article:
- Privacy fencing
- Privacy railing
- Stone walls
- Decorative panels
- Lattice fencing
- Garden covers
- Ornamental trees
- Trellises
- Vining plants
- Sound blocking
- Deck placement
- Pergola
- Sunroom
- Outdoor curtains
- Patio umbrellas
- Awnings
- Raised deck
- Canopy covers
1. Install a Fence
A tall fence provides privacy to your whole yard, but there are other options if you don’t want to line your property. Partial fencing around especially high-traffic or noisy areas can improve your privacy. These can be placed at the edge of your property or even the edge of your deck if that’s where you spend most of your time.
2. Choose Privacy Railing
There are several types of deck railing available, so consider which designs offer the most privacy while planning your deck. Opaque or frosted glass will let the light in and conceal your deck, and intricate infill patterns can make it hard to see onto your deck without totally obstructing the view.
3. Lay a Stone Privacy Wall
Instead of a fence, you can build a natural stone or brick wall to add some privacy to your space. These can be extra functional with built-in benches or used as counters and tables. If your area is prone to winter chills, consider adding a fireplace or oven. Just be sure heat sources aren’t installed on PVC or composite decks.
4. Attach Decorative Panels to Your Railing
You don’t have to replace your railing for added privacy. Instead, install decorative panels that are easy to remove when you’re done with them. Mesh outdoor fabrics or bamboo sheets block views from outside and can also improve safety if you have little ones enjoying your deck, too. Plus, they won’t damage your deck or deck railing.
5. Buy Lattice Fencing
Lattice fencing is widely available and relatively affordable, so it’s an accessible way to enhance your deck’s privacy. It’s less hassle than a full fence and comes in a variety of sizes, so you can just block your railing or cover the height of a privacy fence.
6. Spend Time in Your Garden
Raised garden beds or planters around your deck are a great way to add privacy and better integrate your deck with the rest of your garden. You can grow vegetables or flowers, and these planters can even do double-duty and act as benches or railing.
7. Grow Ornamental Trees
Ornamental trees and tall shrubs can grow as tall as your home if you let them, so they make a great natural fence. You can plant them along your property line for full-yard coverage, or near your deck for dedicated privacy. Just know that you may have to wait a few seasons for your plants to grow full enough to cover your space depending on the species you choose.
8. Try a Trellis
Similar to lattice fences, trellises have a woven pattern that provides some inherent privacy. Vining flowers or plants can improve the effect and grow thicker over time, so you have a beautiful addition to your garden that can also block noise and wandering eyes from reaching your deck.
9. Plant Vining Flowers and Greens
You don’t have to install a trellis to use vining plants to your advantage. These plants can scale walls, fences, railings, and overhead frames for a natural fence. It will take some time for them to grow enough for maximum coverage, but it’s much more affordable than a new fence.
Take care to research the plants you install in your garden and where you plant them. Vining plants can cause damage to your home and deck substructures, so keep an eye on their growth and trim them as necessary.
10. Add Serenity With Sound
If you‘re looking to block out a noisy road or neighbors, a fence may not do the trick. Consider installing an outdoor speaker on your patio or under the deck to drown out unwanted sounds. You can listen to your favorite audiobooks, put on a playlist, or just relax to ocean sounds as you like.
11. Strategize Your Deck Placement
If you’re still in the deck planning phase, be sure to consider which parts of your yard are naturally more private. Your house likely blocks the main road and traffic noises well, while existing trees may hang low enough to block noise and wandering eyes. Creating a little distance between you and your neighbor may be a top priority instead.
Make a list of what matters most to you and spend some time in your yard to determine the best location for your next home improvement idea.
12. Build a Pergola
Pergolas provide shade from the sun, and many modern structures offer great features like motorized screens to protect the sides of your structure, too. This is great if you want to lower the shades to block the sun and get a little privacy during the day. Then you can roll them back up to enjoy the night.
13. Enjoy a Sunroom
Sunrooms with screens or windows are the ultimate way to stay protected from the elements while still enjoying your yard. Prefabricated panels make sunrooms relatively easy to install and add privacy to your patio or deck. You can take this a step further by installing curtains or blinds since they won’t be exposed to direct weather.
Handy homeowners can also go the DIY route and build sunroom panels out of repurposed or thrifted windows. This is a great way to add some art to your space, and you can even paint or apply films to the windows for an extra wow factor.
14. Relax With Outdoor Curtains
Outdoor curtains can be installed on existing pergolas or frames for added privacy and comfort. The heavy fabric can also help insulate against wind chills or loud noises to help you relax. They come in various material, style, and color options so you don’t have to sacrifice aesthetics.
15. Keep Cool Under an Umbrella
A simple patio umbrella can go a long way for privacy — especially if you install a large umbrella with an adjustable stand. These can bend and extend in all directions, so you can adjust for privacy or sun protection based on your current needs.
16. Install Awnings
Awnings give overhead protection from the sun and some higher-end products are also retractable, so you can easily put them away when you don’t want them out. Side awnings are also available as standalone screens for extra privacy from the side.
17. Consider a Raised Deck
Raised deck designs are well above ground level, so they can be difficult to look into. However, this won’t stop your sound from traveling to neighbors’ yards or hearing nearby roads. If you’re wanting to block your own views from the neighboring gardens and roads, you may want to consider some of the other deck privacy ideas, too.
18. Try a Canopy
Similar to awnings, canopies provide overhead privacy, but they can be easier to install and remove as you see fit. They’re available in pop-up designs or as shade sails, so you can choose the option that fits your space and needs.
Feeling comfortable enjoying your backyard and chatting with your guests is an important part of loving your outdoor living space. These deck privacy ideas can help reduce noise pollution and better conceal your deck from the outside world for a true private oasis.
Ready to build your dream deck? Find a contractor to share your vision and learn the next steps for your deck.
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