Louvered privacy walls are designed to offer you a level of privacy from passers-by while allowing you to see the outdoors from inside your property. Lets talk more about DIY louvered privacy wall. It makes your home look lucrative.
They’re a popular choice among homeowners who want to add a privacy wall to their yard without having it look similar to the other fences in the neighborhood. Apart from their aesthetics, louvered privacy walls are also fully customizable to suit your needs and preferences.
That said, the cost of a louvered wall can vary depending on how long and tall you want it to be. It gets even more expensive if you plan to opt for a custom wall, and that’s not including the cost you have to cover for the installation.
If cost is a problem, then you can just perform a DIY project instead. Luckily, it’s not that hard. All you need are the right materials, tools, and a detailed step-by-step guide. Let’s get started.
What You’ll Need:
For the tools and materials, you need to prepare the following:
- Power drill
- Tape measure
- Screws
- 1×4 Cedar fencing
- 1×3 Cedar
- 2×4 Cedar
- 8×1 ½ inch screws
- 4×4 posts
- Drill bit
- Post level
- Post hole digger
- Concrete mix
Step-by-Step Instructions
Basically, the DIY louvered privacy wall you’ll be making is made of louvered fence boards. You can decide whether you want to install the boards vertically or horizontally depending on your needs.
There are also several ways to build your own louvered wall. One example is to cut tiny lumber pieces and fit them between the fence boards. Another method is to use a Kreg jig and fasten the fence boards to a fence via screws.
Once you’re ready to start the DIY project, all you have to do is follow these steps:
Step 1: Plan Your Design
First things first, you need to come up with a design for your privacy wall. Also, you have to keep in mind that these instructions are meant to build a single louvered section.
However, you can still use them to build several louvered walls if you choose. All you need to do is customize the measurements and then duplicate the fences to create multiple sections. On average, you’ll only need ten slats in order to build a single section that’s about 30 inches wide.
Step 2: Set Up Fence Posts
After that, you want to map out the area where you’re going to install your louvered privacy wall. To do this, you need to set up fence posts and start digging post holes using your hole digger.
Ideally, the holes should be at least 24 inches deep. After digging the holes, pour in some concrete mix then secure the posts. Use the level to ensure that each post is balanced. Also, you want to add some temporary support to the posts until the concrete sets.
Step 3: Mark the Spots for the Screws
Now that everything’s ready, you’re now set to build the frame. This is a pretty lengthy step, so make sure to follow the instructions thoroughly.
Start by marking the lines for the screw holes. You can do this by drawing two lines down a 1×3 Cedar board. The first line should be 3/4 inches from the edge while the second line should be 2 inches from the first line.
After that, create a mark on the first line 3/4 inches down. Then, follow it with several marks every 3 1/4 inches down. Then, on the second line, create a mark 2 3/4 inches from the top followed by several marks every 3 1/4 inches down.
These marks will serve as the spots for the screws. It’s important to make sure the marks are accurately placed as they’ll affect the angle of your louvered boards.
Step 4: Start Drilling the Screw Holes
Using the marks you created earlier, it’s now time to start drilling the holes. To make sure you can drill as straight as possible, clamp the board with another 1×3 board together. One of them will serve as the top cap while the other is the bottom cap.
Step 5: Secure the Screws to the Boards
We highly recommend having someone else assist you in this step to make the job as easy as possible. This gets even harder if you decide to build a large louvered privacy wall.
If you attempt to do it all by yourself, it might lead to loosely fitted boards since you won’t be able to drive the screws properly. Just have someone hold the board for you while you fasten the screws.
Start by securing the boards in place using two screws at the end of each board. Lay out the boards and caps in place. With an assistant to hold the board, fasten two screws through the bottom cap to the end of each fence board. Repeat the process until you completely fasten all of the boards in the section.
Step 6: Mount the Section to Your Fence Rails
With the louvered section complete, you can then proceed to fasten it to the 2×4 boards. Stack the louvered section on top of the 2×4 board and fasten it using screws. Do the same on the other side.
After you’re done, you can then proceed to fasten the section to the rails on your fence posts.
And that’s it! All you have to do is follow these steps to make your own louvered privacy wall. Of course, it’s up to you how long or big you want your wall to be. Regardless, the steps will remain the step except that it will take you a little longer to finish the entire process.
Why Build a DIY Louvered Privacy Wall
Now that you know how to build your own louvered privacy wall, you might wonder, “why do I need a DIY louvered privacy wall in the first place?”.
Well, the most obvious reason is privacy. As mentioned, louvered walls allow you to see the outdoors from inside your property while preventing others from seeing you from the outside. But other than privacy, there are a few good reasons why you should consider a DIY privacy wall.
These are as follows:
It’s Aesthetic
It goes without saying that louvered privacy walls add a unique visual appeal to your property. This allows you to come up with unique designs and patterns that can complement your property’s appearance and individual preferences.
You Can Fully Customize the Design
With a DIY project, you can freely customize your louver sections however you want in order to add a more personal touch and style.
Depending on your preference, you can decide whether you want to go for a classic look or a more contemporary one. Regardless of your choice, a DIY louvered privacy wall is no doubt an excellent and beautiful addition to your yard.
Not only are you limited to Cedarwood as the material either. We just use it as an example, but you can freely use any wood that you want. You can even use custom louvers like the ones from FLEXfence, for example, though that will cost you a little bit more.
Easy to Install
As long as you follow the steps we outlined above, rest assured that you won’t have any problem installing louvered sections on your own. This allows you to save a lot of money since you don’t have to call for a contractor to do the installation process for you.
In fact, with the right tools and materials, most people would be able to make and install louvered walls on their own.
It’s Cost-Effective
Lastly, making a louvered privacy wall on your own allows you to save a lot of money compared to buying pre-made systems and having a contractor install them for you. On average, you can expect to spend several hundred to a few thousand dollars for such a project.
Meanwhile, if you choose to do it yourself, you’ll just have to spare a few hundred dollars to get started.
