Updated at: 07-06-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

What are your options for hiding the AC unit outside? It is possible to hide your AC’s outside component in five different ways, each with its own unique aesthetic appeal.

Each approach necessitates the use of unique materials, as well as any other embellishments you like. When you care about the aesthetics of your yard or garden, this is very crucial. For example, you don’t want your visitors to see a mess.

While you can’t alter the air conditioner’s settings, you may do your part to improve the aesthetics of your home by hiding the outside unit. To make things easier for you, I’ve compiled the following list. A professional artist isn’t necessary because it’s easy to do everything on your own.

Helpful Ideas To Hide An Air Conditioner Outside

How to hide your air conditioner from the outside:

Tip #1. Cover the AC by fencing

Your air conditioner can be hidden most easily by mounting it behind a fence. Fences, in addition to beautifying the region, are also easy to erect.

Make certain that your air conditioner has adequate ventilation when constructing the fences. Since an air conditioner unit can be a problem, you should build your fence a little further away.

To create a fence, all you’ll need is nails, planks, and hammers.. For those who prefer to decorate with paint or other embellishments, this is an option. It’s a simple chore, but if you have other responsibilities, you may want to hire a carpenter. In order to begin, you need to decide on a look.

Building a gorgeous picket fence is a viable option. Older homes often have this style of fence. You’ll be swayed by its old-fashioned charm and fashionable color. This type of fence can be constructed from either PVC or metal.

Tip #2. Put it in a box

Your air conditioner’s packaging serves more than simply a purely aesthetic function. You may also use it to keep your AC safe from robbers and other risks to your health. Professionals should be called in to aid with the construction of an enclosure made of aluminum, wood, or iron, as this is a much more difficult task than fencing.

Too much compression will make it tough to breathe. So, I recommend that you make your box a bit bigger to give you greater interior space.

Tip #3. Make a Trellis

The trellis is an ideal choice if your air conditioner is visible in your garden. Two purposes are served by it. Plants can grow in the additional space while the air conditioner is covered.

If you decide to go this route, you need be aware of the plants you should avoid. Some vines, for example, take up a lot of room and can even reach the air conditioner, where they will take over the entire cooling system. To get rid of unwanted plants, simply cut them down!

Tip #4. Place flower boxes around it.

If you’re planning to use a trellis, you’ll also need to be responsible for cutting your plants. Flower boxes are a popular choice among homeowners who are perplexed by this.

The centerpieces will be flower boxes filled with colorful blooms. Wooden flower boxes or those made from recycled materials can be decorated with paint.

Tip #5. Make custom structures and think of new ways to use them.

Tiles, wood cement, and other building supplies are likely to be lying around your house. It’s not just for trellis and fences; you may use it for anything. You may create something using floral arrangements, cases, concrete constructions, or even your own creativity. Ventilation is an important consideration, so leave plenty of room for it.

5 Things to Keep in Mind Before Hiding Your Air Conditioner Unit Outside

The following are five things to keep in mind before you start concealing your AC unit:

1. Make Room for Maintenance

Both the inside and the outside of your home include equipment that has to be maintained. Make sure the cover can be removed to allow for periodic maintenance when concealing the unsightly external element.

2. Ventilation Is Key

As your air conditioner works hard to remove the heat from your home, it needs sufficient airflow. Your air conditioner’s lifespan will be shortened if the outside unit is suffocated by the cover you choose.

Make sure the outside HVAC unit has lots of open space around it.

3. Don’t Plant Shrubs Too Close to the Unit

Your outside unit may be tempted to hide behind a thicket of bushes. You can do that, but don’t put them too close together or your air conditioner will have problems with circulation and, as a result, won’t work properly.

4. Create a Cool, Shady Space

Using a cover to hide your air conditioner may result in overheating. Using plants to disguise your air conditioner will help you avoid this problem. Protecting your air conditioner from the sun while keeping the outside cool is a win-win.

Before putting your device beneath a cover, make sure you verify the manufacturer’s suggested distance for closure. Plan how to conceal an air conditioner unit outside after you’ve made sure you match the standards.

6. Strategically Protecting AC Outdoor Unit from Sunlight Will Save Energy

In addition to concealing the air conditioning unit, you may also be concerned about protecting the outdoor unit from the sun’s rays. When your air conditioner is shielded from the sun, its efficiency rises by 10%, according to the US Department of Energy. Additionally, shading your air conditioner can cut your energy bills by 50%.

