This IKEA Patio Privacy Screen is the Easy Upgrade Your Garden Needs for Spring – but There Are Plenty More to Choose From
Want privacy, designer style and flexibility for outdoor living? A garden screen is the instant no-sweat solution.
Everybody's raving about IKEA's fabulous new garden screens – the divider with vertical wooden slats is so well-priced, or there's an option with a super-useful storage box, too. And there are plenty more privacy screens to choose from across the market – I've found 10 stunners that are well worth a spot in your garden. There are sleek metal models as well as wooden designs, and some really flexible options that'll make the very most of your outdoor space.
Whatever size, shape and style of your garden, there’s a screen to suit. Which will suit your backyard best?
Warm-Toned Wooden Slats
Made of durable acacia wood and pre-treated with an acrylic stain to protect it from rain, sun, dirt and dust, IKEA's popular screen with stylish vertical slats measures 55⅛” x 31½”.
Each third of this sturdy 74” x 48” cedar-wood screen is independently controlled, so you can open the louvred slats to get exactly the right level of shade and privacy.
This 60½” x 39” screen has handsomely grained FSC-sourced cedar slats and metal ground stakes. You’ll need to assemble it yourself but reviews confirm that's a straightforward task.
A standalone garden divider will transform any backyard into a secluded retreat, and it takes moments to install. Whether you’re looking to screen your patio seating area from nosy neighbors, disguising a less-than-lovely view or creating shade for comfy outdoor dining, this simple but stylish piece of garden furniture is a must-have. Whatever your patio idea, a divider works hard to define and separate different garden zones, perhaps sectioning off a relaxing spot for a morning coffee or evening sundowner. Or how about using a screen to make a quiet reading corner?
As well as free-standing dividers with supports to position on tiles or pavers, there are screens with stakes to push into your lawn or borders too. In addition to privacy, they can bring a sense of intrigue by shielding a part of your garden from view. Choose an open design and it will make a handsome support for a climbing vine, too – pair it with a fast-growing vine that won’t scramble out of control and you’ll have a showstopper garden feature by summer.
Contemporary Metal Designs
With a design inspired by natural forest elements, this decorative laser-cut screen is made from steel with a rustproof, weather-resistant coating. It measures 72” x 44”.
This sleek white 72” x 44” screen is made from weather-resistant steel with closely-spaced slats to block out prying eyes. It’s self-assembly but at this price, we’re not complaining.
Available in 35” and 47” widths, the simple but oh-so-stylish laser-cut pattern on this 72”-high screen will bring a modern vibe to your garden. It’s made of galvanized steel.
Slatted and laser-cut designs are also useful if you want to create an area of dappled shade, or stop prying eyes without fully enclosing a space. There are even louvred options so you can choose, moment by moment, just how much shade and privacy you need. If you want to add plants as well as privacy to your yard, then opt for a screen with a planter attached or, to cut down on clutter, a storage box.
Functional Garden Furniture
With a generous storage box to store garden clutter and vertical slats, IKEA's smash-hit screen is made from durable, renewable acacia wood and measures 55⅛” x 31½” x 26¾”.
Made from coated galvanized steel, this extremely durable planter box and privacy screen has lockable wheels so it's a doddle to move around, and plenty of space for a pretty climber.
Here's a neat idea for a small garden: this 44" x 25" wooden low privacy screen doubles as a potting bench, and the whole lot folds up flat for easy storage. Genius!
With so many materials and designs now available, a divider is also a quick and easy way to change the feel of your outdoor space, cozying it up as well as bringing a more contemporary or rustic vibe. But the real beauty of a screen? You can move it around and switch up your patio whenever you want, using it as a textured backdrop for your pots one day and a screen to shelter your outdoor sofa from a cool spring breeze the next.
Extra Flexibility
Made from weather-proof woven vinyl ribbon on spruce frames, this three-section 71” x 52½” screen folds up for easy storage when not in use. Two-way hinges make it super-versatile.
With a sturdy powder-coated steel frame and a retractable polyester awning, this versatile 71”-high screen spans up to 138”, with a smooth one-hand pull-and-lock mechanism.
This 72” x 47” steel screen comes with four expansion screws – two for hard ground, two for soft – so you can easily secure it: so useful in an exposed or coastal garden.
