Crafty Captain
  • Home Upgrades
  • Style
  • Advice
  • Crafts
Advice

A/C Unit Ruining Your Garden? Cover It Up With THESE 8 Ideas

January 9, 2023 · 7 min read
A/C unit

Outdoor A/C units may not look great and might affect in a negative way the design of your yard because, let’s face it, they are not the most aesthetically pleasing. There are various and accessible options available if you want to hide your A/C equipment. The unit can be surrounded by a fence or a screen, or you can conceal it with plants, build a shed, or another type of enclosure around it.

No matter which choice you make, it’s important to make sure the A/C unit is accessible for maintenance and has proper airflow. While hiding the unit can make your yard look better, it’s essential to ensure that your A/C unit is operating in a correct and efficient manner.

We’ll now take a look at each of these choices in more detail and provide you with some advice on how to pick the ideal option for your yard. This guide has everything you need to efficiently and aesthetically conceal your air conditioning unit, whether you enjoy DIY projects or gardening. Continue reading to find out more about how to hide your outdoor air conditioning unit while improving the looks of your garden.

a/c unit
Photo by The Toidi from Shutterstock

Build a Fence Around the Unit

This is the simplest and least expensive method of concealing your outside A/C unit. All you have to do is build a fence that will go around the unit in this way, concealing it from the eyes of your guests or neighbors. You can buy the needed materials from any hardware store and also do this project by yourself.

For this project, you can use an already-built fence, or you can purchase some planks and some nails and then start building it from scratch. It all depends on your DIY skills and your willingness to do so.

You should consider using a color that complements your yard while hiding your A/C unit effectively. From our experience, bright colors work best since they give the illusion of a more open and luminous space. Also, you can install a screen on the fence in this way, making it more opaque and better at concealment.

Build a Raised Bed or Planter

Placing some big wooden planter boxes around two sides of the A/C unit will successfully hide it while it is still easily accessible, and it also looks so much better.
After you’ve installed the boxes, you may plant whatever flowers and plants you want. Yet, you should consider the height of the plants and the level of light they need to survive. You want the plants to be tall enough to cover your A/C. More than that, it is important that the boxes are also tall enough to hide the unit.

Remember that the air near the A/C unit will be hot, so choose plants that can tolerate this amount of heat.

As we said before, you must make sure that your newly built planter won’t stay in the way of your A/C unit in terms of proper functionality. So, be careful and leave some space for maintenance and ventilation.

a/c unit
Photo by Christian Delbert from Shutterstock

Use Shrubs to Camouflage the Unit

If you don’t want to go to the trouble of building huge planter boxes, you may just plant them in the soil around the unit. You’re fine to go as long as you manage to provide adequate space for the plants to develop without restricting ventilation. Consider tall decorative grasses, flowing shrubs like roses and lavender, or miniature decorative trees like dwarf Korean Lilac or Lavender Twist Redbud.

Remember to maintain the unit clean if you are planting a tree or a shrub that loses blooms or leaves. Regular proper AC maintenance might assist in accomplishing this.

Build a Shed or Enclosure

If you have the room and are willing to spend a little more time and money, you might build a shed or enclosure to entirely cover the air conditioning unit. Not only will this hide the device, but it will also add an additional layer of weatherproofing. You can also use the extra space to store items that would otherwise be lying around your garden.

But building a shed might also mean that you will need some extra assistance since it can be a bit challenging to build it entirely on your own. Hopefully, you can buy a pre-built shed. There are plenty of options on the market to choose from. The easiest to assemble are the plastic ones. All you need are the appropriate tools and a lot of patience.

Use Lattice Panels

If you want a more decorative type of concealment method for your outdoor A/C unit, you should try installing some lattice panels around it. These panels are easy to find since you can buy them at any gardening or hardware store. They are also the most accessible method on our list up to this point. There is no need to build anything or plant anything in order for the panels to successfully hide your unit.

Obviously, if you want to give them an even more aesthetic appearance, you can plant some climbing plants around the panels. These little buddies will use their vines to climb around, making your garden an even greener paradise.

If you plan to use climbing pants you should bear in mind that there should be enough space for the A/C unit to maintain the airflow. Also, you should be careful when watering the plants and try not to also water the A/C.

a/c unit
Photo by grandbrothers from Shutterstock

Build an “A/C House”

Building a wooden hut is a creative way to both decorate your yard and also hide your outdoor A/C unit. And what is great is that you have the choice of building this structure with a standard gable roof or coming up with your own completely unique design.

