How to improve privacy along shadowbox fence?

Hi Bunnings Workshop Community,

I'm looking for advice on how to improve privacy along my boundary fence.

I'm in Queensland. My kitchen has a window splashback (and there's another in the pantry) that looks directly onto the boundary, which has a "shadowbox" fence (photo attached). Cooking in the evening is uncomfortable because I can sense the neighbours looking through it. I have tried speaking with them, but I had no luck. They're renters, and the owner hasn't been responsive.

I would like a solution that does not require touching or modifying the fence, if possible. I understand that altering a boundary fence usually requires the other owner's agreement, and the process can be slow if they're unresponsive.

What I'm after:

A durable privacy solution that looks good from our side
Ideally, something that delivers results quickly
Preferably freestanding or not attached to the fence

Site details

Total fence length: approx. 18.7 m
From garage to end of alfresco: approx. 13 m
Garden section: approx. 5.7 m
Passage width: approx. 1.3 m (multi-colour gravel)

Do you have ideas for tackling this project without altering the fence?
If I do attach or alter anything, would I need council approval in Queensland?
Any tips on what's compliant and practical for a shadowbox fence situation?

Ideas I've considered

Adding timber infill between the existing fence palings to close the gaps
Growing jasmine in large pots along the fence (or over a freestanding metal mesh or trellis)

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

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Comments

JacobZ

Hi @Sundayhandyman,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

Rules vary from place to place, but the overarching thing with fences is that if the fence lies on the boundary, it is shared property, and everything needs to be agreed upon by both owners. The rules in QLD state that "there should be a ‘sufficient’ dividing fence between properties" (Your responsibility as a fence owner | Your rights, crime and the law | Queensland Government). At present, under these rules, the fence would be considered sufficient. You can still make upgrades to it, but you would need to bear the full cost of doing so, and the neighbouring owner would need to agree to them.

The simplest solution to get privacy quickly is to add a second layer of palings to cover the gaps in the existing palings. This is a common fence style known as a lapped paling fence. Check out @mich1972's D.I.Y. paling fence for an example of a lapped paling fence. Ultimately, this would require the cooperation of the owner of your neighbouring property, so if this isn't possible, it wouldn't be your best option.

Another option is to grow screening plants. There are freestanding plant trainers such as this Jack 1900 x 600mm Grip And Grow Rustic Freestanding Plant Trainer that you could install in front of the fence, then grow climbing plants such as star jasmine, pandorea or hardenbergia. This would be a great option if there is soil along the fenceline as opposed to concrete.

If there isn't soil, some potted plants could also be an option.

Allow me to tag our helpful members @Dave-1, @Nailbag and @AlanM52 to see if they have any ideas they can offer.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

Dave-1

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/58584#Comment_58584

Good Afternoon @Sundayhandyman

I can think of two options, an easy one that probarlly wont cause issues and a harder one that will not cause issues.

The first one is extending the fence by lapping that @JacobZ has mentioned, removing the top strip of the fence and installing more pailings that lap the existing shadow box effect but 300mm higher (on your side) absent owners may not even care unless the added weight makes the fence ???.

The second option is what I am doing down the side of my house where I am installing a spa. I want a privacy fence so when getting in and out of teh spa my guests or myself dont need to worry. I havnt finished the project but its part way along and looks liek it will work well.

I am installing posts every 1,100mm ish via earth screw stirrups and then bolting a post to them. the height of the posts are 2.4m to 3m as its a stepped slope with the fence. I will be only adding slats to the top 600mm as that is the section above the fence I need.

03 19-03-2025.jpg

Side profile sketch of what I want it to end up (suggest you do the same as it really helps visulising space of the sidepath)

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The earth screw

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The narrow channel I want to have the posts in

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The height of the fence when standing on the pavers... Yeah need it to be higher.

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Earch screw going in, I did a center hole with a 30cm masonary drill bit to check for rocks. Not teh last hole I did I had to dig out as I hit rocks with the earch screw around the 35cm

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The eartch screw tools I used, so you need constant pressure downwards on the timber, G clamp across and a half turn with the prybar, then lift and twist and turn again. It worked pretty well but my muscles were screaming from outside normal use lol

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How the post will look eventully, note. You need to leave the stirrups sides open so you can insert round headed bolts. Also not holding the weight of timber up so you can slide the bolts through the preedrilled holes is a little difficult.

Just one way to do a privacy screen without using concrete.

Dave

AlanM52

Hi @Sundayhandyman,

For a start I want to show you what happened when I did Jasmin along a section of our fence.

494546752_10237711098139408_2557374545166007118_n (2).jpg

That is with regular pruning... what happened?

Looking at the photo (above left) it becomes very hard and woody starting at the root end and... as it grows that 'condition' creeps upwards.

Meanwhile at the top pruning for a reasonable screening there was still to much weight pulling the trellis down and also damaging the palings.

I got rid of it and went to Bunnings.

And did the usual pot plant thing.

Back to your project and I am going to describe a method I developed about 15 years ago when I built our chook run and later the chook run annex extension using pine poles with star pickets (no concrete). I am a member of backyard poultry groups and many of them have adopted the same method in particular those that are renting, they can dismantle and take the whole lot with them.

Here is the chook run annex extension, you can see the pickets hammered into the ground and screwed to the poles.

At this stage it is of course quite wobbly.

The roofing going on and now not so wobbly.

After the cage wire is wrapped around and stapled the whole thing is rock solid, same like poles are in concrete.

The method would likely be applicable to your job but would require staggered fence connections and the weight/wind load of the screening you choose needs to be considered.

Cheers

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