Yard Privacy

[dancerjodi]

OK, the spring bug has definitely bit. I think its mostly because its sunny outside, and that in a little over an hour I'm leaving work and won't be back here for a week!

I'd like for us to have some more privacy in our yard this year. Here's our back patio area (with the yellow house behind us right on top):
http://www.marmontianderson.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=21&pos=13

We have a good deal of pressure treated wood in the garage leftover from when we repaired our back porch. Should we try and build some kind of privacy panel/fencing behind our table area? We're creative and have the tools. Maybe something with trellis? Buy a chunk of fencing? This area along the fence is incidentally where the tomato buckets will go (and you can see the herb bed next to the garage).

Privacy behind our 'Dagoba' tree would be problematic http://www.marmontianderson.com/photos/displayimage.php?album=21&pos=5 . Its kind of fused with the chain link in back there! We're in bad need of my cousin the landscaper or a tree doctor to check both of these out, but I digress. I'm not sure what the deal with the tall wood section to the right of the tree is (iirc, its because for some reason there isn't any chain link behind there in that one tiny section). The former homeowners were so odd, and this fence was definitely a special of theirs. Brian's old boss (and our around the corner neighbor) told us that the fence was installed by the previous homeowners not too long before we moved in.

I'm trying to balance being comfy, being private, being pretty but not sterile, not being too wasteful and being cost effective. I know that this is all a tall order, but with planning and creativity I think we can do it. I love tweaking things around our house and since the indoors is mostly resolved I'm looking forward to poking outside. :)

Comments

[fidgetmonster.livejournal.com]

I love your house numbers :) and that's a fabulous patio set. I have a special aversion to chain link, so my predilection would be to replace it with a 6' wood fence, but that would probably be about $500, plus the cost of removing and junking the chain link (though it looks in good shape - maybe someone would take it). I think the previous owner put the other panel in for privacy from the other house back there, but was too lazy to remove the chain link fence in front: you could cut right up to the tree and have the wood fence stop on either side. If, for privacy, you put up a trellis instead of fence, you'd still get some light coming through--you've already got a lot of shade back there. if B has a good table saw you can cut slats out of your boards to staple together a trellis. A pergola (especially with something climbing over it) would give you better privacy from above. I have a feeling that if you're mainly trying to use reclaimed lumber then what you make depends on the materials you already have. some of the pressure treated lumber could be used to edge the side yard bed.

[dancer.livejournal.com]

"I love your house numbers :) and that's a fabulous patio set."

Thanks! I bought the numbers from an artist (of course, when we had our roof replaced one of them broke the top tile!). The set we got from Ikea a couple of years ago - we love it! :)

"I have a special aversion to chain link, so my predilection would be to replace it with a 6' wood fence, but that would probably be about $500, plus the cost of removing and junking the chain link (though it looks in good shape - maybe someone would take it)."

I'm not sure its ours to junk (it runs against the back of our property, and divides the property between the two houses behind us). I'm thinking some 6' fencing in front of it or some kind of trellis thing like you mention may work. I'm going to have to see what's in our garage and what's at Home Depot. :)

"I think the previous owner put the other panel in for privacy from the other house back there, but was too lazy to remove the chain link fence in front"

They installed all of this fence on their own, totally in the wrong way. There are metal poles (like one would use to put up chain link) and then they somehow strapped the wooden fence parts to it with some kind of weird brackets. The large tree on the side of our house (the one with the skychair) leans into the driveway next door, so they actually CARVED A CHUNK OF WOOD SOMEHOW out of the fence around the tree. They were very special. :)

"you could cut right up to the tree and have the wood fence stop on either side"

That's a good idea!

"some of the pressure treated lumber could be used to edge the side yard bed"

I was thinking of that. We have a ton in the garage just sitting there, and I'd like to do something with it. Thanks for all of the ideas. :)

[lsl.livejournal.com]

"some of the pressure treated lumber could be used to edge the side yard bed"

Just a side note on this. Don't use pressure treated wood to edge any beds where you may want to grow something edible.

[christmasjedi.livejournal.com]

Wow, I didn't even know you had a patio set. o_o Shows how observant I am...

I don't really see how putting a fence up between you and the yellow house would do any good at all, unless you actually built it high enough to cover their windows, which in my opinion would be kind of rude.

[alonewiththemoon]

A garden makeover article in Sunday's Boston Globe Magazine mentioned roll-out bamboo fencing as an inexpensive but attractive alternative to traditional fencing.

Or you could do what my mom did when the neighbors put up a patio looking right into our yard--plant a stand of giant sunflowers :-)

[roaming.livejournal.com]

Check out city ordinances: here we're not allowed to build a fence between us and the neighbors taller than 6'. And nothing that would block their light.

I like the idea of Willow fencing rathr than bamboo -- but bamboo might go better with your love of Tiki. :-)

[isolatory.livejournal.com]

You mean to replace the chain link? Yes, a nice 6 footer wooden stockade would give a ton more privacy. Just make sure you alert your neighbors first, that way they have nothing to complain about when you do it. Our neighbors threw up an ugly chain link fence without asking us first and we still aren't too pleased with them.

I'd recommend Ideal Fence right near you, especially for DIY. They were friendly and moderately priced. The guy offered me more how-to advice than I knew what to do with.