Whether it’s nosy neighbors or overseeing buildings you want to shield from, these backyard hot tub privacy ideas also integrate style, so you don’t have to compromise the look of your garden. Instead, lots of them actually create opportunities for further outdoor decoration around the best hot tubs (opens in new tab), including gazebos and pergolas that provide structure for DIY bars or outdoor seating areas. Rather than being restrictive, these ideas can make your hot tub space more social than ever, while still providing protection from enquiring eyes. Before you start putting these backyard hot tub privacy ideas into action, it’s good to consider how your methods to achieve privacy might affect your overall tub experience. If you’re constructing a fence or screen, take some time to work out how to achieve privacy while still holding onto the most pleasant view of your backyard, as well as ensuring that pathways back into your home remain viable. You might even find it helpful to plot out your new tub area with the best landscape design software (opens in new tab) to overcome any logistical issues before you get to work.
1. Invest in an outdoor hot tub privacy screen
Privacy screens are an excellent way to create a more secluded hot tub setting. Even better, with both portable and fixed options available, they’re a super versatile option for your backyard. They also come in a variety of different styles, with many having patterns embossed on them or cut-out designs, so no matter the decor of your backyard, you can find a screen that matches up. Portable privacy screens like this one from Home Depot (opens in new tab) are perfect for establishing your dedicated tub area while also offering adaptability. If you want your tub covered most of the time, but would prefer to be able to open up your area when you’re entertaining, then this would be an ideal option for you. There are also plenty of great ways to make a screen part of your permanent outside area. Wooden screens are a popular choice and provide the structure for an ‘outside room’ setting, in which you can integrate other seating around your tub for a social atmosphere.
2. Build your own DIY hot tub privacy screen
If you’re on a budget, then you might be looking for a backyard hot tub privacy idea that won’t break the bank. Luckily there are plenty of affordable, and even better, sustainable ways to recycle materials you may already have in your home in order to create a shield for your tub. One such DIY solution is to create a fence or screen from wood paneling. Though this all depends on the level of your DIY skills, if you do have spare materials for the job, then recycling them like this is a pretty cost-effective solution. As with any hot tub screen, positioning is essential to saving you time and effort. If there is a spot that your tub can be placed in that means you have fewer angles or sides to cover, then this will likely save you a lot of trouble too.
3. Privacy plants: grow your garden around your hot tub
If gardening is a passion of yours, then there’s a great opportunity to create privacy by using plants and foliage in your space. There are plenty of plants, such as bamboo, that can do an excellent job of shielding your tub from outside view, as well as providing shelter from the elements. These can be planted in the ground around your tub, or within a portable planter, like this multi-level one (opens in new tab) from Home Depot, to provide privacy on wheels whenever you’d like it. Another way to integrate plants as a shield is to blend your privacy screen and planter together. Fast-growing trellis plants such as wisteria, perennial sweet peas, and hydrangeas are perfect for the job, and add a burst of color into the surroundings too. For those who want a quick plant-fix for their tub, then you can combine your plants and screen immediately for ultimate convenience with this box from Walmart (opens in new tab). (opens in new tab)
4. Style a pergola for maximum privacy
Pergolas are all the rage, and for good reason, as they allow you to combine many stylish backyard elements on your quest for a little more privacy. For one, a pergola structure, usually made out of wood like this one from Home Depot (opens in new tab), can double up as a trellis for all of those snaking plants you’ve always wanted in your backyard. They’re also the perfect place for weaving the best solar lights (opens in new tab) within, so you can create a stunning shining canopy effect for added ambiance. Or, you could opt for a fabric canopy if your garden tends to need a little more protection from the weather, and enjoy your outdoor space under your pergola even when it’s drizzling.
5. Level up - or down
If you’re considering buying a tub but haven’t yet taken the plunge, then one possible step you can take to ensure privacy is to install your tub below the ground. This will mean that you can take shelter from external view much easier, as any measures you take to ensure privacy (like screens) won’t have to be positioned very high above the ground. We especially like the idea of using different levels within a backyard to carve out sunken or raised seating areas to go alongside your tub. Sunken seating areas might be a little retro, but ultimately create a wonderful space for socializing around your tub, especially if you get one of the best fire pits (opens in new tab) involved in your setup. Leveling up your tub is also a sure-fire way to create a picturesque space. Home stylist @herzenstimme (opens in new tab) on Instagram showcases exactly how to combine efforts for privacy with stylish touches; her tub is covered by a canopy and screen, but still has little decorative touches to inject personality.
6. Install a DIY bar to create a cover for your tub
One way to set up a social area within your garden while still seeking coverage is to put together a DIY bar that creates a dividing presence between the rest of your garden. The best structure to provide the base for your bar is likely to be a pergola, as it gives essential support for any other outdoor furniture to be bolted onto. A photo posted by on Why not get inventive with your DIY bar, and invest in items like this long bar (opens in new tab) to serve your drinks off, and match it with high bar stools so that even those who aren’t currently in the tub can sip drinks and chat with those who are. For the full bar experience, you could even install liquor dispensers (opens in new tab) from your pergola or structure, and self serve as you enjoy your tub. If you’re not much of a drinker, or much prefer to host cookouts with one of the best gas grills (opens in new tab) for all the family, then creating a permanent seated area around your tub is still an excellent idea to make the whole space more cohesive. You can cook up a storm with your barbeque, using your grilling station to shield the tub at the same time.
7. Make your own hot tub enclosure
For those really craving a cocooned and comfortable feeling while using their hot tub, then creating a hot tub enclosure is essential. These enclosures can be bought ready-made, like this one from Home Depot (opens in new tab), though it’s safe to say that already established structures are most definitely on the more expensive side. For a DIY alternative to those pricey enclosures, look out for alternative materials to cover your tub. Whether that’s a repurposed wooden shed or even an overhanging umbrella, there are plenty of materials that can be reimagined for this purpose, creating a spot under which you can place your tub. Other cheap alternatives include opting for a pop-up tent or gazebo like this one (opens in new tab) from Home Depot, which might suit those with one of the best inflatable hot tubs (opens in new tab), as both are fully portable.