22 Ways You Can Hide Your Air Conditioner Unit Outside

In order to keep your home’s outside from looking cluttered, here are 22 inventive ways to conceal your air conditioner:

1. Build a Wooden Cover

Wooden covers are the most typical method of concealing an outdoor air conditioning unit.

This is a simple do-it-yourself project. A hammer and some nails are all you need to make your cover! To guarantee optimum ventilation, make sure the cover is larger than the unit. For the same reason, you should also leave some space between the planks.

You can also contact the carpenter services in your area to make your AC cover. Convey all the necessary instructions (design, size, etc.) to your hired service, and you will have a cover ready in no time!

The carpentry services in your neighborhood can also help you create your AC cover. Your cover will be finished in no time if you provide your hired agency with all the necessary information (style, size, etc.).

2. Get Creative With an AC House

Constructing a wooden cottage in your yard is a unique approach to enhance your landscaping while also concealing your condenser. Gable-roofed houses can be built in any style, from the conventional to the avant garde. Having a sloped roof will make it easier to remove snow, and it will also shield your air conditioner from the sun.

To further personalize your AC home, you can paint it in a variety of colors and decorate it with additional items.

When it’s time for routine AC maintenance, you’ll want to be able to lift the cover off the unit.

Window air conditioners can be hidden using this technique both indoors and outdoors.

3. Hide It Behind the Bushes

Plant large green plants, vines, or ornamental trees to completely conceal your air conditioner. You don’t want to burn your shrubs with the condenser’s heat, so choose plants that can handle it. Some alternatives include clematis, hydrangeas, and trumpet vines. In addition, don’t plant the bushes too close together; allow some space in between. As they mature, keep them trimmed to ensure optimum air circulation.

4. Make a Box With a Door

Making a wooden box is very similar to this process. For maintenance purposes, you can open the door instead of removing a full box. With a little more effort, you can add a door and reap the benefits for many years.

5. Stack Planter Boxes in Front of the Unit

You can hide your condenser if you reside in a region where you can grow plants all year round.

Planter boxes large enough to hide the air conditioner outside can be used to accomplish this. Plant just those plants that can withstand the heat of an air conditioner. It’s a terrific idea to decorate with pots that complement a specific theme!

6. Place the Outdoor Unit Inside Aluminum Slats

Creating a cover that is impervious to the elements or pests is a worthwhile goal.

Aluminum slats are the way to go!

Air conditioners can be concealed with these sturdy covers. The slats will endure a long period without any maintenance if they are installed correctly. In order to expand your storage, you may use the slacks to build extra shelves on the side.

7. Grow Vines Around Outdoor AC Unit

Trailing vines can also be used to obscure the view of the outside air conditioning unit. Using a wooden framework, you may tie vines to it and then put them around the device.

If they aren’t fully grown, it will take a few months for them to grow. The addition of some greenery is always welcome and well-liked.

8. Create a Shed

Your outdoor air conditioner enclosure might be installed in a modest shed that you already own.

There is an option if you don’t already have one, though. Make sure there is enough room for ventilation around the device. The shed can always be used as a storage facility!

9. Place Decorative Ornaments

10. Use a Door Screen

This is a unique technique to conceal your AC unit when it’s not in use. A door that can be painted any color would be required. If one door isn’t big enough, you may require two doors joined together. Just make sure there are holes for air to get in and out. For a more decorative look, you can put in a mirror or a painting, or anything else you choose.

11. Use a Lattice Screen

Fronting your HVAC system with lattice screens is an option. You may either use the screen to create a removable box to house the device, which will work just fine without any additional effort on your part. A plant-covered wall may be too busy, while a simple wooden plank may be too dull.

Screens made of lattice work well with a wide variety of outdoor decors.

12. Create a Cement Wall

Condenser cooling can be improved by stacking cement breeze blocks or screen blocks in front of the unit. In the crevices between the blocks, you can add tiny pots or other ornamental things. Bright colors can be achieved by painting each block a different shade of the same color.

13. Circle Big Planters Around the Outside Unit

Circumscribe your air conditioning unit with large pots. A beautiful touch can be added by planting heat-resistant plants like Cosmos or Viburnum.

14. Hide It With a Decorative Outdoor Air Conditioner Cloth Cover

Cloth covers for your air conditioner’s outside unit are an alternative to the time and effort required to build a wooden cover or grow trees to disguise it. They are available in a variety of colors and patterns, so you may pick one that matches your style.

