Let’s Hide the Utility Boxes!

Are your utility boxes/meters visible on the side of your house? Have you built a ‘privacy’ screen or box for them? Our utility boxes and gas meter are on the West side of our house. Do we go over there a lot? No. Do I like the look of them? No. I’m not even sure if they are very visible to the drivers who pass by on their way down the street. But, I do see them when I am mowing or pulling weeds and they bug me.

So, I decided to start with the utility boxes and attempt to cover them up with a privacy screen. Hubby asked what I was doing and when I told him, he simply asked “Why?” To which I answered “Because.”

Utility Box Privacy Screen

Like with many projects, this one was simply a ‘want’ to, not a ‘have’ to. And, like with many of the projects I do around the house, I had some of the supplies on hand which would keep down the cost. Since I didn’t quite know if the privacy screen would even work, having a low $ outlay was a good thing. The prices are what I spent. If you don’t have some of the supplies on hand, this project will cost more. Below is the list of supplies I used for this screen.

Supplies – Utility Box Privacy Screen $26

• One 6′ 2′ wide vinyl lattice
• Three 8′ 1″ x 2″ boards
• 6′ of Trim
• White paint
• Elmers Wood Glue
• Paintbrush
• Twelve 2″ brass screws
• 2 galvanized buckets
• Saw
• Nail/brad gun & air compressor (*optional as small nails or screws could be used)
• Drill

If you need supplies

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The construction of this screen was simple and fairly quick, with the exception of waiting for each coat of paint to dry. I only had interior white paint and since I wasn’t entirely sure this screen would come together and, if it did, work as I wanted…..I decided to just use that paint. I applied two coats of interior white paint with a foam paintbrush. The 1″ x 2″ boards I bought are the super cheap ones – under $2 for each 8′ board. The wood is rough but I decided not to sand them.

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Once the paint was dry, using my little compound miter saw, I cut two of the boards into 7′ lengths for the legs. I also cut two 8″ pieces and screwed them to the bottom of the legs to help provide some stability. They are 8″ because that is the size of the bottom of the buckets. Next, I cut three pieces of 1″ x 2″ for the crossbars. These were the width of the lattice = 29″. I attached the crossbars to the back of the legs with 2 brass screws – one board at the top, one in the center, and one 12″ above the feet of the legs.

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With the crossbars attached, I flipped the structure over and attached the two pieces of lattice to the front – centering them between the crossbars. I used Elmer’s glue and my nail/brad gun with brads to attach them. I applied a little glue to the board where the lattice would be and then used the gun to attach it with brads.

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The last step in the construction was to cut and attach the trim. I used trim that I had on hand, leftover from other projects. I cut two 29″ pieces and used the nail/brad gun to attach them (the pieces had been painted along with the 1″ x 2″ boards).

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Before taking the screen and buckets to the side of the house to install it, I drilled holes in the bottom of each bucket for drainage as I planned to plant vines in each one.

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I took the buckets out to the rock garden, moved rocks out of the way, and set them down. I then stood the screen in the buckets and filled them with rocks.

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Instructions – Utility Box Privacy Screen

• Apply 2-3 coats of paint to all wood pieces
• Cut wood to desired length
  • 2″ x 2″ – cut two 7′ pieces for the legs, two 8″ pieces for the feet, three 29″ pieces for the cross bars on the back side
  • Trim – cut three 29″ pieces for the cross bars on the front side
• Cut vinyl lattice to desired length
  • My two pieces were 29″
• Create structure by attaching 2″ x 2″ crossbars to the back side of the legs using screws or nails
• Attach the 8″ pieces to the bottom of the legs
• Attach the trim pieces to the front of the legs
• Attach the lattice to the front side of the legs using brads or small nails
• Set screen inside buckets and fill with rock
• For extra stability, attach wire to the leg closest to the house and around a screw that has been drilled into the siding.

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