How to hide an ugly fence – 6 ways to disguise an eyesore

Let’s be honest; fences aren’t known for their beauty. But if your fence has seen better days and you don’t want to replace it, you’ll be happy to know that there are ways to hide an ugly fence without spending a fortune in the process.

Yes, bringing your garden fence ideas to life can be difficult when you’re dealing with an old, damaged, or broken fence. And while it’s possible to fix a broken fence yourself, this can be expensive – and sometimes, it’s unnecessary if your fence just doesn’t quite suit the ‘vibe’ you’re going for in your garden.

From simply painting it to buying affordable screening, I’ve pulled together expert-approved ideas to transform an ugly fence into something you can be proud of. And they’re easy to DIY, too.

1. Paint it

Perhaps the simplest and cheapest way to hide an ugly fence is to paint it. After all, an ugly fence can often look like an eyesore when it’s old, worn, and tired. And as Nick Wood, garden designer at GardeningExpress, says, ‘Never underestimate what a fresh coat of paint can do.’

In fact, there are many fence colours that can make a garden look bigger and colours that can either bring it to the forefront of your attention or blend it into the background. There are certain fence colours to avoid, though.

Whatever colour you choose, painting your fence can instantly make it look new and fresh, and the beauty of painting is that you can always paint it again if you’re not happy with the result. Plus, Building and landscaping expert Mark Irving from Build & Plumb adds, ‘Painting or staining your fence will help to provide protection from the outdoor elements, like weather damage or moisture. This will extend the lifespan of the fence and maintain its visual appearance for a longer period of time.’

But if you share a fence with a neighbour, make sure you know which side of the fence is yours, as you can’t paint your neighbour’s side of the fence without their permission.

2. Hang some lights

Although the best garden lighting ideas can be used to attract, they can also be used to distract – especially if you want to hide an ugly fence in your outside space. Aimee Snape, Purchasing Manager at Festive Lights, happens to agree.

She says, ‘Rather than opting for a coverup such as a trellis or shrubbery, why not consider upcycling the fence or wall with the addition of decorative lighting? Bold, bright and beautiful string lights or festoons are a great way to pull attention from dull panels or brick. If you would prefer a full coverage option, curtain lights again are ideal for creating a welcome distraction.’

She adds, ‘For those looking for something a little bit different, solar planters are a great addition, creating a focal point that is both attractive and practical. The planters are easily wall-mounted and are ideal for housing both real and faux foliage. The solar light charges during the day, meaning that your greenery can take centre stage both day and night.’

Personally, I love outdoor solar lights and use them all around my garden – including to hide my own old and ugly fence. There are some things you should know before buying outdoor solar lights, though, so have a read to ensure you don’t make any garden lighting mistakes.

3. Add trees or hedges

This natural fence screening does require a little more patience as you’ll need to wait for them to grow, but there are many fast-growing privacy trees and fast-growing hedges out there that will help to hide an ugly fence in as little as a few months.

Owen Simpson, Managing Director of Henchman, explains, ‘Not only do they add more greenery to your garden, but they also help with noise reduction, provide protection from wind, and offer shelter and food sources for all kinds of wildlife like bees, butterflies, hedgehogs and birds.’

However, you should always do some due diligence before planting anything to hide your fence. Steve Chilton, garden expert at LeisureBench, says, ‘Firstly, I recommend measuring your fence in both height and width. There’s no point in choosing plants and trees that aren’t going to fully cover your fence, and similarly, you don’t want to splash out on expensive, big trees when you only need a tree that’s half the height.’

He adds, ‘Similarly, you need to work out what growing conditions your fence location has. For example: how much sunlight this area gets, what the natural soil is like, how much shade the area gets and how much wind it gets.’

4. Buy privacy screens

If you’re looking to hide an ugly fence, there are so many garden screening ideas out there. These come in so many different shapes and forms, with many experts opting for more natural materials. This option can also be incredibly affordable, and this FunkyBuys Bamboo Screening from Amazon is just £15.99 and can be attached using a staple gun.