Although simple, there is one problem to this approach: it only works when your air conditioner is turned off. When you’re on vacation or it’s freezing outside and you’d rather utilize a different type of heating.

15. Make a Picket Fence Cover

Fences made of white pickets are common in gardens. Charming and timeless, they’re an all-time favorite.

Even while a picket fence may be more common in a more traditional home, it doesn’t go out of fashion. In addition, they look terrific in contemporary homes and are an excellent way to hide your outside air conditioning equipment.

Additionally, you can choose a picket air conditioner fence that is not made of wood. Vinyl, PVC, and metal are all low-maintenance alternatives.

Make sure your external HVAC unit is completely hidden by erecting a fence around it. It’s also possible to adorn your air conditioner with little birdhouses.

16. Make a Big Storage Area

You’re running low on space in your home, aren’t you? We’ve come up with a novel solution to your problem!

You may be able to create a storage unit if you hide the air conditioner outside. In order to keep all of your belongings and conceal the AC unit, you might build a large storage space. Don’t cram it so tightly that your HVAC unit won’t be able to perform at its best.

17. Use Outdoor Privacy Screens

Using a privacy screen to disguise your AC outside unit will keep your outdoor landscape looking beautiful.

Styles and colors of privacy screens are plentiful. Consider your garden’s general design while making a choice. Keep your garden design up to snuff by adding pots, elegant seats, and perhaps a bench.

18. Wooden Wall With Small Plants

Use wooden planks to build a wall in this technique. Don’t forget to build a wall support. The remaining planks can be utilized in this manner. This is where you’ll put it.

Purchase ring-shaped holders and place them into the planks for the installation of miniature pots. Last but not least, insert the ring holders into your pots and you’re done!

19. Purchase Aluminum Screens

What if you’re not a fan of DIY projects?

You can get an aluminum screen that is both stylish and large enough to conceal the air conditioner outside.

For your safety, there are ventilation slots on both sides, so you can use it without fear.

20. Use a Bamboo Fence to Enclose the Outside Unit

Bamboo sticks can be used as a creative solution to hide your condenser from view. Sizes range from small to large. Because bamboo is so heavy, building a DIY fence to conceal your air conditioner is going to be difficult. Consider hiring a professional.

The wonderful thing about bamboo is that you can stain it to match other wood tones in your landscape yet it still looks amazing on its own.

21. Create a Stone Wall

A stone wall is another wonderful option for covering your HVAC unit. There is no right or wrong answer; it’s all up to you. A stone wall is low-maintenance and extremely long-lasting.

22. Use Iron Trellis

Your outdoor air conditioner unit can be disguised with an iron trellis. Make it look like a piece of garden art by allowing vines like English Ivy to grow all over it.

If you’re looking for a quick fix and don’t want to do any of the work yourself, this is the way to go.

It’s important to remember to constantly cutting the vines, since they have a rapid rate of development and can quickly take over the entire structure!

You may pick from a wide range of options based on your decor and budget. Remember to observe the safety rules, otherwise all of your hard work will be in vain.

Rules for hiding outdoor ac unit

First, keep in mind these two rules when looking for ways to disguise your unit:

  • If you need repairs or just normal maintenance, you’ll want to make sure the device is easily accessible. There can be no construction there that is permanent enough to allow you to remove or gain access to the unit.
  • Make sure it’s vented – Make sure the air conditioner is well-ventilated. You don’t want to make it more difficult for the air conditioner to do its work by obstructing its path.

How We Hid Our AC Unit

As a result of our recent purchase of a new air conditioner, this article was born. During the installation process, we requested that they move it a few feet away from our deck so that it wouldn’t obstruct our view. Even so, it’s still near to the deck and an eyesore.

Because the entire area lacks aesthetic appeal, I devised a concept for a detachable fence screen to conceal the AC.

Making ensuring there is enough air flow around the AC unit is my primary concern when coming up with a design. Ventilation is essential, just like the number two rule above. I didn’t want to create anything that would cause it to malfunction because it’s so fresh.

According to what little I could find, you should have a minimum of 12 inches of space around your air conditioner.

I also wanted the screen to be removable so that I could get it replaced every year. Here we go again to rule #1 from earlier.

When it comes to the screen, lattice is not one of my favorite options. I figured I’d make my AC fence look like my horizontal fence, which is composed of 14 cypress slats. Bonus: I used leftover cypress scraps from other projects.

