January 30, 2022

Outdoor Slat Wall

Introduction:

An DIY outdoor slat wall is a versatile decor and a great renovation project that adds style to any exterior space. These wall slats typically consist of horizontal wooden or metal slats spaced evenly apart, creating a modern and natural simplicity look for various design tastes. They can serve as additional panel, providing privacy and defining boundaries, or simply enhancing the visual appeal of your outdoor living spaces.

For quick home improvement, DIY is the best way to go. If you’ve been following along, we’ve been our own house interior designer and gradually transforming our backyard space step by step. Here are some diy projects we have done – after building a DIY outdoor couch and crafting our outdoor cushions, we decided to elevate the area by adding a privacy screen. This addition truly unified the entire space. Keep reading to learn how we accomplished this enhancement.

This was a weekend project and is beginner-friendly and low maintenance, making it suitable for any outdoor space that desires perfect privacy. In addition to enhancing privacy, this wall defines our outdoor setting as a cozy extension of your home. Let’s improve our outdoor aesthetics today.

How to build a privacy wall in your patio space?

Here is an installation video to see it all in action. You can follow our DIY journey here Our Home In Making channel.

Let’s see step by step of hassle-free installation process. You might also diy this for interior use.

Materials:

Thirty Four 1x2s
Four 2x4x8
Wheels with locking mechanism

Tools Required:

Cut List:

Overall Wall height – 80″
Overall Wall width – 96″
Wheel height – 3″
Horizontal base – one 2×4 – 96″
Legs – three – 2x4s – 24″
Posts – three – 2x4s – 72″
vertical slats on either side – two 1x2s – 72″
Horizontal slats – Thirty-Three 1x2s – 92″

Steps to Build DIY Outdoor Slat Wall

Step 1: what wood should be used for an outdoor slat wall?

The first step is to get the pressure-treated square lumber. For any outdoor projects, you will need to check the tag on the backs of boards before buying the lumber to make sure they are suitable for outdoor use and have some water resistance.

Tip: Check every 1×2 before putting them in your cart. Hold them as shown in the picture and see if they are straight.

You need only straight lumbers for this DIY project.

Grab it!!!

Leave it!!!

The plan is to nail these 1x2s, which will be nailed against a 2×4 standing behind.

Step 2: Cut the real wood slat:

Once you have everything you need, it’s time to make the cuts. Mark the measurements by using a measuring tape and pencil.

You can find the cut list above, for the wall we made.

Start by cutting the wooden 2x4s to size by using Miter Saw. We decided to have 3 legs that are 2ft wide and 3 posts that are 6ft height.

While calculating the height of the post consider the heights of the base frame legs and the wheels if you plan on using them.

Step 3: Sand the DIY legs and base frame:

Now lightly sand the natural wood. We used 180-grit paper and an orbital sander to achieve a slight sanding, which I believe is sufficient for a wall exposed to the outdoor area. It doesn’t need to be super smooth.

Step 4: Prep the base frame and attach the legs:

For the wall, we need a base with sturdy materials.

To prep the frame, take three legs that are 2 feet wide and one post that is 6 feet tall.

Lay a long stud across the legs; this will serve as the base for all the vertical posts. Since the wood is treated for severe weather, it should withstand damp environments

Position the post on the legs (2x4s) as shown here.

Mark the centers of both 2x4s before screwing them in. When you’re ready to add the screws, it’s important to drill a pilot hole to prevent any wood from stripping. Always drill the pilot hole first and then drive the screw through it.

If you’re looking to create a small outdoor seating area on a budget, there are a few cost-effective options to consider. One of the least expensive ways to make a small outdoor patio is by using basic materials like gravel or pea gravel. This low-maintenance option can be easily spread out over an area and provides a nice base for your patio furniture.

Note: You don’t need to apply much pressure when adding screws.

Once you do that the base will look like this. You can add wheels either now or later. We added them in the end.

Step 5: Add the vertical Posts:

To attach the vertical posts, first drill the pocket holes. The 1x2s or slats will be nailed to these posts. Now, take those posts and drill pocket holes on one side. These will be attached to the base frame as shown here.

Here are my three posts with pocket holes drilled. Now let’s attach them to the base frame.

We used a Kreg jig and 2.5-inch pocket hole screws and its great way to join these posts to the frame. You can explore other methods if you believe Kreg joints may not provide sufficient strength for your wall. For our 6-ft-long posts, these joints are adequate, but adding extra support or stronger joints could further enhance stability. You can add wood filler to fill all the nail holes.

Step 6: Sand the DIY Wooden slat and Add the vertical slat:

We sanded the slats in batches using 180-grit sandpaper to achieve a lightly smooth finish.

Next, take two of those slats and nail them vertically along the edges of the post on either side. These will act as borders for all the horizontal slats and provide a finished look.

After adding the vertical edge slats, measure the gap between them. This measurement will determine the required length of the 1x2s. Cut over 33 1x2s to this required length.

Now, measure the distance between the vertical slats we just added and cut all the remaining slats to size accordingly.

Step 7: Paint the slats and base frame:

Let’s get to painting the slats with your favorite color as it would be difficult to paint them once we nail them. I used a paint roller and painted them in batches. We got the “Dark Slate” Solid Acrylic Stain + Sealer from Cabot. It is also uv-resistant color finish and it mostly hides the wood tones underneath.

Step 8: Nail the slats to the vertical posts:

Now we nail all these gray slat to the posts that act as support boards. We used 1.5-inch brad nails (concrete screw) and used a 0.5-inch spacer between the 1x2s.

We had some scrap wood that we cut to 1.5 inches. You can also use another 1×2 if you want 0.75 spacing between the slats.

Step 9 Fix the wheels to the base frame.

Since our privacy feature wall will be standing on the concrete of our patio area and I wanted the option to move it wherever I want, we decided to add wheels for that truly customized look. We ordered these from Amazon, and they come with a locking system, allowing us to lock them in place. In total, we added 6 wheels under all three sections, ensuring our privacy wall is now movable and versatile.

We encountered a slight stability issue after adding wheels to the wall. To address this, I found wire hooks on Amazon and used them to secure the wall to our pergola. This ensures the wall remains stable and doesn’t fall during heavy winds. If I need to move the wall, I can simply remove these hooks after cutting the excess length.

We certainly plan to add some outdoor wall slat decor to even personalize the space. This wall will look great in both back nd front of your home.

We decorated by adding some outdoor string lights to the DIY outdoor slat wall.

Conclusion:

DIY outdoor slat walls offer a practical and stylish solution to enhance your outdoor space. Whether for privacy, or functional division, these projects allow for creativity and customization. Embark on your DIY journey and enjoy the benefits of a personalized outdoor oasis with slat walls.

Our Home In Making