Balcony Privacy Screen: How to Choose and Install One (Renter-Friendly)

Quick answer: For most apartment and condo balconies, a 3 ft tall privacy screen covers a standard 36 to 42 inch railing, and a 4 ft screen covers taller railings or adds a little extra height. Choose a breathable HDPE screen (about 90% blockage) rather than solid vinyl, attach it to the railing with zip ties through the grommets, and you can take it down when your lease ends without drilling a single hole.

A balcony is one of the few outdoor spaces many renters have, but it often faces a parking lot, a street or a neighbor's window. A fabric privacy screen is the simplest fix: it goes up in under an hour, blocks most of the view, cuts glare and wind, and comes off cleanly. Here is how to pick the right size and install it so it stays tight.

Step 1: Measure your railing

• Height: measure from the balcony floor (or the bottom rail) to the top rail. Most residential balcony railings in the US are 36 to 42 inches tall.
• Length: measure each side of the railing you want to cover, corner post to corner post. Write each side down separately; you can use one screen per side or one long screen that wraps a corner.
• Attachment points: note where the top rail, bottom rail and posts are. You will tie the screen to these.

Step 2: Pick the height

ShadeMart standard screens are cut about 1 inch shorter than the listed size on purpose, so they pull tight between the rails instead of sagging.

Step 3: Pick the length

Choose the listed length closest to each side of your railing. A screen that is a few inches shorter than the railing is better than one that is longer: you can close a small gap with zip ties, but extra fabric bunches up at the ends. For long or L-shaped balconies, two screens butted together at the corner post look cleaner than one screen bent around it.

Step 4: Install with zip ties

1. Start at one top corner. Thread a zip tie through the corner grommet and around the top rail. Do not pull it fully tight yet.
2. Do the other top corner, then the top grommets in between, so the top edge hangs straight.
3. Tie the bottom corners to the bottom rail, then the bottom grommets.
4. Go back and tighten every tie a little at a time, working from the center out, until the screen is flat and tight.
5. Snip the tails of the zip ties.

Our screens have brass grommets in each corner, every 12 inches on the short edges and every 24 inches on the long edges, and the zip ties are in the box. For a full walkthrough on a fence, see How to Install a Privacy Screen on a Chain Link Fence; the same method works on balcony rails.

Will it catch the wind?

A knitted HDPE screen lets some air through, which is why it handles wind much better than a solid tarp or vinyl panel. Still, a balcony on a high floor can get strong gusts. Use a zip tie at every grommet rather than skipping some, check the ties after the first big storm, and take the screen down before a hurricane or severe wind warning.

Renter checklist

• Read your lease or HOA rules; some buildings limit colors or anything above the railing.
• Neutral colors such as black, beige, brown or grey usually pass building rules more easily than bright colors.
• Zip ties come off with scissors and leave no marks, so you can take the screen with you when you move.

Which fabric?

For balconies we recommend 170 GSM HDPE: it blocks about 90% of the view, resists UV, dries fast after rain and still lets a breeze through. If you want more privacy for a ground-floor patio, our heavier PLUS screen blocks more. Not sure which weight you need? Read How to Choose a Privacy Fence Screen.

Shop balcony privacy screens

• 3 ft Privacy Fence Screen: for standard balcony and deck railings
• 4 ft Privacy Fence Screen: for taller railings
• Custom Fence Privacy Screen: made to your exact height and length