I chose to create two horizontal slat frames with 2×2 pressure treated legs out of the remaining cypress boards. A pair of 2 inch diameter PVC pipes will be buried in the ground, and the legs will be longer than the slats.

Materials Needed to Build the AC Fence

For a screen 60 inches wide and 48 inches high, you’ll need the materials listed below.

  • Four 15-inch long pieces of pvc pipe can be made by using two 2 inch pvc pipes (lowes sells pvc pipe that is 5 feet long).
  • (10) slats of 14-inch thick cypress, each 60 inches long
  • (6) 60-66-inch pressure-treated 2x2x96 legs (this may vary as I explain below)
  • (42) 1 5/8-inch hex head screws
  • Use the Dewalt Drill and Impact Driver Combo

How Much Time To Build AC Enclosure

Because I had most of the goods and tools I needed, I was fortunate. It took me roughly 4-5 hours in total. After heading to the hardware shop to purchase the supplies, it would take me approximately 6-7 minutes to get everything I need.

How to Make a Fence to Hide Air Conditioner

Even the PVC was cut with a miter saw. Make a 90-degree cut in your pvc, then a 45-degree cut on the other half to make it easier to bury. As soon as I’ve measured and cut the first slat and used it as a reference for all of the others, I’m done!

It’s a lot quicker and more precise for me than using a measuring tape for every single cut.

The pressure-treated 2x2s should be noted. To find a few straight ones, you’ll have to sift through the entire stack at the hardware shop. Warping will be really awful because the timber is so thin and pressure treated. Packs of six are sometimes kept together to keep them straight. It’s best to put them together as soon as possible after purchasing them, or they’ll warp.

The first slat is laid across the top of the 2×2 legs to create the screen. With the legs tucked beneath the slat, I set it down on a level surface. Ensure that each leg’s top slat is level with the top and side of the leg. If necessary, a clamp can be used to prevent it from moving.

This cypress was very close to the edge, so pre-drilling the wood was necessary to avoid splitting it.

I screwed in 2 1 58 external screws per side after drilling two holes and pre-drilling a third one in. In order to have a 34-inch gap between the slats, I turn one of them vertically. Continue in this manner until all of the slats are in place. The rest of the slats put on quickly after the first one is in place.

After all the boards are attached, this is what the final screen will look like. Between 8 and 12 inches is the ideal distance for the legs to protrude from the slats. A strong screen requires legs that are firmly anchored into the PVC.

PVC was pounded into the ground with a tiny sledge once I had discovered the areas in the earth. A lucky find would be the absence of any roots.

If you discover a root, I used my hand spade to cut the roots, but if the root is close to the surface, you might also use a little pruner.

Root-free PVC needs to be pounded deep enough, but not so deep that the leg can’t be picked up and dug out of the pipe to make it robust.

To make sure the second leg’s spacing was correct, I worked on just one piece of PVC at a time. Insert the legs into the PVC pipes you’ve already placed in the ground.

One of the sides was taller than the other when I put my legs in place. A tiny sledge was all I needed to reduce the high side 2×2 because I reside in Florida, which has sandy soil. Because I couldn’t get it level, I removed the PVC screen legs and filled the low side with dirt.

After a few tries, I was able to get the screen to be level.

This time around, I opted for longer legs on my second screen so that it wouldn’t be shorter than the first.

Once you’ve buried the PVC, the next step is to align the second screen with the first one you just installed. As soon as I had my legs fully put into the PVC, I took a measurement of the distance between the first and second screens.

Afterwards, I sliced the bottom of my leg in the same manner. Getting the second screen leveled with the first was a two-step process. My second screen had more movement than my first, so I inserted some spare stakes between the PVC and wood legs in order to reduce the motion.

I’m pleased with how the screens turned out, and it’s great to be able to repurpose household waste into something helpful. Plants in front of the TVs are something I’ve been eagerly anticipating.

Hiding Pool Equipment

On our YouTube channel, a question was raised about how to hide pool equipment. Almost identical to the AC construction that we constructed.

The purpose of this was to conceal our friends’ pool equipment. Gates on both sides of this enclosure allow for easy access to all areas.

Conclusion

To ensure our enjoyment and comfort, air conditioners are essential household appliances. We, on the other hand, value our homes’ beauty and elegance.

Aside from the methods outlined above, there are numerous ways to conceal your air conditioner from view outside. Each concept necessitates a distinct set of resources to be assembled.