Top 17 Inexpensive Backyard Privacy Ideas (With Photos)

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There are many benefits attached to setting up a backyard that provides privacy for you and the rest of the household.

It brings a sense of security and attractiveness.

Now, do you want that feeling of increased protection as you unwind with family and friends in your backyard?

Journey with us as we outline some of the best and inexpensive backyard privacy ideas that offer value and security at a very pocket-friendly rate.

Inexpensive Backyard Privacy Ideas

When the topic of privacy ideas comes on, what readily comes to people’s minds is erecting a fence. However, there are so many other stylish and artistic ideas to adopt.

Let’s take a look at some of them below:

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1. Erect a living wall

  • Flower box (1): $10 – $20
  • Flower box holder (1): $10 max.
  • Lattice panel (1): $15 – $20
  • Bag of potting soil (1 pack): $5 – $15

One advantage this idea offers you, asides from being inexpensive, is the possibility of having more space in your garden.

How to go about this?

Get flower boxes, pour in some soil and other greenery that you find attractive, and have them hung on a lattice screen frame.

To improve coverage, fill the boxes with more extensive, bushy plants, which will help hide the space between boxes. 

Trailing plants are also an excellent idea. Incorporate them into the plants for the flower box and enjoy their attractive effect.

Since we are looking at cost-effective backyard privacy ideas, it will be wise to go for affordable yet beautiful greenery.

2. The Use Of Large-Sized Planters

  • Planter (1): $15 – $20
  • Bag of potting soil (1 pack): $5 – $15

This privacy idea is relatively easy to follow. It is similar to the use of shrubs as privacy fences but significantly cheaper compared to it.

Purchase several large-sized planters, fill in your potting soil and then introduce some long, decorative flowers and grasses into it as their new home.

You get a better effect with this arrangement in a row in a section of your garden where you would like a little screening.

3. Privacy Hedges

This landscape backyard privacy idea is affordable but will need a lot more of your time and attention. Privacy hedges act as a beautiful wall or partition separating, in an exquisite way, yards.

Have hedges planted close to the fence line, and choose your desired height. Bamboo hedges, for example, will drown your voice from the listening ears of your neighbor during an outdoor conversation.

4. The Use Of Elegant Outdoor Curtains

  • Set of curtains (1 set): $20 – $50
  • Curtain posts (Optional): $10 – $25

Do you know how indoor curtains provide privacy? Outdoor curtains can serve the same function, and the best part is that you can get some very affordable ones.

You do not necessarily have to use fancy posts, porch railings, or similar sturdy elements like wooden posts rooted in the ground can suffice. 

Have the curtains hung from a rope or rod around your patio, porch, or section; if you want coverage, have it fastened onto the post.

Outdoor curtains will protect from prying eyes on you and every activity carried out in your backyard, as well as offer protection from the scorching sun.

See Also: Fast Growing Climbing Plants for Fence

5. The Use Of Retractable Sunshades

If you are one to host several activities in your backyard, this idea can be very well beneficial for you. With retractable sunshades, you get to enjoy flexibility. You can adjust it to give you little, average, or total privacy.

What’s more? You can remove it if you feel like leaving the space bare again.

Have these very affordable sunshades attached to structures like a shed and keep prying eyes away in the fanciest way ever. 

6. Plant Trees Along the Backyard

  • Privacy Trees Cost
  • Holly: $20 – $40 per tree
  • Arborvitae (Thuja): $18 – $40
  • Leyland Cypress $20 -$35 per tree

This is a perfect backyard privacy idea for those with ample space; although it will stretch your budget a little more yet, still very cost-effective.

You will have to be patient, though, except you go for fast-growing trees like arborvitaes that can grow as tall as you might like in just a couple of years.

The result? You are left with natural barriers that provide privacy for your backyard.

