Outdoor Screen Cost Calculator
Outdoor screens hide a neighbour's window, dress up a blank wall or soften a pool fence. This calculator estimates supply and install cost based on how many linear metres you need, how tall the screen is, the material and how it is fixed.
Total run measured along the ground, not the area.
Slat gap is the trade off between privacy and airflow. A 15mm gap on 65mm slats gives good privacy at an angle while still letting breeze through, whereas a fully closed screen acts like a solid wall and needs stronger posts to handle wind load.
Timber screens look better for the first two years and worse for the next ten unless you oil them annually. Aluminium costs more up front and then costs nothing, which is why most people replacing a tired timber screen do not go back to timber.
💰 Ways to save
- Measure your run and then design it around standard panel widths rather than asking for everything custom. Most aluminium slat systems come in fixed panel widths, commonly around 1800mm or 2400mm, and every custom cut adds fabrication time and often a 60 to 120 dollar charge per panel. Shifting a post 100mm to land on a standard module can save several hundred dollars across a long run.
- Fix flat to an existing wall or good fence wherever the layout allows. Eliminating posts and footings removes concrete, digging and often a day of labour, and typically cuts around 25 to 30 percent from the cost of that section. It also removes the need to check for services underground, which is a common source of unexpected charges.
- Buy aluminium screening in a manufacturer stock colour. Monument, Woodland Grey, Basalt and Surfmist are almost always in stock, whereas a custom powder coat adds 500 to 900 dollars on a mid-sized job plus two to four weeks of lead time. If you want woodgrain, price it against a stock dark grey first, since the premium is often 15 to 20 percent for a look you may not want in five years.
- If you go timber, spend the difference on the fixings rather than the grade. Stainless steel screws and galvanised post stirrups add perhaps 150 dollars to an eight metre screen and are the single biggest factor in whether it is still straight and sound in year eight. Cheap fixings rust, stain the timber and pull loose long before the battens themselves fail.
or from $16/week over 5 years , indicative finance
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## What outdoor screening costs in Australia in 2026
Pricing reviewed: June 2026.
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Pricing reviewed June 2026. Indicative Australian costs, not a quote.
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Understanding outdoor screen costs in Australia
What outdoor screening costs in Australia in 2026
Supplied and installed, aluminium slat privacy screening at the standard 1.8 metre height runs 300 to 420 dollars per linear metre. An eight metre run behind a pool pump or along a side boundary therefore sits around 2400 to 3400 dollars including posts, footings and labour.
Timber batten screening in merbau or spotted gum is slightly cheaper at 260 to 380 dollars per linear metre, while treated pine drops to 180 to 260 dollars. Laser cut decorative panels are the premium option at 420 to 600 dollars per linear metre, driven by the cost of cutting the pattern and the thicker sheet needed to keep the panel rigid.
What actually drives the price
Height is the biggest single lever. Going from 1.8 metres to 2.4 metres does not just add a third more material, it usually forces larger posts at closer centres to handle the extra wind load, which is why the jump in cost is closer to 40 percent than 33 percent.
Fixing method is the second lever. Screens bolted flat to an existing wall or sound fence avoid posts, footings and excavation entirely and come in roughly 25 to 30 percent cheaper. Posts concreted into the ground are the baseline. Core drilling into an existing slab sits in between, and posts into a retaining wall or raised bed are dearest because the footing has to be engineered to resist overturning.
Aluminium, timber or laser cut
Powder coated aluminium is the default choice for good reason. It does not warp, does not need oiling, carries a 10 to 15 year finish warranty and washes clean with a hose. The cost premium over pine disappears within about six years once you count the oiling and the eventual replacement of split battens.
Timber remains popular where the look matters, particularly merbau and spotted gum, but expect to oil annually at roughly 120 to 200 dollars a year in product and half a day of your time. Untreated or poorly detailed timber screens in coastal Australia commonly need replacing at eight to twelve years.
Laser cut panels are decorative rather than structural. They are best used as a feature on a courtyard wall, a letterbox surround or a small section of a longer run, because a 12 metre run of laser cut pattern is both expensive and visually busy. Aluminium composite panels at 3mm or 4mm are the usual substrate.
