The front porch nobody sits on
Who can see me, and what would stop them?
Privacy is a geometry problem with a view cost. The useful answer is the smallest thing that interrupts the specific line that bothers you.
The line
People on the sidewalk has a clear line from 25 feet away, 1 degree below the seat. 1 other marked line is open as well. Halfway along that line a barrier would have to reach about 5.9 feet. A 7.2 ft screen 7.6 ft out is the smallest thing that closes every line that matters. It costs about 49 per cent of the view you said was worth keeping.
| Who | Line | Distance | Above the seat | Bearing | Barrier halfway | Interrupted by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People on the sidewalk | Wide open | 25.4 ft | -1° | 190° | 5.9 ft | nothing |
| The house opposite | Wide open | 59.4 ft | 8° | 178° | 10.2 ft | nothing |
The smallest thing that closes it
A 7.2 ft screen 7.6 ft out
7.2 feet high and about 8.5 feet wide, standing 7.6 feet from the seat, across the line from The house opposite and People on the sidewalk. That is roughly 62 sq ft of material.
Sized against every marked observer. Nobody of any weight is left with a view in.
Every position tested
Close to the seat means short and wide. Close to them means tall and narrow, and usually not your land.| What | Height | Width | Material | Privacy after | View kept | Still sees in | Whose land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A 7.7 ft screen 11.3 ft out 7.7 feet high and about 8.4 feet wide, standing 11.3 feet from the seat, across the line from The house opposite and People on the sidewalk. That is roughly 65 sq ft of material. Neither short nor narrow. | 7.7 ft | 8.4 ft | 65 sq ft | 8 | 65 | nobody | your land |
A 8.4 ft screen 16.4 ft out 8.4 feet high and about 8.3 feet wide, standing 16.4 feet from the seat, across the line from The house opposite and People on the sidewalk. That is roughly 69 sq ft of material. Being near the far end means real height, and it is the position most likely to be on somebody else's land. | 8.4 ft | 8.3 ft | 69 sq ft | 8 | 65 | nobody | your land |
A 7.2 ft screen 7.6 ft out 7.2 feet high and about 8.5 feet wide, standing 7.6 feet from the seat, across the line from The house opposite and People on the sidewalk. That is roughly 62 sq ft of material. Neither short nor narrow. | 7.2 ft | 8.5 ft | 62 sq ft | 8 | 47 | nobody | your land |
Add 3.8 ft to porch rail Porch rail already sits on this line at 3.1 feet. Taking it to 6.9 feet closes the sightline without introducing a new object into the garden. A trellis or topper changes the wind load on a fence that was not designed for it. | 6.9 ft | — | — | 50 | 52 | People on the sidewalk, The house opposite | your land |
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