Patio Privacy Screen Ideas

I wanted to make my outdoor space feel more like an outdoor living room and less like a back patio. Below you can see my patio before adding the privacy screen– or much of anything else.

I knew we’d be adding a striped outdoor rug, a patio sectional, a patio lounge chair, and an outdoor coffee table, and I wanted the “room” to feel intimate and cabana-like when everything was all said and done. Part of that cabana vibe would come from blocking the view of the side of our neighbor’s house– just to make the space a little more cozy.

An outdoor slatted privacy screen was exactly what we needed. Here’s how this outdoor privacy screen was built.

Before you begin to build your outdoor privacy screen, you’ll need to determine it’s dimensions. We used a measuring tape to measure the height and width of my space (9 ft.tall x 93½ in. wide) so we could determine the length of the 2 x 4 anchors I’d need for the sides (9 ft. tall).

After you’ve determined the size of your slatted screen, decide on the spacing you’d like between your slats. This spacing will help you determine how many 2 x 6 boards you’ll need ahead of time so you don’t have to run back to the store mid-project!

Based on the dimensions of my space, we decided on a ¾ in. gap between each 2 x 6 board (starting at the top) because we wanted to avoid having to rip any boards down to size at the end. We also wanted to leave enough space for air and light to get in.

Once you have all of your dimensions, grab your 2 x 4 x 10 pieces of pressure treated lumber. Use a measuring tape and pencil to mark and measure your previously determined height on each board.

If the height you need is less than 10 ft., cut each 2 x 4 x 10 piece of pressure treated lumber down to the correct size using a compound miter saw or circular saw. If the height you need is 10ft. on the dot, skip ahead to the next step!

After your 2 x 4 x 10 boards have been cut down to size, line a paint tray with a paint tray liner, pour some exterior stain into the lined tray, grab your foam paint roller and start staining.

Use a rag to wipe off any excess stain as you go and don’t forget to stain the ends of the boards!

Repeat the staining process until the boards are stained to your desired darkness. Set each board aside to dry according to the time listed on your stain can/bucket.

Note: The stain I chose had a built-in sealer so I didn’t have to seal my boards any further. If your stain doesn’t have a sealer in it, seal your boards after the stain has dried.

When the stain has dried completely, it’s time to attach the anchor boards to your house!

We used a drill to attach my pre-cut 2 x 4 boards to our exterior stucco walls. We anchored each board into a stud (very important!) with eight 3/8 x 5 in. lag bolts (four per board). The type and size of screw you use will depend on the type of material you’re attaching your boards to.

Remember when we measured the height and width of our space back in Step 1? Well, the width of your space (93½ in. wide in my case) is going to be the size you’ll need to cut your 2 x 6 decking boards down. Use a measuring tape and pencil to mark and measure your width on each board you need.

Cut each 2 x 6 x 8 piece of decking board down to the correct size using a compound miter saw or circular saw.

After your 2 x 6 x 8 boards have been cut down to size, grab your foam roller and your paint tray full of stain and start staining again!

Use a rag to wipe off any excess stain as you go and don’t forget to stain the ends of the boards! Repeat the staining process until the boards are stained to your desired darkness. Set each board aside to dry according to the time listed on your stain can/bucket.

Note: the stain I chose had a built-in sealer so I didn’t have to seal my boards any further. If your stain doesn’t have a sealer in it, seal your boards after the stain has dried.

When the stain has dried completely, start attaching your 2 x 6 slats to the 2 x 4 vertical anchor boards using 3 in. deck screws (two screws per end). Work from the top down leaving a ¾ in. gap (or whatever size gap you decided on in Step 2 between each board.