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Timber Screening & Bench Seating in Adelaide

Need more privacy, somewhere to sit or a way to hide the hot water system? Tell us about your project and we’ll pass your enquiry to a local carpenter, for a free, no-obligation quote.

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Find a carpenter for screens and bench seating in Adelaide

A timber screen or a built-in bench can make a small yard or courtyard far more usable. Tell us what you need and we’ll connect you with a local carpenter who builds outdoor screens and seating.

Carpenter Adelaide is a free referral service. We don’t build them ourselves: the carpenter quotes, contracts and does the work, and you deal with them directly.

Projects we can help with

  • Slatted timber privacy screens
  • Screens to hide hot water systems, tanks, bins and meters
  • Built-in bench seating for decks and courtyards
  • Seating around fire pits
  • Planter boxes and raised garden beds
  • Designs for small yards and courtyards

Planning your screen or seating

Think about what you want to hide or block. A screen for privacy needs to be tall and fairly solid; a screen to soften a view can be lower with wider gaps.

Match your deck or fence. Using the same timber and finish as your deck makes the whole space feel planned.

Measure the space. For seating, a comfortable height is around knee height, with enough depth to sit back. Mention the rough length and where it will go in your enquiry.

Consider maintenance. Oiled hardwood looks great but needs re-oiling. Painted screens need repainting every few years.

What to ask before you sign

  • What timber, slat size and gap between slats?
  • How will the posts be fixed: concreted in, bolted to a slab or fixed to a deck?
  • Are oiling, staining or painting included?
  • Does the screen need approval, especially if it’s on a boundary or raised deck?
How it works

A quote from a local carpenter, without ringing around

  1. Tell us about your project

    Fill in the short form with your suburb and what you need: a new deck, a pergola, a feature wall, framing for an extension or a repair.

  2. We refer a local carpenter

    We pass your enquiry to a recommended carpenter who does that kind of work in your part of Adelaide. Every carpenter we refer holds a current South Australian building work contractor licence and public liability insurance.

  3. The carpenter contacts you

    They get in touch to talk through the job, arrange a site visit if it’s needed and give you a quote.

  4. You decide

    There’s no obligation. Compare the quote, check the carpenter’s licence and only go ahead if you’re happy with the price, design and timing.

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Before you hire

How to choose a carpenter in Adelaide

Choose a carpenter who holds a current South Australian building work contractor licence and public liability insurance, gives you a written, itemised quote, and tells you who will lodge any council approval.

Every carpenter we refer meets our criteria (a current South Australian building work contractor licence and public liability insurance) when we add them to our list, but it’s still worth checking for yourself. The statutory warranties under the Building Work Contractors Act 1995 (SA) come from the carpenter who does the work, not from us.

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Checks before you sign

  1. Check the carpenter’s building work contractor licence on the Consumer and Business Services (CBS) website.
  2. Ask for a current certificate of currency for their public liability insurance.
  3. Get a written quote listing the materials, sizes, inclusions, exclusions and GST.
  4. For decks, pergolas and structural work, ask whether you need development approval and who will lodge it through PlanSA.
  5. Ask whether site preparation, engineering, rubbish removal and making good are included.
  6. For domestic building work of $20,000 or more that needs development approval, the builder must take out building indemnity insurance and give you the certificate before work starts.

Timber Screening & Bench Seating: common questions

What is timber screening used for?

Timber screens add privacy from neighbours, block wind, create separate zones in a yard and hide things like hot water systems, rainwater tanks, bins and meter boxes. Slatted screens let light and air through while blocking the view.

What timber is used for screening and seating?

Hardwoods such as merbau and blackbutt are popular because they’re durable outdoors and match many decks. Treated pine is a cheaper option, usually painted. Your carpenter can suggest the right timber and finish for your space.

Can bench seating be built into a deck?

Yes. Built-in seating is often added along the edge of a deck or around a fire pit, and can include storage underneath or planter boxes at the ends. It’s easiest to plan with the deck, but it can usually be added later.

Do I need approval for a privacy screen?

Usually not for a low garden screen, but height, position and whether it’s on or near a boundary matter. A screen on a raised deck may be part of that deck’s approval. If in doubt, ask your carpenter or check with your council.

How do I look after timber screens and seats?

Clean them and re-apply oil or stain about once a year, or as the product recommends. Painted screens need repainting every few years. Keep soil and mulch away from the bottom of the posts.

Other carpentry projects we can help with

Timber Decking

Merbau, blackbutt and other hardwood decks, plus restoring tired old decks.

See this service →

Composite Decking

Low-maintenance composite boards that don’t need oiling every year.

See this service →

Pergolas & Outdoor Entertaining

Timber and steel pergolas, gable and flat roofs, fire-pit and spa areas.

See this service →

Feature Walls & Cement Cladding

VJ panelling, wainscoting, timber ceilings and external cladding.

See this service →

1st Fix Carpentry & Structural Timber

Wall, roof and floor framing for extensions, renovations and new builds.

See this service →

2nd Fix Carpentry & Detailing

Doors, skirting, architraves and the finishing work you see every day.

See this service →

Ready to find a carpenter?

Tell us about your project and we’ll connect you with a recommended local carpenter for a free, no-obligation quote.

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