We Need a Privacy Screen For the Spa

[oldognewtrick]

What about putting some hedge type plantings around it.

 

[voyager]

As much as the design of the track is critical, you may want to decide on the kind and amount of privacy shade you want first: fully opaque or light filtering, screen or solid? Do you like a breeze when you're in the spa? Are insects a problem? This may affect the the track that you choose.
For instance, for the last few years we had a patio "tent" from Cabelas which was 12'x12'. it had fabric and screen walls that ran on a metal rod on rings very much like shower curtain rings. Each side was divided into two parts which met in the middle and could be zipped together. When we wanted open space, we just slid either end back to the vertical post and tied them back. I'm sure you have seen the same design on most of the patio houses that they sell in the big boxes.

This is only to screen the spa from being viewed from a single window in the neighbor's house. Plus, they'd probably need to climb on a step stool to actually see anything. It's a "just in case" type of thing to keep any weird problems from developing in the future. With the way some people are and the way our legal system works, skinny dipping in your backyard could conceivably get you labeled as a "sex offender". I have seen it happen to others in similarly innocuous situations.
Although some disagree, bugs around here are not a problem. They've never been on the North Slope in June or July and have no idea as to what a real bug problem is.

I have found a few track and roller systems that could do the job. Most are too heavy duty, some would require cutting a groove in the slab to set the track into, others could be attached to the slab surface and would not be much of a trip hazard or likely to be hurtful on bare feet as they are less than 1/2" high have sloped sides shielding the actual track.
I do like the idea of sliding wood based panels of a design that M' Lady will have to approve of. That is necessary because I do come up with some pretty screwy ideas some times.

Three sides will be open, the privacy screen will not seriously obstruct air flow over the spa. The greatest problem is getting the screening without making accessing the spa more difficult or a Rube Goldberg, and keeping it aesthetically pleasing.

@ oldognewtrick
A hedge along the spa would add to an already nightmarish yard maintenance situation. Everything grows so fast around here. The previous owners didn't lay things out for ease of upkeep and maintenance . The only herbicide I will use is one I paint on the stump of a weed tree I've cut down in order to kill its root system.

 

[nealtw]

If you build a fixed panel and a movable panel hung off a barn door track.

 

[voyager]

If you build a fixed panel and a movable panel hung off a barn door track.

There are many of those barn door track types available.
The problem I see with them or similar with nothing arresting lateral movement of the slider, is that they leave the bottom of the sliding panel free to swing in a wind.
It is possible that there may be hook like retainers that hold the door when at the extremes of its travel: open and closed.
I think I remember seeing something like that on real barn doors.
They act as a stop and a guide.
I have seen plastic guides similar to what are used to keep a sliding closet door from swinging out. I do not have much confidence in those doing the job reliably in an outdoor setting.

EDIT:
I just went back and looked at some barn door tracks.
There are floor guides available separately that might do the job.
Non seem to be included with the track kits, though.
A 96" track with stops and guides at the bottom for each end of the slider set so that it never leaves the back guide might do the job.

 

[nealtw]

There are many of those barn door track types available.
The problem I see with them or similar with nothing arresting lateral movement of the slider, is that they leave the bottom of the sliding panel free to swing in a wind.
It is possible that there may be hook like retainers that hold the door when at the extremes of its travel: open and closed.
I think I remember seeing something like that on real barn doors.
I have seen plastic guides similar to what are used to keep a sliding closet door from swinging out. I do not have much confidence in those doing the job reliably in an outdoor setting.
There is a way to deal with it.
All I have to do is find it.

So far a track seems to be the best way.
But, I'm still open and still looking.
Although, I seem to be running out of alternatives.

If you have one track and one big panel and on one side you set the wheels in 3 ft so it will slide the one way 3 ft for a door opening.
The screen does not have to go to the ground. nude feet shouldn't upset anyone,
then you could just bolt something to both posts that bends out and around the panel at the bottom and that would stop it from blowing up.
https://barndoorhardware.com/products/31s-stay-roller-guide/

 

[voyager]

That is the type of hardware I was talking about in my edit of my previous post.
Those would give me what I need for the job.

 

[EMD47]

Hi Voyager,
I will be following responses because I will be needing something for my new deck once this old tree comes down. Have you considered one or two of those wide bamboo straw like shades you can purchase in the Home Depot. They act as screens or shades and might be heavy enough to be breeze proof and have a pull up cord or roll up cord. You can waterproof them with some shellac spray.

 

[voyager]

Hi Voyager,
I will be following responses because I will be needing something for my new deck once this old tree comes down. Have you considered one or two of those wide bamboo straw like shades you can purchase in the Home Depot. They act as screens or shades and might be heavy enough to be breeze proof and have a pull up cord or roll up cord. You can waterproof them with some shellac spray.

Those were considered earlier in this thread in posts 2 thru 10 and maybe in others.
But, I just didn't see them as anything other than a temporary fix.
I don't see M' Lady trying to raise and lower it using a cord on each end of the blind when I'm not around.
She'd rather keep the shower curtain. No doubt!

Within the 1st year after moving here, we experienced the 1st hurricane to hit Big Island since the late 1800's.
Then a few months later, we were hit by a hurricane strength Kona Wind.
I am now wind paranoid. A tree almost fell on the house.
Those wind storms are the reason I need to replace the lanai and spa roofs.
Paradise ain't all it's cracked up to be.

Now, since my last post before yours, I went to HD to pick up the fall prevention kit I had ordered.
They had something like these in the store:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Signatur...Top-Fence-Panel-Kit-6x6ChekrTopFKit/205918296

Except, they were in 2 widths, 8' and 3' W X 6' H.
The 8' panels were $176 each and the 3' panels were, I think, $80 something each.
I could mount an 8' panel rigidly and a 3' panel as the slider.
They would do the job very nicely.
Although, I do think they do feel a bit light duty.
But, they are a good pattern to make something a bit heavier from.

That is the latest iteration in my thinking on this subject.

EDIT:
I just watched the video on the HD page for these fence panels.
The video shows how to assemble the panels.
The panels in the Hilo HD are already assembled.
The video shows how they are constructed, easily translated into a heavier panel for my needs.
Gotta make a copy of that video for reference.