↑

Playdates to Parties

DIY Party Crafts and Recipes

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers, Sides, and Finger Foods
    • Drinks
    • Main Dishes
    • Desserts
    • Cooking Tips & Tricks
  • Crafts
    • Printables
    • Cricut Crafts
    • Kid Crafts and Activities
    • Organization
    • DIY Projects
  • Parties
    • Kids Parties
    • Baby Showers and Gender Reveals
    • Party Games
    • Party Music
    • Grown Up Parties
    • Gift Ideas
    • Party Planning Tips
  • Holidays
    • New Year’s Eve
    • Valentines Day
    • St. Patricks Day
    • Easter
    • Mother’s Day
    • Father’s Day
    • July 4th
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
  • About
    • Contact
    • Disclosure and Privacy Policy
  • Hostess Toolkit
  • Shop

How to Make a Deck Privacy Screen with Ikea Sultan Lade

April 20, 2016 by Leslie

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. To learn more, please read our disclosure and privacy policy

Learn how to create a deck privacy screen that also doubles as a climbing trellis for your potted plants. Assembly is simple, and you can make it in a weekend!

Want a little more privacy on your deck, but don't want to block out all the light? Head over to playdatesparties.com to learn how to make a deck privacy screen with Ikea Sultan Lade in only one weekend! #DIY #patio #upcycle #deck #pdpcreates

What a week!

The warm weather finally decided to come back to the mid-atlantic and our family couldn’t be happier.

We’re in our third week of renovating our backyard. And even though several projects are done…there’s no way you would know it from the look of things right now:

Family deck in disarray during renovations

When we left off with last week’s One Room Challenge update, I was letting you decide two parts of this makeover:

  1. Whether or not to freshly stain the plant benches, and
  2. If we should make a single or double width deck privacy screen.

The results were pretty much unanimous:

  1. Leave the benches as-is, (hooray for easy!) and
  2. Make a double-width privacy screen.

One reader, Carla, recommended sealing up the benches with marine varnish, and I love that idea. But for time’s sake, I’m going to leave the benches alone for now.

I’ll fix up the stain and seal them up with marine varnish either in the fall or early next spring. So that just left trying to figure out how to turn this Ikea Sultan Lade bed base into a deck privacy screen.

Ikea Sultan Lade bed base

Why Use Ikea Sultan Lade for the Deck Privacy Screen?

I know, it sounds strange, right?

Well, our 3-year-old’s Ikea bed completely came apart a few weeks ago. On top of that, we were unaware that the same bed was under a recall notice for potential trapping.

Clearly, the bed had to go.

But, the base seemed to be in good shape, and we’ve been looking at this eyesore for the last several years:

Neighbor's yard that is full of weeds and barren spots

That’s when I realized that the Sultan Lade bed slats would be perfect for a deck privacy screen. Score!

How to Make a Deck Privacy Screen with Ikea Sultan Lade

Materials and Supplies

  • Ikea Sultan Lade Slatted Bed Base, OR 12 boards approximately 38″L x 3.5″W x 3/4″D
  • Box cutter with a sharp blade
  • Pliers
  • 3 wood studs – 2 x 3 cut to 84″ tall
  • Sandpaper
  • Outdoor stain
  • Water sealer
  • Deck screws: 3′ and 1.75″
  • Power Drill with drill and screw bits
  • 4 foot level
  • Measuring tape
  • Pencil or chalk markers

Prepare your materials

This is the most time-consuming part of the whole process. You will definitely want to allow for at least a full day to get these steps finished.

  1. If using the slatted bed base, you will need to remove the webbing that connects the slats together. Cut the webbing with a box cutter as tight as possible to the staples. Then, use pliers to remove as many staples as possible.
  2. Sand all wood pieces to reduce rough edges and wipe down to remove all dust and debris
  3. Paint all the wood pieces with a long-lasting outdoor stain. I used stain we had on hand from Olympic that promises 5 years of protection and a spray on water sealer to protect the screen from water damage.

Add the Vertical Supports

Once all the wood is prepared and dry, it’s time to really get moving!

It’s helpful to first lay everything out on the ground as you would like it to look, so you can take a few preliminary measurements.

The first three steps for adding vertical supports for your deck privacy screen: marking the center point, screwing in the center post, and measuring out the first side post.
  1. With a pencil or chalk marker, mark the center of where you would like your privacy screen located.
  2. Using the 4-foot level, attach one of the studs at the marked location. Start by holding the stud firmly in place and drilling a pilot hole through the stud and slightly into the deck. Then Use a 3″ screw to attach the stud to the deck. Screw the stud into the top and bottom of the deck railing
  3. Measure 38″ from the outer edge of the stud to the left and again to the right. Double check your measurements by holding a stud to the marked location (where the mark is at the outer edge of the stud), and then hold one of the Sultan Lade boards up to ensure that the Sultan Lade board goes edge-to-edge between the studs.
  4. Alternatively, you can also attach the first slat to the center stud (see directions below) and use it to measure the distance for your outside studs.
  5. Once you have your measurements verified, attach the right and left studs to the deck in the same manner as step 2.

