6 Inexpensive Fence Ideas That Make Your Yard Feel Like a Secluded Oasis

Increasing the privacy of your yard can be as simple as putting up a fence. However, if you're on a budget, a traditional fence can be out of reach, as privacy fence installation costs can cost up to $13,000. Luckily, several affordable fence ideas can provide you with the privacy you long for without draining your savings. Below, we've provided our top six affordable fence ideas for privacy on a budget, along with installation guidelines, maintenance tips, and average costs, so you know what to plan for.

1. Bamboo Panel Fence

Suppose all you want is a little privacy, but you're not concerned about keeping animals in or actually increasing the security of your yard. If those priorities were the case, there are few materials better than bamboo panels. An 8-foot section of bamboo privacy fence is around $150, plus the cost of posts and other structural materials.

Although there are undoubtedly more affordable options, bamboo is ideal for small sections of a privacy fence, as it completely blocks visibility into your yard while offering a stylish aesthetic to your outdoor space.

2. Pallet Fence

Pallets have long been used as a starting point for many DIY projects. Unsurprisingly, pallets are a great option for an inexpensive privacy fence because they're basically already fence panels. Once you place them together and securely fasten them to the ground and one another, you have a fence.

Best of all, you can often find pallets for free by browsing online marketplaces. Even if you want to spring for the premium pallets, you can typically find them for less than $5 each, as businesses often have a surplus they're looking to dispose of. Lastly, if you don't love the look of the pallets themselves, you can break them down and utilize the lumber, which is far cheaper than buying lumber from the hardware store.

3. Lattice Fence

Lattice screens are an accessible option for a DIY privacy fence that won't break the bank. The pressure-treated lattice itself will cost under $30 for an 8-foot section of 4-foot-tall fencing.

When building a DIY privacy fence using lattice panels, factor in the cost of fence posts and structural members. Lattice panels aren't very strong materials, so you'll want to make sure they're secured to something solid to prevent them from sagging, warping, and falling over.

4. Living Fence

One of the most effective and visually appealing ways to bolster your yard's privacy level is to plant a living fence comprised of fast-growing plants like Arbovitae, English Laurel, Privet, Forsythia, Leeland Cyrpruses, and more. While large, established plants can cost hundreds of dollars per plant, you can buy small saplings for under $20 each.

To get the most privacy out of a living hedge, make sure you plant each plant close enough to one another that there are no gaps between them once the plants reach full maturity.

5. Dead Hedge

If you have lots of trees that are constantly shedding limbs, you're in luck. Use those fallen sticks, twigs, and branches to create a dead hedge. Drive posts into the ground, then weave the sticks around the posts along your desired path, pushing them down as you go.

Over time, you'll create a gorgeous hedge of branches that both complements your outdoor space and increases your property's privacy. If you use branches for your posts, you can build this privacy fence completely free of charge.

6. Repurposed Material Fence

If you love a vintage, repurposed look, you can get very creative with your privacy fence. Utilize repurposed materials like old wooden doors and windows, shutters, wood flooring, galvanized metal, barnwood, and whatever else you can find to create the privacy fence you've been dreaming of. Oftentimes, you can find these materials for free, though you'll need to buy posts and other materials to support your fence structure.

If you're simply after visual privacy, you can construct a privacy screen by building a frame similar to a wooden swing set, then hanging your repurposed materials from the top using chains and hooks. Since most of these materials aren't intended for outdoor use, you can extend their lifespan by painting or sealing them with a sealant rated for outdoor use and UV exposure.