How can I create privacy in my backyard ?

Judy
by Judy

All of our trees needed to be removed. The homes in my area are very close. How can create privacy (high and low) in a quick way. I don’t want to wait another 20 years for trees to grow.

  7 answers
  • Have you considered installing a fence?

  • Emily Emily on Aug 25, 2019

    I live in an old part of our small town and the lots are very small. Right now from my computer room window I can see their first, second floor and attic windows of the house behind me. However we have an 8' fence between us so when we are in our yards we can not see each other. Same thing on sides of our house. We have 6' fences from back fence to street. Our second floor windows have curtains and window shade which we close when privacy is needed.


    (house to left of us is further away but I have been treated more than once to the sight of a naked male at the bedroom window in their house which faces our house and a large window where we eat and I sit at the end with good visibility)

  • Christy Marie Christy Marie on Aug 25, 2019

    Why not use privacy film on your windows? It lets the light in but blocks the eye sores

  • Ellis Ellis on Aug 26, 2019

    For screening your yard and downstairs windows, consider planting fast-growing shrubs along the picket fence between your yard and the neighbor's. One that comes to mind is Prague Virburnum--it grows tall quite fast, and keeps its leaves all year round, plus it gets pretty pink buds-turning-to white flowers in spring. It makes a great screening plant, and is very cold-hardy, so it would stand up to the western NY climate.


    One of my favorite window treatments is cellular shades, they come in various types and light controls, and they offer insulation qualities, too. There are even some that open from the top down, so placed upstairs you can let in daylight at a high level, but screen out prying eyes from seeing activity inside the room. There are many types and colors available, and some can be ordered without cords--just move up or down with a small pull on the bottom.

  • Dee Dee on Aug 26, 2019

    Put up a 6-8 foot wooden fence. Not hard just time consuming.

  • 17335038 17335038 on Sep 07, 2019

    Interior split tilt plantation style shutters offer high versatility for a variety of combinations of light, shade, privacy, and air flow, year round. They are also very low maintenance compared with anything growing outside in a yard.

  • Philipp Philipp on Sep 12, 2019

    As others have said, fences. This page might help with the measurements (not sure if you'd need it, but I definitely would benefit from it if I were in a similar situation haha). As for the upper windows, tints or cellular shades . The latter can be a nice addition aesthetically.