Privacy, airflow and slat spacing
Screens are rarely fully solid. A 65mm slat with a 15mm gap blocks direct sightlines at any angle other than straight on, while still letting breeze through so the screen does not act as a sail. Reducing the gap to 5mm gives near total privacy but roughly doubles the wind load the posts must carry.
If the goal is blocking a neighbour's first floor window, remember the sightline geometry. A 1.8 metre screen at the boundary often does nothing for an elevated window, and the fix is either a taller screen closer to your own entertaining area or a horizontal overhead element. Working this out before ordering saves a great deal of money and disappointment.
Council rules and boundaries
Most Australian councils allow a boundary fence or screen up to 1.8 metres without approval, and up to 2.1 metres in some zones. Above that you generally need consent, and screens attached to an existing dividing fence may fall under fencing legislation, which means your neighbour has a say in the height and material.
Screens within a pool barrier zone are heavily regulated. Nothing climbable can sit within 900mm of the outside of a pool fence, which rules out horizontal slat screens placed close to the barrier. Check this before you buy, because it is one of the most common compliance failures at pool inspection.
Installation and site factors
Expect a two person crew to install eight to fifteen metres of straight aluminium screening in a day on a clear, flat site. Costs rise where posts must be dug through rock or clay, where the run steps down a slope requiring raked or stepped panels, and where access is limited to a 900mm side path.
Stepping a screen down a slope is worth understanding. Stepped panels keep the slats horizontal and look tidy but leave triangular gaps at the base that may need infill. Raked panels follow the ground and avoid gaps but need custom fabrication, which commonly adds 100 to 200 dollars per panel.
Maintenance and how long screens last
Aluminium screening needs washing with mild detergent twice a year, or quarterly within a kilometre of the coast, and that is essentially the entire maintenance schedule. Expect 20 years of service with the powder coat warranted for 10 to 15 of them.
Timber needs oiling every 12 months, tightening of fixings every few years and replacement of the occasional split batten. Budget around 150 dollars a year in materials. Composite and bamboo look products sit between the two, needing only washing, though cheaper composites can fade noticeably on a full western aspect within five years.
Frequently asked questions
How much does aluminium privacy screening cost per metre?
Supplied and installed at 1.8 metres high, powder coated aluminium slat screening runs 300 to 420 dollars per linear metre in 2026. That includes posts, footings and labour on a straightforward flat site. Woodgrain finishes add roughly 15 to 20 percent and custom powder coat colours add a further 500 to 900 dollars per job.
Is timber or aluminium screening cheaper overall?
Treated pine is cheapest up front at 180 to 260 dollars per linear metre and hardwood is 260 to 380 dollars, against 300 to 420 dollars for aluminium. Once you add annual oiling at 120 to 200 dollars and a likely replacement at eight to twelve years, aluminium is usually cheaper across a 15 year horizon.
How tall can a privacy screen be without council approval?
Most Australian councils permit boundary screens and fences up to 1.8 metres, and some zones allow 2.1 metres. Above that you generally need consent. If the screen attaches to a shared dividing fence, state fencing legislation may also require your neighbour's agreement on height and material.
What slat gap gives the best privacy?
A 65mm slat with a 15mm gap blocks direct sightlines from most angles while still allowing airflow. Closing the gap to 5mm gives near total privacy but roughly doubles the wind load, which means bigger posts at closer centres and a higher cost. For most side boundary situations the 15mm gap is the sensible balance.
Can I put a screen next to my pool fence?
Not within 900mm of the outside of the barrier if it is climbable, and horizontal slat screens are treated as climbable. This is one of the most common reasons a pool fails inspection. Either keep the screen beyond the 900mm non-climbable zone or use a vertical slat design cleared with your certifier first.
How much does a matching screen gate cost?
A single aluminium slat gate to match a 1.8 metre screen typically costs 900 to 1400 dollars supplied and installed, including hinges, a latch and posts sized for the swing. Self closing pool compliant hardware adds around 200 to 350 dollars, and a double gate wide enough for a trailer runs 1800 to 2600 dollars.
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