Constructing this kind of cover is a good idea since it can provide some protection for your A/C unit. Snow will slide off of a roof’s slope more easily, and it will also protect your air conditioner from the sun.

Additionally, you have the option of painting your AC house a variety of shades and adding ornamental features to the top. One aspect to keep in mind is that the covering should be liftable so that you can remove it for routine tune-ups.

Use Garden Ornaments

There is a chance that somewhere in your shed you have a garden gnome, a flamingo bird, or other garden ornaments that you are not using anymore. If you want to hide your A/C unit in a creative and unique way, you should consider giving your outdated yard ornaments another shot.

This can work well with any type of ornament, from ceramic and stone ones to ones made of wood. Anything can work as long as it is not electric, since this can cause troubleshooting for the A/C unit.

So, take off the dust from those ugly gnomes and bring them into your garden again. Place them around your outdoor A/C unit and try some of the craziest layouts for your yard.

You should also check out: 10 Tricks Designers Use to Make Windows Look Bigger

Share this article

Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Email

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Most Popular

  • A person checks the soil moisture of a potted monstera plant with their hands in a bright indoor room.
    8 Watering Mistakes That Are Slowly Killing Your Plants September 11, 2026
  • A rustic wooden ladder holds folded blankets beside a sofa, potted fiddle-leaf fig tree, and side table on wheels.
    9 Upcycling Ideas That Turn Old Items Into Treasures September 11, 2026
  • Entryway with coats on wall hooks above a wooden bench, shoe baskets underneath, and a bright hallway in the background.
    10 Organizing Hacks That Actually Stick September 11, 2026
  • Hands placing a jar of rolled oats on wooden pantry shelves stocked with dry goods and woven baskets.
    6 Everyday Items You’re Storing in the Wrong Place September 9, 2026

Trending

  1. 1 8 Home Items You Should Throw Away After 50
  2. 2 Want To Be Happy? Throw Out These 8 House Items!
  3. 3 9 Clever Garage Organization Ideas That’ll Free Up a Parking Spot
  4. 4 10 Common Cleaning Mistakes That Promote Germ Growth
  5. 5 10 Best Dollar Store Hacks You Need to Try for Your Home

Newsletter

Weekly DIY tips in your inbox.

Related Articles

6 Home Gadgets That Will Change Your Daily Routine

We are living in an era in which technology is constantly evolving and changing. Every…

Read More →
clean

11 Signs You Might Be Over-Cleaning Your Home

Not a day passes without you cleaning your home? Have you ever thought that you…

Read More →
decluttering for winter

Get Rid of These 9 Home Items Before Santa Knocks on Your Door

Are you thinking about decluttering for winter? These are the important things to declutter before…

Read More →
A gardener's hands wearing gloves planting a small native perennial in a sunny, low-water pollinator garden bed.

Low-Water Pollinator Border: Native Picks, Spacing, and Seasonal Care

You want a garden full of life. You also want to conserve water. Build a…

Read More →
must know about contractors

Renovating 101: 8 Things Americans MUST Know About Contractors

Read here what you must know about contractors:  You’re thinking about renovating your home, but…

Read More →
moody colors

Painting Your Home in These 8 “Moody” Colors Will Raise Its Worth

What are the best moody colors to paint your walls with?  When you decide to…

Read More →
fire

6 Most Common Causes of House Fires

One of the most terrifying things about unintentional fires is the fact that they are…

Read More →
hacks, bedroom

5 Cheap Hacks to Make Your Bedroom Look Expensive

With these amazing hacks, your bedroom will look and feel wonderful!  Last summer, a couple…

Read More →
tool hacks

Homeowner Advice: 10 Amazing Tool Hacks You Need to Know!

…Do you have a hack you absolutely like and can’t live without? It’s one thing…

Read More →

Crafty Captain

the DIY ship hasn't sailed yet!

Inedit Agency S.R.L.
Bucharest, Romania

contact@craftycaptain.com

Explore

  • Contact
  • Editorial Policy
  • Advertiser Disclosure
  • FAQ
  • Subscribe
  • Unsubscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Disclaimer
  • Do not sell my personal information
  • Request to Know
  • Request to Delete
  • CA Private Policy

Categories

  • Advice
  • Bathroom
  • Bedroom
  • Crafts
  • Decorations
  • Garden
  • Home Upgrades
  • House
  • Inspiration
  • Kitchen
  • Living room
  • Plants
  • Renovate
  • Style
  • Tips
  • Tools
  • Vintage

© 2026 Crafty Captain. All rights reserved.