Add the Sultan Lade Slats

Adding Ikea Sultan Lade bed slats to the deck privacy screen: placing the first bar, marking the spacing, and adding the remaining bars.
  1. Starting with the center stud, drill pilot holes through the slats and into the stud just above the deck’s hand rail. Use a 1.75″ deck screw to attach the slat to the stud.
  2. Using the 4-foot level, attach the slat to the left outside stud, following the directions in step 1.
  3. Measure 7.5 inches from the bottom of the first Sultan Lade slat and mark the location on the center stud. As long as you are using boards with the measurements identified above, this will be the distance between each slat.
  4. Align the bottom of your second Sultan Lade slat to the mark you just made on the center stud. Make sure the board is level and attach it to the center and left studs according to the directions in steps 1 and 2.
  5. Repeat steps 3 and 4  until 6 boards are attached to the center and left studs.
  6. Starting just above the first Sultan Lade slat on the left, attach a new Sultan Lade slat to the center and right studs using exterior screws. Don’t forget to drill your pilot holes and make sure the slat is level before attaching it to the right stud.
  7. Attach the remaining slats to the center and right stud, following the directions above.

And Now You Have a New Deck Privacy Screen!

Assembling the privacy screen took me less than 3 hours, even with little kids around. The baby actually joined me on the deck for a snack as I was finishing up!

Here is how it looks today, with our DIY self-watering planters in front of it, ready for a small veggie garden.

Deck Privacy Screen with Ikea Sultan Lade finished and ready for plants.

We plan to use the screen to help provide support for our tomato plants (instead of a trellis). I also hope to add some hanging plants to the screen for more greenery and added privacy.

Progress for the Backyard Renovation

Here’s a little recap of the to-do list so far:

For the Upper Deck:

  • Clean up winter debris (about halfway done!)
  • Finish the canopy (almost done!)
  • Make a privacy screen
  • Refresh old pots with paint if necessary
  • Spray paint the bar cart
  • Start the herb garden
  • Plant fresh flowers

For the Lower Deck:

  • Figure out a new (and organized) storage solution for the kids’ toys
  • Revitalize or replace the furniture (it’s so awesome!)
  • Replace the hanging plants
  • Figure out a safe way to help repel bugs
  • Add new decor and plants around the seating area

Update! All Decked Out

The backyard is finally finished! You can read all the details here, but I thought it would be nice to see the privacy screen with the planters in place, and a few accessories to help us keep our patio garden healthy all summer long.

The deck privacy screen with plants hanging off the slats, and gardening supplies hanging off of s-hooks from the slats

Don’t forget to head over to the full reveal post to see more pictures of the finished deck patio screen and all the other projects we made along the way!

See the Entire Renovation:

  • Backyard for Entertaining: Reveal
  • How to Build an Outdoor Bar with a Pallet & Cinder Blocks
  • 4 Quick & Easy Chalk Paint Projects
  • How to Spray Paint Your Patio Cushions
  • Our Extreme Outdoor Toy Organization System
  • How to Make a Privacy Screen with Ikea Sultan Lade
  • Easy DIY Plant Benches
  • How to Paint Rusty Outdoor Furniture
  • How to DIY a Self-Watering Planter Box

Join me over at Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter,

for more fun ideas and inspiration!


I want to extend many thanks to the readers who have enjoyed renovation and home DIY posts over the years. Unfortunately, in January 2018 I was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer and had to stop doing home renovation posts due to treatment.

Since that time, my focus has been on making this website an amazing resource for the everyday mom’s parties. Due to their popularity, the DIY posts and tutorials will remain on the website, but comments are now closed. Thank you again and I wish you the best in your DIY endeavors!

  • Share
  • Tweet

Filed Under: DIY Projects Tagged With: one room challenge, ORC, ORC Spring 2016

About Leslie

Leslie is the passionate party planner in her family. Living with metastatic breast cancer since 2022, she is determined to find a way to continue making amazing parties for her kids that don't leave you exhausted. To do that Leslie combines the experience she learned working for a professional event planner with the reality of a busy family life to create party inspiration that the average mom can reproduce and be proud of.

Comments

  1. Tamara says

    April 20, 2016 at 9:28 am

    I can’t believe how quickly you could do it! I’m such an IKEA junkie but I never would have thought of this.

    • Leslie says

      April 20, 2016 at 9:59 am

      Oh, we’re definitely Ikea junkies too! There are 2 stores each within an hour distance from us, so we get a lot of our furniture there (who wants to spend a lot of money on furniture that kids will likely ruin?) We’re heading back there this weekend, too!

