7 Inexpensive Ways to Cover a Chain Link Fence

Chain Link Fence Slats

Chain link fences allow for long, narrow pieces to be inserted vertically to add privacy. Individual slats slide in easily from the top and stay in place without means of attachment. Slats are made of either high-density polyethylene or aluminum and can last for decades or be quickly changed out if damaged. This is one of the most neutral options, so it can blend with any yard.

The slats offer 75 to 80 percent visual blockage for privacy. Ten linear feet of chain link slats at 6 feet high cost around $90 to $110.

Full Bamboo Screens

Rolled bamboo fencing can be a natural, attractive way to camouflage a chain link fence. The bamboo fencing is constructed from attached poles ranging in thickness from 3/4-inch to 2 inches. Full bamboo pole screens can be installed directly onto a chain link fence by tying it to the rails and poles with foot-long pieces of 16-gauge wire. Bamboo is durable but it is organic and can deteriorate over the years. The resulting look will work well in a garden space with clean lines and foliage one might see in a Japanese garden.

This fencing can offer 85 percent coverage for privacy. A 16-foot long by 6-foot high panel of bamboo fencing can run between $50 to $100 but prices greatly vary per company.

Wooden Fence Panels

Regular wooden fence panels can be screwed onto chain link fences using U-brackets. Since these panels are been pre-constructed in a factory, there is no need to individually nail up boards. You will need access to the back side of the chain link fence in order to attach the panels to the fence. Once completed, this option will give you a warm and rustic look that is close to a regular wooden fence.

Durability is usually excellent. If you use cedar, this wood is naturally weather-resistant because it is very oily but any species can be sprayed with sealer.

Privacy coverage is high (about 90 percent). It is not inexpensive. A single wood fence panel 6 feet high and 8 feet long costs between $145 and $160.

Reed Screens

Thin bamboo reeds about the thickness of a drinking straw are woven together into 8- to 16-foot-long mats. These rolls are easy to carry and transport back from the home improvement store. Reed screens are usually installed vertically and stay attractive for about two years before needing replacement. These thin reeds feel beachy and tropical, so they are ideal for a coastal yard.

Reed screens offer about 85 percent privacy when new. As the screen falls apart, privacy drops as well. A roll of 6-foot by 16-foot reed screen costs about $28 to $35.

Mesh Wind Screen/Privacy Screen

At first glance, a mesh windscreen on a fence looks like a tarp. But a mesh privacy screen is designed specifically for fences. A mesh privacy screen is very durable and can last for years since it's UV-rated polypropylene, water-, and wind-permeable. It has a double-thick trim around the perimeter, and brass grommets on the trim so that you can attach it to the chain link with zip-ties. However it's woven, so it will eventually wear. This material can easily blend into the background if you have some shrubs, trees, or other greenery planted along your fence, almost camouflaging it.

Privacy ranges from 80 to 96 percent, depending on how much you are willing to spend. Mesh screening is a low-cost solution. Lower-quality privacy screens (85 percent blockage) are the least expensive, costing under $100 for a 6-foot high by 50-foot long screen. But costs vary greatly per size of screen, manufacturer, or seller. Screens with 96 percent blockage may cost about 50 percent more.

Live or Artificial Plants

If you're hoping for a wall of greenery, you have a few options, including artificial or real plants. Privacy screens woven with faux ivy vines is an option that can be rolled across one side of a fence. It can instantly camouflage the chain link fence but weather will affect the aesthetics of the material over time. It offers just about full coverage. A 3- to 5-foot by 10-foot high panel can cost between $40 and $80-plus depending on the level of detail, such as faux flowers.

For real ivy, try evergreen vines, such as English ivy, to create a living wall, but you will need to be patient to see results that will offer season-to-season coverage. Otherwise, plant taller privacy hedges in front of the fence, though the faster-growing shrubs will only grow around 2 feet a year. Regardless of if you choose real or faux vines, they will give your yard a secret garden feel.

Privacy Tape

Privacy tape differs from slats in that the tape is thinner and installed on a diagonal through the chain links. The tape is typically made of low-density polyethylene treated with color and UV inhibitors. But it's labor-intensive to install, especially on large expanses of fencing. Tape usually comes in a variety of colors and it attaches with fasteners. The tape is highly durable and is designed to withstand high heat and frigid temperatures, usually only requiring pressure cleaning to freshen it up.

Diagonal weaving with tape offers more privacy coverage (about 90 percent) than vertical slats. Tape is also less expensive, costing about $40 to cover 40 square feet (250-foot long roll). The main focus of this option is getting maximum privacy, not aesthetics. But the overall style is simple and likely won't clash with your landscape design.