With a custom site-built privacy fence, all of the fence problems (and neighbor frustrations) disappear.
Privacy fences or screens are essentially mini-fences with flare. Since the pandemic thrusted so many people to start working from home more regularly, they have become a sub-specialty of our outdoor home improvement business.
We enjoy building them. And we get to enjoy the relief on homeowners’ faces when they’re no longer faced with the unavoidable view of their neighbor’s trash cans, extension ladder, or bag of potting soil, or having to see them get in and out of a hot tub.
What do we consider during the design phase?
Fun to design and build, the smaller size of privacy fences often offer an opportunity to create more detailed craftsmanship and the use of higher-quality materials.
What’s also cool is that each privacy screen is unique to the house and it’s unique to the problem it’s solving. And, unlike a fence, it’s not an ordinary store-bought wall between neighbors that you have to live behind. Rather, a privacy screen is essentially an accent wall for the yard. It’s also a gesture, that says, “We’re still neighbors, but we want just a little more ‘just us’ time over here.”
“Privacy fences are essentially mini-fences with flare.”
Also, unlike fences, there is design choice. With an off-the-shelf fence, you’re essentially forced to space posts to match pre-made fence panels and use the height determined by the panel. With a privacy screen, all these restrictions are out the window. So is the “good” or “bad” side of the fence debate. A custom design allows both sides to be the good side.
Why did we use a wood alternative?
We like building most everything with wood, because it’s easy to use and sustainable. However, one of the top questions we’re asked about privacy fences and screens is maintenance.
Our clients tend to want something that doesn’t look plastic and flimsy. They also don’t want to be attached to a paint brush every year or two, so wood isn’t always their top choice.
To blend the needs of a custom look with super-low maintenance, we recently made privacy screens with a wood alternative called Acre by Modern Mill.
What is Acre by Modern Mill?
Acre is a composite made mostly from rice husks that cuts and works like lumber. The brand had contacted us and sent us a sample, so we could try it out. We like how much it acts like wood, but without the weight and with the bonus of flexibility and consistency throughout the entire depth and length.
Comparable in cost to other composites, it actually costs less to install and it takes less time, too. The reason? Unlike composite deck boards, Acre has no interior that needs to be masked. And it takes all kinds of different fasteners and coatings beautifully, even better than most wood.
Check out the how-to of two privacy fences.
Build a Privacy Fence for the Yard
Tired of looking at the neighbor’s trash cans and chain link fence, these homeowners wanted a better view. We created a custom paneled privacy screen.
One goal was to provide each neighbor the same view of the privacy screen, so we installed one panel of cladding to the neighbor’s side and one panel to our client’s side. The blank posts we dressed up with a little ripped and routed piece of Acre. Not quite a raised panel, but it gives the post a little texture.
Build a Privacy Screen for the Deck
We constructed the privacy screen on the deck to mimic the design of the privacy fence on the other side of the yard.
The homeowners have a ballfield as a backyard neighbor, a right of way through the line of trees, and neighbors who have uninterrupted lines of sight to the backyard deck. Plus, they have work schedules that don’t require staying inside all day (hello, sanity), so they are able to take a call or work through emails on the deck instead of the office.
We worked with the homeowner to create a stepped design on the deck. It provides the privacy they need without creating an unneighborly wall between them and their neighbor.
Curious about Acre by Modern Mill?
Learn more about the wood alternative called Acre by Modern Mill.
Note: Modern Mill by Acre provided us the material to create these privacy fences.
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