7. Simple Lattice Fence

  • Lattice Panel (1): $14 – $20
  • Post: $11 – $25 per one

This is an example of a pretty yet affordable privacy idea for your backyard. You need just a few wooden boards or posts covered beautifully with sufficient lattice. 

Just before you put the fence together, you can amplify the aesthetics by painting the lattice according to the color theme of your house or whatever music you choose.

See Also: Valuable Rocks in Your Backyard

8. Purchase Backyard Screens

  • Backyard Screen: $100 – $300, depending on size and type.

You can achieve your private backyard in no time with this brilliant and affordable idea. Have your newly purchased backyard screens fastened to decks or wooden subfloors. You can also use concrete if you so desire.

Household improvement and furniture stores are your best bet for getting backyard screens. Put an end to uninvited eyes prying into your gardens with this fantastic idea.

9. Willow Privacy Fence

  • Price: $150 – $168

Willow privacy walls provide you with a natural-looking barrier.

They are made with natural willow branches with closely knitted branches that eliminate any space for an optimum privacy provision.

10. Ski Fence

This affordable backyard privacy idea will suit those who reside in an area with lots of water skiing lovers.

Setting it up is also very easy. Source for old and condemned skis, get as many as you need to make a fence, build a solid frame and attach skis to them.

Talk about thinking outside the box, and the ski-made Fence readily comes to mind.

11. Hanging Baskets

Hanging baskets bless your backyard space with an irresistible beauty. 

Just be sure to go for plants that have no issues thriving in the light conditions of your location and enjoy the beautiful foliage of the cascading flowers.

Most importantly, they get the job done by providing you with much-needed privacy.

See Also: Inexpensive Garden Edging Ideas

12. Set Up Privacy Screens

  • Already Built privacy screen: $50 – $300 (Price determined by length and material)
  • Upcycled Privacy Screens: Materials for the upcycling can be easily found around the house or gotten for a token at thrift stores or yard sales.

Put old and condemned doors to good use by having them serve as effective privacy materials in your backyard.

With the help of hinges, have them attached just like folding screens.

If you feel creative, paint the doors to align with your desired color theme before use.

13. Set Up Masonry Walls

Give your backyard a touch of European effect by setting up a masonry wall.

Masonry walls can be formed with bricks or stones and make your backyard stand out when you have them uniquely customized or styled with plants to fill up the openings on the wall.

Do you fancy a more vintage outlook? Consider using concrete or clay to fill up the wall opening instead.

14. Pergola

Two things are possible with this brilliant backyard privacy idea – A cozy backyard and a shady backyard.

All you have to do to enjoy these benefits is to fill in the side of the structure and, with the help of twinning plants, open the top.

The posts and crossbeams of pergolas are just ideal for trailing greenery. It is quite a slow process, but the eventual result is always worth it.

15. Vines

Vines are capable of transforming ordinary structures into extraordinary pieces of nature. An added benefit is the fact that they are super affordable.

We will recommend the Virginia Creeper or Honeysuckle.

16. Rock-Solid Cages

This is using rocks and stones to fill out a barrier cage. This backyard privacy idea usage can be traced as far back as thousands of years, mainly by the Egyptians as a preventive measure against flood, and is still used today for various purposes.

A simple DIY version of this idea will be to use field fencing to create their cages or have already made cages bought.

Rocks can be gotten around the neighborhood or purchased too, after which they will be used to fill up the cages to make a sturdy barrier.

17. Trees

Trees are very effective in blocking views in a systematic and pretty way. You can also have them adjusted to the right coverage for you when pruning.

However, a downside to the growing of these privacy trees is that they do take a long time to grow. Nonetheless, we will consider it a worthy time investment.

Conclusion

Are you thinking of making some changes to your backyard outdoor space to make it more relaxing and comfortable?

Think of some lovely backyard privacy ideas. Not only will they keep you secure from prying eyes, but they will also add to the aesthetics of the place.

You can choose from the brilliant ideas on our list, some of which are simple DIYs that transform your backyard for good.