Patio Privacy Screen in Ipe Hardwood: Ideas and Heights
In short: a patio privacy screen is built from the same Ipe slats or 40 x 40 mm battens as a garden fence, just often lower or shorter. Closed slats give privacy and shelter, battens let light and air through. Everything stands on 60 x 60 mm azobe posts and lasts 25+ years.
Which patio screen suits your space?
| What you want | Design | Result |
|---|---|---|
| No overlooking | Ipe slats of 50, 70 or 90 mm, 5 mm gap, optional EPDM sheeting behind | A solid screen, sheltered seating, less noise |
| Screening with light and air | Ipe battens of 40 x 40 mm | Semi open, the patio feels larger |
| Low divider | Slats or battens up to about 1 metre | The patio is defined, the view stays |
| Way through to the garden | Gate with a black coated steel frame and vertical slats | Matches the screen |
Slatted privacy screen for a patio
To sit out without being overlooked, choose horizontal slats. They are 21 mm thick and click together at the ends with a double V joint. With a 5 mm gap you can hardly see through. For complete privacy, EPDM sheeting goes behind the slats, which also dampens noise from next door.
Open screening with battens
To define a patio without closing it in, use 40 x 40 mm battens. From an angle you cannot see through, straight on the garden stays visible. A semi open screen like this works well between a patio and the lawn, or around a seating area.
How high should a patio screen be?
- Around 1 metre to mark out the patio. Seated, you can still see over it.
- 1.8 to 2 metres for privacy when sitting and standing.
- On a boundary, fence rules apply. See how high a fence can be.
Why Ipe for a patio screen
Ipe is durability class 1 and moves little, so the slim slats stay straight. The posts are azobe, suited to ground contact. Both last 25+ years. For a lower price point there are 50 mm teak slats, 10% below the same design in Ipe. Care comes down to cleaning and, if you want to keep the colour, the occasional coat of oil.
Patio screen questions
What is the best privacy screen for a patio?
Closed Ipe slats with a 5 mm gap, with EPDM sheeting behind if you want no view through at all.
Can a patio screen be low?
Yes. You choose the number of rows, so a screen of around 1 metre is possible.
Do I need planning permission?
Not up to 2 metres in a back garden in England and Wales, or 1 metre next to a road.
Can I add a gate?
Yes, with a black coated steel frame and vertical slats in the same timber.
Work out your screen with the fence calculator or browse our Ipe fences.
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