  2. Nina says

    April 21, 2016 at 12:06 am

    This is so creative, Leslie! I wanted privacy screens for our old apartment but it turns out we weren’t allowed to have any above the balcony level!

  3. morgane @ Bear,dolly and Moi says

    April 21, 2016 at 10:04 am

    good job on that privacy fence, with a few plants, it looks like your neighbors will totally disappear….
    The photo of your very happy baby is so perfect! It is good to get family approval!

  4. Laura says

    April 21, 2016 at 11:16 am

    This is so much fun to follow your progress! You are well on your way and everything is lovely.
    I hope you will share this today at Thoughts of Home on Thursday.
    Just stop by my blog to join in.
    Enjoyed visiting,
    Laura
    White Spray Paint

  5. April R - Uncookie Cutter says

    April 23, 2016 at 9:25 am

    This is great, what a unique and fabulous idea! Can’t wait to see more!

  6. Nellie says

    May 1, 2016 at 9:27 pm

    This is quite the feat. I highly doubt my DIY level is this high but man it’s so nice to see you do it!! I will just live vicariously through you, you never shock me with your amazing skill!

    • Cheryl Lawson says

      April 8, 2018 at 9:30 pm

      Leslie,
      This is EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for for our deck Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! We are already planning a trip to IKEA next Sunday and I can’t wait to get started. Love your blog and appreciate the tutorial so much! ~Cheryl

  7. Pauline Wiles says

    April 9, 2018 at 2:57 pm

    What a fun Ikea hack! I love seeing inventive uses like this and I’m sure you’ll get a lot of enjoyment from this project.
    Hello from the Hearth & Soul link party!

  8. Teresa says

    April 10, 2018 at 4:52 am

    It turned out great. No one would say that was originally a bed base! Thank you for sharing at The Really Crafty Link Party. Pinned.

  9. Jann Olson says

    April 14, 2018 at 11:09 pm

    What a creative idea! Thanks for sharing it with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

  10. Nikki Gwin says

    April 15, 2018 at 2:38 pm

    Hi Leslie! I love your privacy screen and especially that you can grow plants on it too. I am featuring it on todays OVER THE MOON LINK PARTY which goes live at 5 pm Central. Please stop by to see all the features and link up again.
    🙂 gwingal

  11. Katie@MySweetHomeLife says

    April 16, 2018 at 4:14 am

    Love the privacy screen and I had to go check out the full reveal- what a great job! You have certainly inspired me to get my act together in our backyard.

  12. Lina says

    April 16, 2018 at 5:34 pm

    Wow, that’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing at Sew It Cook It Craft It! You’re one of my features tomorrow when the new party starts!

Trackbacks

  1. Wonderfully Crazy Outdoor Toy Storage (ORC Week 4) - From Play Dates to Parties says:
    April 28, 2016 at 11:17 am

    […]  How to Make a Privacy Screen from Ikea Parts […]

  2. A Backyard Ready for Summer Entertaining (ORC Reveal!) - From Play Dates to Parties says:
    May 11, 2016 at 11:33 pm

    […] new privacy screen at least partially blocks the view of our neighbor’s yard and turned out to be a great place […]

I love helping busy moms create DIY parties that aren’t overwhelming. Here you'll find crafts, recipes, and fun printables you can use to create a celebration you’re proud of that you get to enjoy too! Read More
See My Latest Stories

Find out where I link up here.

Looking for a little more creativity in your life? From Play Dates to Parties is the place for you!

Hi there! I’m Leslie! I love helping busy moms create DIY parties that aren’t overwhelming. At Playdates to Parties, you'll find crafts, ready-to-use cut files, recipes, and fun printables you can use to create a celebration you’re proud of that you get to enjoy too!  {Read More}

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

© Play Dates to Parties 2009-2023

All images original to this website are the property of From Play Dates to Parties. Use of a single watermarked image is only authorized with a link and reference to the original source. Republishing posts in their entirety or removing/editing watermarks is prohibited without permission. Pinning is always welcome and appreciated. Thank you!

Reader’s Favorites

The Happy Now Blog Link Up #484

The Best Gender Reveal Party Games to Keep Them Guessing

40+ Kids Birthday Party Songs That Won’t Drive You Crazy

5 Birthday Traditions That Aren’t a Party (Plus a Free Printable)

The Best Party Games for Toddlers | 20 Easy Ideas

Review our disclosure and privacy policy here.

Must-HaveParty Supplies

BrowseParty Themes

Submit a Party &Get Featured!

See all thePrintables



Copyright ©2025, Playdates to Parties. All Rights Reserved. // Design by Pixel Me Designs. // Privacy Policy.
All images original to this website are the property of From Play Dates to Parties. Use of a single watermarked image is only authorized with a link and reference to the original source. Republishing posts in their entirety or removing/editing watermarks is prohibited without permission. Pinning is always welcome and appreciated. Thank you!
328 shares
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. By continuing to use this site, you agree to the use of those cookies.OkRead More Here