DIY A Stylish Privacy Screen For Your Yard With The Help Of A Plumbing Staple

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Certain backyard features can be unsightly. If you're hosting a cookout, you don't want to look directly at the garbage cans or compost bins stashed in a corner or against the house. However it can be costly and time consuming to build a fence to block off these eye sores. You can always purchase privacy screens at your local Lowe's or Walmart, but they may lack the creative flare of something you could build on your own. Instead, consider building your own privacy screen using PVC pipes. It's one of several simple ideas that'll add more privacy to your backyard.

For this project, you'll need an electric sander and a table saw. Then you should acquire a measuring tape and several PVC pipes of varying diameters (you'll probably want larger than the 1/2-inch pipe used in a DIY PVC pipe project to keep pests out of your garden). It's hard to determine how many PVC pipes you'll need before you get started, so expect to make return trips to the store. Pipes from Home Depot sell for about 50 cents to $8 per foot depending on their width. Alternatively, you may have friends or neighbors with extra pipe they no longer need. You'll need two PVC elbow connectors and two tee connectors. You'll also want to purchase four pieces of rebar and a bottle of liquid Gorilla Glue. Avoid using glue that's specifically intended for PVC pipes, because that glue has an overpowering odor that won't be enjoyable to work with for multiple hours.

The YouTube channel Mother Daughter Projects DIY (hosted by Vicki and Steph) is credited with creating this screen design. The first step is to build your frame. Measure four lengths of PVC pipe and to the desired dimensions of your screen. Attach the elbow connectors on the top left and right corners and attach the tee connectors on the bottom left and right corners. Reinforce these connectors with Gorilla Glue. Sand the outside of the pipes you're using for the screen's interior to help the glue hold better. Use a table saw with a high tooth count to cut dozens of PVC rings that are no wider than the frame itself (so if the outer diameter is 2 inches, that's the thickness of each slice). 

Place the PVC frame on a flat work surface. Fill the frame with PVC rings till they fit tightly, then attach them with glue. Use a pencil to mark where you've glued the rings to ensure that none are left unattached. This process can take several hours. After you've constructed the screen, allow it to dry completely. PVC can yellow over time, so it's a good idea to spray paint the screen white or any color of your choosing.

You can fasten this screen into the ground using your rebar rods. Measure the length between the tee connectors, and plant two rebar rods into the ground at that length apart. Then attach the screen by running the rebar through the tee connectors so it stands upright. If you have leftover PVC piping after building this screen, you can use it to or hydrate your plants with a raised garden bed hack.