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How to add balcony privacy screening?

Hello, I want to put a screen on my open balcony, but we have had a bit of waterproofing issues so I don’t want to fasten the bottom of the posts to the balcony floor. Is it feasible to fasten the posts to the balcony balustrade instead? If so, is there any advice on how to do so? I would be interested in permanent fixtures as well as temporary or portable ones.

I would like to use the Jack Screen Up posts, and the Jack Matrix screen panels.

Thank you to anyone who takes the time out to give some advice!

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Comments

Jason

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @pangcelene. We're pleased to have you join us.

My apologies that it might be a while before one of our resident Bunnings D.I.Y. experts can share their thoughts, so let me tag some other knowledgable and experienced members to see what they would do: @Nailbag, @TedBear and @Adam_W.

You might also like to explain in a little more detail about the waterproofing issues you have had and what is below those tiles we can see.

Personally, I would doubt that you can use the existing balcony balustrade as it is not intended to carry additional force/weight. If large panels were to be picked up by the wind they could be a significant safety hazard so robust footings will be essential. I would also recommend contacting your council to make sure they don't have any rules and regulations that you need to comply with regarding installing screening at height.

Thanks,

Jason

TedBear

Hi @pangcelene I agree with @Jason on this situation, as you have described it so far. It would be highly risky to use the balustrade anchor points for something beyond what they were designed for. It would be better to solve the waterproofing issues so that your can anchor the posts to the floor. The screen bottoms would, I assume, have some clearance above the floor to allow water to escape under them. Will you be adding at least one screen to go around the corner to stabilise the installation against wind? The idea looks great.

Nailbag

Hi @pangcelene

I also concur with both @Jason and @TedBear and would not advise attaching anything to the existing ballustrading. This wouldn't have been fixed to take in to account the additional forces from wind. I installed an aluminium framed screen that replaced a section of the balustrade and was fixed directly into the deck facia boards.

We would need additional information as to what the waterproofing concerns you have? For example is there a living space under that area? The fixing for the screen posts can be Sika-sealed both under and over the mount plates for the posts..

Nailbag

pangcelene

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/43070#Comment_43070

Thank you @Jason , @TedBear and @Nailbag for your fast responses! That is great advice that the balustrade will not be able to take the additional forces from the wind.

As for the tiles, my builder was all over the place and went against the engineering for the balcony. There is a strip drain that goes through the middle of the balcony with the balcony itself shaped in a slight v shape to get the water to go into the drain with a waterproof membrane over the entire thing. The tiles that you can see in the picture are floating tiles to cover it all up, so I can’t really drill through the floating tiles because that would be unstable. I could cut them, but I was hoping for a simpler solution.

Do you think it would be feasible to make it freestanding? As @TedBear pointed out, I am planning to make the screen go around the corner. The screens would be in 2 sections: the first around the left corner of the balcony with 3 screens on each side, and the other on the right corner of the balcony with 5 screens on one side and 3 on the other. I was thinking perhaps an L-shaped frame around the bottom of both sections to connect the posts together and then add some brackets as feet. Does anyone know of any similar projects on creating freestanding outdoor screens that I can look to for instructions? Or does anyone know any other options to create a stable freestanding base?

Nailbag

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/83648#Comment_83648

Hi @pangcelene

The screen couldn't be freestanding, even with the weight. the L-shape will definitely provide that additional strength and stability as it did mine. Though not required, I also fixed mine with right angle brackets to the brick wall of the house that was later rendered and to the right side balustrade post. So, you could do similar. But also could you still secure the screen posts to the floor if they were spaced to miss the strip drain? Even if they meant spacings weren't exactly even.

Nailbag

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/83648#Comment_83648

Hello @pangcelene

I propose speaking to your builder again and asking them in regards to re-enforcing the frame of the balcony so that it can withstand the added load. You can also refer to a draftsperson to draw you a plan that will allow you to install privacy screening. At this point in time, I'm afraid your existing structure is not strong enough to take the added dynamic forces that will be applied to it.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

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