Cedar Privacy Screens by the River

One challenge of having a beautiful home beside both the river and a trail that allows the public to reach said river, is an apparent lack of privacy. This customer felt she wanted a bit more privacy while on her porch from the folks walking by her home to access the river. Building a fully obscured fence was both against the aesthetic of her home and would not be allowed by the HOA. Her vision was to create small sections of horizontally planked fencing to act as privacy screens to block the views directly into her lounging area. Additionally they would reduce the amount of river goers from walking through her property to get to the river, in spite of the public trail just beyond.

With 4x4 pressure treated lumber as posts, I chose 5/4 (or a true 1”) cedar boards of both 5” and 3” widths to connect the space between the posts. I played with a few options for a pattern and decided on one that we could repeat across each section for continuity. Spacing the boards apart by 5/8” allows privacy while still feeling open and airy. Finally, the fencing panels were sprayed and back rolled with a stain that would protect the lumber and match the existing trim of the house.

In the end, I’m pleased with how the privacy screens do their job without seeming aesthetically intrusive and blend in to the surroundings.