10 Balcony Privacy Ideas to Block Unwanted Glares

You have a beautiful balcony, but you rarely use it since your neighbors have too good of a view of everything that’s going on there? Luckily, this common balcony-related problem can quickly be solved with a little bit of creativity, inexpensive materials, and DIY-ing.

So, check out our balcony privacy ideas and find out how to escape unwanted looks.

Put Up a Waterproof Canopy

If your balcony is completely uncovered and you want absolute privacy, you can’t simply put on a screen and call it a day. The neighbors from the higher floors of the building across the street may still be able to get a good look at you.

So, what can you do?

There are a couple of solutions. For example, you can easily hang a waterproof canopy or opt for decorative shade sails. This is a small balcony privacy solution that can easily work even on bigger balconies, as canopies and sails come in various sizes.

They’ll give you a lot of privacy, reduce the temperature of your balcony, and protect you from harmful sun rays.

And if you want a sturdier solution (and are prepared to invest more money), you can always install a modern pergola on your balcony and hang a canopy over it.

Create a Green Wall

You’re looking for something that can offer privacy protection but also serve as decor for your balcony? Create a living wall, and you’ll be good to go.

All you’ll have to do is make a wood frame with chicken wire and let some vining greenery climb it. There are many different plant ideas for balcony privacy to choose from and a great number of vine varieties suitable for this purpose.

We recommend ivy since it’s evergreen (in other words, it doesn’t lose leaves and looks good even in the winter), and it’s not difficult to take care of. Just plant it in a pot in one of the corners of your balcony (or multiple corners), connect it to your railing, and enjoy the privacy.

Hang Lush Outdoor Curtains

When you want to protect your windows from prying eyes, you put up curtains. And you can do the same on your balcony. You’ll just have to find specialized balcony curtains for apartments made of fabric that can withstand all weather conditions.

Then, screw in a curtain rod, hang curtains, and get complete protection from onlookers, wind, and the sun.

And you don’t have to give up this eye-pleasing option even if you’re a renter. There’s always a way to hang curtains without drilling.

Set Up a Trellis

A trellis isn’t reserved for gardens where it serves as a support for flowers or vegetables. You can also use it as a nifty apartment balcony privacy solution.

Just place it on your balcony and cover it with plants. We recommend securing the trellis to the railings with some wire and adding a few planters at the bottom. Plant vines, flowers, vegetables — whatever you wish, really!

And if you opt for plants that are lush enough, you’ll get the full coverage, that is, total privacy.

Invest in an Effective Metal Privacy Screen

This is one of the most popular (and most elegant!) balcony privacy screen ideas. There’s a wide variety of designs (you can even have it custom-designed), so you’ll surely be able to find something that’s to your liking.

But, you should be aware that metal privacy screens won’t give you total privacy, as the panels tend to have slits on them.

They also tend to be more expensive than other types of privacy screens, but they’re worth it. Metal is sturdier than other materials used to create privacy screens, so it’ll definitely last a lot longer.

Just make sure it’s made of stainless steel or treated against rust in any way, and you’ll be able to use it for years to come.

Plain Bamboo Fence for Privacy

This is one of the best privacy ideas for a balcony for those who want something long-lasting and care about nature. Bamboo is relatively sturdy and very sustainable. Not to mention that it looks great!

There are several ways to go about it.

You can get inexpensive bamboo fencing (or a bamboo screen) and install it, DIY the fence from bamboo polls (cut the poles to size and connect them to the railing with wire or zip ties), or plant bamboo in a pot and simply grow your living privacy screen.

Either way, it’ll look fantastic!

Tip — Bamboo is incredibly fast-growing and can quickly start wandering off the confines of your balcony if you don’t maintain it properly. So, make sure to check out some methods for stopping bamboo from growing to be able to contain it.

Choose Outdoor Roll-Up Shade

Using roll-up fabric shades is one of the cleverest ideas for balcony privacy. You’ll get excellent control over the quantity of light and privacy (from partial to total), and there are many excellent color and style options to choose from. Best of all, they aren’t that expensive at all.

Just make sure you pick ones designed to sustain outdoor conditions (the ones that aren’t prone to getting moldy or getting torn by the wind).

Apply Window Film to the Glass Surfaces

Here’s a practical and, above all, cheap balcony privacy solution particularly suited to glass balconies. Glass window film can be found both in larger stores and online for reasonable prices.

It’s something that looks nice, and it’s practical at the same time, as it offers excellent UV protection. And it’s incredibly easy to use. All you have to do is peel it, put some water on the glass and stick it. No muss, no fuss!

Utilize an Umbrella

Are you after an easy and affordable small apartment balcony privacy option?

You can’t go wrong with a large umbrella. You can find it for cheap, it doesn’t take up a lot of space, and you can easily fold it when you no longer need it.

While an umbrella won’t give you full privacy, it can block the full view of the balcony (especially if you turn it to the side) and keep the nosy neighbors at bay. And it can definitely protect you from the sun when the need arises.

DIY and Save Your Money

Do you want full protection for your balcony but don’t want to spend a lot of money? Instead of buying an expensive pre-made balcony privacy screen, buy some outdoor fabric and make your own.

Trust us, it’s not as difficult as it seems. All you need to do is punch some holes in the fabric and connect it to your railings by using some zip ties. You can even go a step further and punch some holes in the ceiling, install hooks, and enable your balcony to get “full coverage.”

Conclusion

As you’ve had the chance to see, getting some privacy on your balcony doesn’t have to be grueling or expensive. A little bit of creativity and small investments can go a long way. So pick your favorite option and hide from the unwanted looks!

FAQ

How do you make a homemade privacy screen?

There are multiple ways you can DIY balcony privacy screens.

The cheapest and most effective one is to attach some outdoor fabric to your balcony railing. Simply tie it to the railing with some zip ties, and you’ve got a cheap and stylish privacy screen.

How do you attach a privacy screen to a balcony?

The easiest way to attach privacy screens to balcony railings is through cable ties. You can also use velcro or magnets if it’s a lighter screen. For a more permanent solution, you can screw them to the railing.