But composite screening is a great alternative if you’re looking for something more robust. You could buy smaller decorative panels to cover small sections of your ugly fence, or you can buy large rolls (similar to bamboo or wicker) or panels that cover the whole thing – almost like a brand-new fence.

‘Using composite trellis garden screens presents a practical and aesthetically pleasing solution for transforming an ugly fence into a presentable feature of your outdoor landscape,’ says Richard King at Dino Decking.

‘With their durability, versatility, and ability to integrate with nature, these screens offer a stylish way to enhance privacy, add greenery, and elevate the overall ambience of your outdoor living space,’ he adds.

5. Plant a vertical garden

While it’s easy to plant in garden borders and fill containers full of plants around your fence, they don’t hide an ugly fence completely. That’s where vertical gardening can help. In fact, there are even many vegetables you can grow vertically if you want to upgrade your fruit and veg patch.

Caron Grant, Brand Manager at Bridgman, explains, ‘From hanging planters along a fence to using trellises for vines and other climbing plants, vertical gardens provide more growing space as well as upright accents to make your garden look bigger. Plus, their distinctive look offers the opportunity to add interest by covering boring fences with blossoming colours and greenery.’

The best climbing plants to cover an ugly fence will suit you best if you’re looking for quick results, but the overall aesthetic you choose is completely down to you. Alick Burnett, Managing Director at Blooming Artificial, is particularly fond of living walls.

He says, ‘Living walls are fantastic for hiding away crumbling walls and old fences. Combine them with flowers, and you’ve got yourself a beautiful feature for your garden! Geraniums, fuschias and wallflowers work beautifully to give a summery feel to your garden.’

6. Decorate with mirrors

If you want to hide an ugly fence but don’t want to cover the whole thing with plants or screens, mirrors are a great alternative. Not only are they practical, but they’re also a way to add a decorative touch to your outside space.

Danielle Le Vaillant, Head of Photography & Film at Cox & Cox, says, ‘Adding mirrors to your garden fence is a simple way to break up a large expanse of wood. Beautiful reflections from natural light create a warm and welcoming environment, enhancing the area for socialising and hosting.’

And how you place these mirrors can also affect the overall feel of your outside space. In some cases, it can make a larger space feel more intimate. But in other cases, it may make a smaller garden feel much larger.

‘Livening up a bland fence with mirrors adds interest to your garden space,’ adds Danielle. ‘Positioning them to reflect greenery and exciting features in your garden space allows your garden’s natural beauty to be amplified, creating an outdoor space that cocoons and relaxes.‘On the other hand, our outdoor shutter mirror creates the feeling of a window in your garden, adding a cosy feel to a more rustic cottage garden.’

FAQs

How can I make my fence more attractive?

This all depends on whether you want to completely hide an ugly fence or just smarten it up.

If you want to hide it completely, you should focus your attention on growing natural screens or installing composite alternatives. This way, you can hide your fence without having to replace it in the process. And if you’re looking for a cheap option, simply painting it should do the trick.

If you just want to make your fence look more appealing and more attractive, you could add little decorative touches here or there. You could light your fence up with fairy lights, add some hanging baskets, or focus on cheering up the bottom of the fence.

For example, you could grow some bright and bold plants in garden borders to brighten the space up.

How do you make a bad side of a fence look good?

It’s important to note if the ‘bad side’ of a fence faces into your garden, the fence will aalmost always belong to your neighbour. This means that you legally can’t do anything to that fence without first seeking permission from your neighbour.

If you do receive permission, there are many things that you can do to make the bad side of the fence look good. You can paint it, attach lights, hang hanging baskets, and even grow trees in front of it.

However, you should avoid anything that can’t be removed easily, just in case your neighbour decides to replace the fence.

Now you know how to hide an ugly fence, it’s time to choose your favourite option.