Patios are wonderful spaces to spend some down time, but wind can make the experience pretty frustrating—moving furniture, knocked-over plant pots, flipped umbrellas. Here’s 10 great ideas to block the wind on a patio.
- Install a wind screen
- Add a hedge wall
- Plant trees and shrubs
- Install outdoor shades
- Use outdoor glass walls
- Change out your furniture
- Add climbing vines on trellises
- Install railing panels
- Build a fence
- Use a sail shade
There are lots of options out there to reduce the amount of wind your patio gets while still getting to enjoy a cool breeze every once in a while. The rest of this article will help you figure out what method works best for you to blow wind on a patio.
Install a Wind Screen
A wind screen is the most straightforward solution to your wind problems. Simply roll it out when you want to use it and roll it up when you don’t. If you live somewhere that gets infrequent bouts of winds or if you still want to appreciate cool days without as much of a breeze, a wind screen is a perfect solution.
Add a Hedge Wall
A hedge wall is a unique solution to block the wind from your patio. The hedge can be real or artificial—both add aesthetic value to your patio while serving the valuable function of taking the brunt of the wind that comes your way. Just be sure to identify where the wind is usually coming from before making major modifications to your patio.
Plant Trees and Shrubs
Believe it or not, trees and shrubs make a great natural wind shield and work great as an aesthetic touch to any patio. Get some hearty, fast growing trees and shrubs like poplars and cypress for quick results. Not only do trees and shrubs create a nice barrier between you and the wind, but they work well to border a patio space as well.
Install Outdoor Shades
Outdoor shades are a simple solution to wind problems. Designed to protect you from UV rays, outdoor shades work well against wind in a pinch. They’re certainly not equipped to handle very strong winds, but they do have a noticeable effect if you want to tone down the degree of breeziness you get on your patio.
Use Outdoor Glass Walls
Outdoor glass walls are a perfect compliment to a modern patio space and are excellent at blocking the wind.
How you choose to install them is up to you, but outdoor glass walls have an advantage over other methods because they provide significantly more visibility and admit more sunlight. The only downside is that installing glass walls can get pretty pricy, ranging from $25-85 per square foot.
If you want to block out the wind and retain visibility or change up the look of your patio, then outdoor glass walls are an excellent way to modify the space for better wind coverage.
Change Out Your Furniture
You’ve probably never thought of your furniture as a wind block, but it certainly works in a pinch. Opt for heavy furniture with a wider profile.
With some consideration as to where the wind is coming from, your furniture can be positioned to block the wind out. Of course, this involves changing up the look of your patio by shifting stuff around, but if you want to block out the wind, it’s definitely worth a try.
Add Climbing Vines on Trellises
Beautiful as they are, trellises also offer a decent ability to block out the wind as well as an incredible aesthetic aspect to your patio or other outdoor space. Simply install them as a barrier in the direction that the wind is coming from, and you’ll have the benefit of gorgeous vines with some added protection from the wind.
Install Railing Panels
Railing panels can be a great option to block the wind out, but it’s certainly worth noting that they do have a visible impact on your patio. If you want your railings to be more noticeable, then this isn’t the solution for you; however, if you notice that a lot of the wind is coming through your railings, then it might be worth installing panels.
Build a Fence
Adding a fence is the most straightforward way to block out the wind, and in many cases, a fence can add some aesthetic value to a space.
If you don’t want your patio to be walled off from the outside, then this might not be the best solution for you. If, on the other hand, you want to partition off a space in your patio to sit, then a fence might be the right pick.
Use a Sail Shade
Sail shades are a very aesthetically pleasing solution to wind issues. They look like, well, a sail fluttering in the wind, and they provide some respite from the wind. This is not a heavy-duty solution, but when installed properly, it can reduce the intensity of a blustery day quite a bit.
Final Thoughts
Blocking wind on a patio is as simple as putting up something between you and the wind, but finding a way to do that while still keeping the patio looking beautiful and open can be challenging. With a little consideration as to how you want to adjust the style of your patio, there are plenty of options out there to block wind on a patio.
FAQs
How Do I Stop My Patio from Getting Windy?
Stopping your patio from getting windy requires you to put something in the way of the wind so that it’s not as strong when it reaches you. This could include simple solutions like a wind screen or more innovative ideas like a hedge wall.
How to Block Wind on a Balcony or Porch?
A balcony or porch has many similar solutions to a patio—wind screens, fences, trellises, shades, and hedges—all of which work well to block wind on a balcony or porch.