5 Options To Enhance the Privacy of Your Patio

Home & Garden Blog

In Australia an outdoor area such as a patio is the perfect way to entertain friends and family while providing the space to enjoy a flexible indoor/outdoor living lifestyle. Privacy is a key consideration when designing a liveable patio solution, especially as blocks are becoming smaller and new homes are built closer together. To prevent your patio being overlooked by neighbouring homes and those from the street, these five options all offer varying levels of privacy, with a number of different designs to suit different home styles.

 1. Privacy Screens

Privacy screens are among the most popular option to add privacy. Depending on the style of screen chosen they usually include timber or aluminium slats. These slats vary in width, but are usually between 3-5cm, with about the same size gap to allow light and air to pass through. There are also privacy screens with no gaps between slats but instead with adjustable louvres. These allow homeowners the flexibility of opening or closing slats, similar to Venetian style blinds. Bi-folding shutter-style solutions that can be pulled back or partially closed are another option. Privacy screens are available in a number of colours and often are used in modern properties.

2. Latticework

Latticework is a crisscross pattern of timber strips in a diagonal pattern, but it may be also available from other materials. Lattices can suit many different styles of traditional homes, especially heritage or plantation style homes, raised Queenslander homes and workers cottages. Often latticework is heavy in its appearance, but it provides a high level of privacy and a natural look with pine being one of the most affordable types of timber to use. Be sure to use treated timber to prevent fungal growth when wet and to deter termites. One of the other benefits of latticework is that it can be used in conjunction with climbing plants such as jasmine or bougainvillea as a way to decorate and add additional privacy to a patio.

3. Privacy Sails

Shade sails are one of the most inexpensive ways to provide a high level of privacy, while still allowing enough transparency for light to pass through. They are usually made from a tightly woven synthetic fabric. As well as being stretched across the side or front of the patio to add privacy from neighbours, sails can also be used as a roof to provide shade in uncovered patios but will not provide shelter from wet weather.

4. Trees and Shrubs

Trees may take time to grow but can be a completely natural way to block unwanted views and also shield your home from prevailing winds. Trees and shrubs can also help to provide a natural shade and cooling solution for the patio area and other areas of the home. Be sure to consider roots, soil type and the adult size of the tree so there is sufficient room for growth.

5. Privacy Walls

Of course if you want to block out neighbouring homes completely and 'build in' part of the patio, a custom constructed privacy wall may be the best permanent solution to enclose one end or section of the patio. These can be made from a number of materials, with masonry solutions such as retaining walls some of the most attractive, but also the most expensive. Brick walls may be another option and will complement brick homes. Colorbond or corrugated steel can also be used with a number of powder-coated colours to match the guttering, roofing, garage door and other steel fencing if used around the home.

A patio builder like Allweather Shelters will be able to incorporate a privacy wall, and other solutions mentioned here, if required during the building stage of your patio or may be able to offer more advice how to retrofit something later.

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30 July 2015

Decorating and Your Home and Garden

Yo! My name is Lisa and I would like to welcome all you guys to my new blog. I was inspired to start this blog because I am tired of visiting people's homes and seeing the same old furniture and the same old designs in use. I used to have boring designs in my home and garden. However, all that changed when my friend Simon came to visit. Simon is a designer and property developer so he has a real eye for bringing out the best in any space. He gave me some top tips and helped me to transform my home and garden.