Privacy Slats on Chain Link: When They Make Sense in the Yakima Valley

Chain link has a reputation as the see-through fence, and for most jobs that's exactly what people want. You can watch the kids, keep an eye on the lot, and nothing blocks the view. But plenty of properties in the Yakima Valley need the opposite on at least one side: a back lot that faces the street, a yard behind a shop, a patio that looks straight into a neighbor's window. For those, privacy slats woven into the chain link are often the simplest fix.

What privacy slats actually do

Slats are slim strips that run vertically through the diamonds of the chain link fabric. They fill the open space, so people can't see through the fence, and they leave the posts, top rail, and fabric underneath doing the structural work. You keep the proven frame of a chain link fence and add screening on top of it.

L S Fencing installs Viewguard slats. A recent pair of jobs in Yakima: a 6' high brown Viewguard Plus job and an 8' high brown Viewguard job, both finished this summer.

Where slats are worth adding

Slats earn their place when something on the other side of the fence is better left unseen. Common reasons around the Valley:

• A back lot, equipment yard, or gravel parking area that faces a public road.
• Trash cans, a propane tank, or an air conditioning unit you'd rather not look at from the patio.
• A dog that barks at every person and car that passes the fence line.
• A backyard where the neighbors' windows look straight down into your space.
• A commercial property that wants to keep inventory and vehicles out of casual view.

If the only goal is to keep a dog or small child inside, plain chain link does that job fine and you don't need slats. Add them for the sight line, not the containment.

What slats change about the fence

A slatted fence behaves less like a screen door and more like a wall. Two effects are worth thinking about before you commit.

The first is wind. Open chain link lets wind pass through. A fence filled with slats catches it like a sail, and the load lands on the posts. Wind comes through the Valley often enough that it's fair to ask your installer how the posts are sized and how deep they'll be set for a slatted run, especially a tall one.

The second is sight lines. You can't see out either. If a driveway gate opens onto a road, think about where you'll stand when you pull out and how well you can see traffic before you cross the line of the fence.

Height matters more once slats go in

On plain chain link, height is mostly about keeping things in or out. With slats, height decides what people can see over the top. A 4' fence with slats hides very little from a standing adult. A 6' fence screens most views from a street or sidewalk. Eight feet, like the Viewguard job above, is for lots where you want the contents hidden from nearly everyone.

Before you pick a height, check with your city or county about fence height limits and any rules for solid or near-solid fences on your street, especially near corners and driveways. Those rules vary by location, and an installer shouldn't be guessing at them for you.

Choosing a color

Brown and black slats both show up on jobs around the Valley. Darker colors tend to fade into the background, and they pair well with the earth tones of a gravel lot or the trim on a building. Pick a color that matches something permanent on your property, like a roof, a door, or a shop wall, rather than something you might repaint next year.

Adding slats to a fence you already have

Sometimes slats can go into an existing fence, and sometimes they can't. The fabric needs to be tight and square, the posts need to be plumb, and the frame has to be strong enough for the extra wind load. A fence that already leans, sags, or has loose tension bars is a poor candidate. Putting screening on a tired frame just gives you a tired fence that's harder to see through and harder to fix.

A short visit to look at the posts and the fabric tells you more than any phone description. Take photos of the fence from both sides, measure the total run, and note where the gates are.

Talk to the yard on Swier Lane

L S Fencing has been a family fence company in Yakima since 1974, and the yard at 1711 Swier Lane keeps rolls of chain link and slats on hand. Call (509) 452-3000 to ask about a slatted run, or walk in Monday through Thursday, 8 to 4. Bring photos and a rough measurement, and ask what height and color fit your lot.