Adding a privacy screen: materials, height and a clean install

What a privacy screen install involves

An installer sets the posts and footings, then fixes the screening panels and finishes the job square and level. As with a fence or gate, the posts and footings are the part that determines longevity — a tall screen on shallow footings will lean, so proper setting matters more than the panel on the front.

Material sets the character. Timber slats and basic aluminium panels are the affordable end; powder-coated aluminium battens and decorative laser-cut panels cost more and last longer with less upkeep. Screens can be freestanding on their own posts or fixed to an existing fence, deck or wall — the fixing method changes both the price and the structural requirements, especially as height increases.

How the cost works

Privacy screens are priced per linear metre installed, covering posts, footings, panels and labour. The material choice is the biggest lever on that rate — timber and plain aluminium at the bottom, powder-coated battens and decorative panels well above. Most residential jobs land in a mid-range total, with larger or more decorative runs climbing from there.

Height and fixing method are the other variables. Screens over about 1.8 metres need stronger posts and deeper footings, and freestanding screens cost more than panels fixed to an existing structure. Treat any per-metre figure as indicative — the run length, height, material and how the screen is fixed all feed into a quote that a site visit sharpens.

Choosing an installer

Privacy screen installation is generally an unlicensed trade, so judge on workmanship, materials and finish rather than a licence. Ask what grade of aluminium or timber and what fixings they use, and to see screens they've installed — powder-coat quality and neat, consistent gaps between battens are what separate a lasting job from a tired-looking one.

Confirm the structural side for anything tall or freestanding: post size, footing depth and how the screen resists wind load. If the screen attaches to an existing fence or deck, make sure that structure can actually take it. Public liability insurance is a reasonable expectation, and a clear conversation about slat spacing — how much privacy versus airflow you want — avoids a screen that's either too open or too closed in.

Mistakes to avoid

Privacy screen regrets are usually about the wrong slat spacing, a material that doesn't suit the exposure, or footings that weren't up to the height. All of them are settled in the quoting conversation, not after installation.

• Choosing slat spacing without thinking about the privacy-versus-airflow trade-off
• Fixing a tall screen to a fence or deck that can't take the extra wind load
• Skimping on post size and footing depth for a screen over 1.8 metres
• Picking untreated or low-grade material for a hot, exposed or coastal spot
• Comparing per-metre rates without checking the material and fixing are the same
• Overlooking whether the screen needs setback or council consideration near a boundary