Privacy Screen Cost and Pricing Guide
Privacy screens are the easiest product on this site to price honestly, because a Canadian manufacturer publishes a real price ladder for laser-cut steel panels. Those numbers are below. What is not published anywhere is what installation adds once posts and footings are involved, so this page separates the two.
Typical panel cost, supplied
$85 to $110 per square foot
Canadian-made laser-cut galvanized steel panels, primed and powder coated, delivered. That is the panel only. Posts, footings and site installation are separate, and on an exterior screen they are a significant part of the job.
Panel area
This category prices by the square foot more cleanly than anything else we build. Larger panels are slightly cheaper per foot.
Pattern complexity
Dense patterns mean more cutting time and more edge length. A simple slat screen and an intricate laser-cut panel are not the same price.
Free standing or fixed
A screen bolted to an existing wall is straightforward. A freestanding screen needs posts, footings and wind load considered.
Want the number for your screen?
Send the size of the opening you want covered, a photo, and whether it fixes to a wall or stands on its own.
Request a QuoteExample Privacy Screen Prices
Panel prices are researched from a Canadian manufacturer publishing real figures, supplied and delivered, before tax. Installation is shown separately because no published market figure exists for it.
| Screen | Typical cost | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Panel, 4 ft by 6 ft | $2,300 to $2,500 | Laser-cut galvanized steel, primed and powder coated, delivered |
| Panel, 6 ft by 6 ft | About $4,000 | Same specification, larger panel |
| Panel, 12 ft by 6 ft | About $6,500 | Same specification, full-width panel |
| Light aluminium catalogue panel | $200 to $400 per panel | Small decorative panel, thinner material, shown for comparison |
| Metal privacy fencing, installed by the foot | $70 to $200+ per ft | Where the screen is a continuous run rather than panels |
| Posts, footings and installation | Quoted per project | No published market figure exists |
What Changes the Cost
- Total area. Everything in this category scales with square footage first.
- Pattern density. More cutting means more machine time. Very fine patterns also need more material left between cuts, which limits how thin the sheet can be.
- Material and thickness. Heavier sheet costs more and warps less. Galvanized before coating costs more and lasts longer outdoors.
- Frame. An unframed panel is cheaper. A framed panel is stiffer, hangs better and looks more finished.
- Mounting. Wall-fixed is simplest. Post-mounted needs posts and footings. Roof or deck mounted needs the structure checked.
- Wind exposure. A solid-ish screen is a sail. Exposed locations need heavier posts and deeper footings.
- Custom pattern. A one-off pattern carries drawing and programming time that a catalogue pattern does not.
Screens Compared With Privacy Fencing
If you want privacy along a whole property line, a metal privacy fence system priced by the linear foot is usually more economical than a run of individual screen panels. Screens earn their price where you need privacy in one specific place, where the piece is meant to be looked at, or where the pattern is doing architectural work rather than just blocking a view. See the fencing pricing guide for the by-the-foot alternative.
How to Keep a Screen Within Budget
- Screen only what you actually need to screen. Most people over-cover.
- Use a standard panel size if one fits. Custom sizes cost more for the same area.
- Pick a pattern with a moderate cut density. Very fine patterns cost disproportionately more.
- Fix to an existing wall or structure where possible instead of setting posts.
- Order all panels at once so they are cut and coated in one run.
- Keep the pattern the same across panels rather than varying it.
When the Price Goes Up
- Very dense or very fine laser-cut patterns
- Custom one-off artwork requiring drawing and programming time
- Freestanding screens in exposed, windy locations
- Screens taller than about 8 feet, which need engineered posts
- Stainless or Corten instead of powder-coated steel
- Sites where footings have to go into rock
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a metal privacy screen cost?
A Canadian-made laser-cut galvanized steel panel, primed, powder coated and delivered, runs roughly $85 to $110 per square foot. That puts a 4 by 6 foot panel around $2,300 to $2,500 and a 12 by 6 foot panel around $6,500. Posts, footings and installation are separate.
Is installation included in those prices?
No. Those are panel prices supplied and delivered. Installation varies enormously with whether the screen fixes to an existing wall or needs posts and footings, and with the ground it is going into. We quote it against your actual site.
Are custom patterns more expensive than standard ones?
Yes. A custom pattern carries drawing and programming time before anything is cut, and that cost does not spread unless you are ordering several panels. If budget matters more than uniqueness, a well-chosen standard pattern gets you most of the way for less.
What about laser cutting? Do you do it in house?
We do not run a laser in house. Cutting is arranged with a supplier and the panel is fabricated, framed and finished here. That is normal for this kind of work and it is priced into the quote.
Is a screen or a privacy fence better value?
For a whole property line, privacy fencing by the linear foot is usually cheaper. For one specific view to block, or where the screen is meant to be a feature, panels are the better answer.
Do these prices include tax?
No. All figures on this page are before tax. Applicable taxes are shown on your written quote.
What We Need to Give You an Exact Price
The more of this you can send, the tighter the quote comes back and the fewer rounds it takes.
- The size of the area you want screened, in feet
- Photos of the location from both sides
- Whether it fixes to an existing wall or fence, or stands on its own
- How exposed the location is to wind
- Whether you have a pattern in mind, or want suggestions
- Finish and colour preference
Get an Exact Price for Your Project
Send us a few details, photos or a drawing and we will price the actual scope instead of guessing from a generic range. Photos can go to sales@trussmetal.com if the form is easier without them.
Request a QuoteExplore privacy screen options · All pricing guides · See real projects
Pricing guide updated: August 2026. Figures are planning ranges in Canadian dollars, before tax.