Privacy Slats
If you are planning to install privacy slats in your chainlink fence there are a couple of things that you should be aware of before you do. The first is that the wind load on your fence will increase significantly. That means that if the fence posts are not strong enough, the wind could blow your fence down. Most standard strength fence posts used for residential jobs are not strong enough to take the extra load, therefore it is necessary to upgrade to a heavier pipe when installing the fence.
If you are putting slats into an existing fence, their is a high probability that the posts are not sufficiently strong for the added wind load (unless of course you planned for this occasion). But don't worry, there may be a number of things that can be done to strengthen the existing posts, such as dropping smaller diameter pipe with a heavy wall down the inside of the fence post. You're best bet is to talk to an expert to get some advice on the matter.
Another thing you should consider when putting privacy slats in your fence is the mesh size (size of the diamond) of your chainlink fabric. Most privacy slats were designed for 2 inch mesh, and there are a number of different mesh sizes out there. Many fence companies use a 2 1/4 inch mesh. The result when installing slats is that with the larger mesh sizes there will be a greater gap between the slats, resulting in less privacy for you. If you plan on putting slats in your fence, be sure to request 2 inch mesh.
Additionally, there are a number of different slats and products available to add privacy to a chainlink fence. The various products range from approximately 85% semi privacy up to about 99% privacy. Be sure to tell the sales person the amount of privacy you desire so there will be no problems after the slats are installed.
By the way, it is usually quite easy to install the slats, it just takes some time. Many homeowners will install the slats themselves in order to save some money on the price of the fence.
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