How to choose an outdoor screen
Decorative outdoor screens have never been bigger. They not only add privacy and style to your outdoor room, they can also be used to conceal unattractive elements.
Here are five different options to consider for your decorative outdoor screen.
1. Prefabricated screen panel
These decorative outdoor screens not only add privacy, they also make a strong style statement and can transform a space. They can be used to demarcate different zones in your outdoor setting. Create a kitchen or entertaining area separate to your lounging zone, or use an architectural screen to highlight a plant or sculpture.
Available in a range of sizes, designs, colours and textures, you can also use an outdoor screen to hide things like a bin or water tank.
Prefabricated screens are available in a range of materials and finishes including weathered steel, powder coated aluminium and hardwood. Many screen designs can be customised to the size and shape you need.
2. Plants
Plants add a lush, natural element to your outdoor room, as well as reducing sound and providing privacy from neighbours.
According to Yates, some good options to consider for screening include sasanqua camellias, box (Buxus spp), photinia, murraya and lillypilllies (Acmena smithii or Syzygium leuhmannii).
If you’re after fast-growing plants, Searles Gardening suggests Pittosporum Tenuifolims, viburnums, hardenbergia (Climber), bougainvilleas, bamboo, climbing roses, callistemons, and jasmines (Trachelospermum jasminoides and Jasminum polyanthum).
If you like the idea of greenery but don’t want to wait for plants to grow, a vertical garden is a good outdoor screen, and can be mounted on a timber or decorative screen.
3. Bamboo screening
If you’re after an affordable natural screen, bamboo is a great option. According to Bunnings, bamboo “won’t rot or decay so it should last for years wherever you install it”.
“You can expect a little natural fading and some slight cracking over time, but bamboo is a great way to add an exotic touch to your backyard.”
4. Timber screen
A timber screen can add a natural element and warmth to your outdoor setting and look great combined with industrial materials. According to Bunnings, you can “choose from a variety of hardwoods, palings or even a composite material for a durable, but eco-friendly solution.”
5. Lattice screen
A fast, easy and affordable option, a lattice outdoor screen can be made from either timber or plastic.
According to Bunnings, “lattice is a versatile material that can act as a screen or fence, or you can train and grow plants on it such as creepers, vines or roses. You could even use it to create a vertical garden in a small courtyard or balcony.”
Lattice can also be used to box in rubbish bins or a water tank.
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