Pergola Privacy Screens: Which Type and Size Will Fit Your Kit?

Start with the view you want to change

Sit in the chair you actually use. Identify the problem from that position: a neighbor’s sightline, low afternoon sun, insects or a preference for a more enclosed patio. Then walk the main route from the house to the yard. The best side to screen is not necessarily the easiest side to photograph.

Write one job beside each side on a sketch: privacy, shade, view or passage. Leave a side open when it has no problem to solve. This avoids buying a full enclosure when one carefully chosen screen would be enough.

A real trap: ‘fits Mirador’ is not enough

The 111-series 10-foot pull-down screen page explicitly excludes the Sorara Mirador 8.9 × 14.4-foot pergola sold at Costco. Buying from the same retailer, or finding the same brand on the frame, does not remove that exception. Check the exact accessory page before relying on a broad accessory article.

The same page lists 110 × 4 × 93-inch and 146 × 4 × 93-inch screen dimensions for its 10-foot and 13-foot side options. These are accessory dimensions, not a direction to measure an opening and buy any panel with a similar width. Confirm the ordered option and its installation drawing.

• Inspect a 111DA 10 × 13 pergola example

Use this compatibility gate before adding to cart

Copy the model identifier from the frame label or manual, not just the retailer order title. Save the accessory SKU and selected size alongside it. If one of the following gates is unresolved, treat compatibility as unconfirmed—not as a close enough match.

• Check the complete patio layout before choosing a side

Keep the accessory family and panel count straight

Mirador maintains a separate 80/88 accessory collection with 10-foot and 12-foot side screens. A 10-foot option in that collection is not interchangeable with a 10-foot 111-series option merely because the nominal label matches. Use the 80S catalog example below to identify a starting model, then verify the specific accessory against its documentation.

Mirador’s accessory guidance also distinguishes one-third-bay shutter or decorative panels from a full-side screen. Its example uses three one-third panels to cover a compatible side. Confirm whether the current package is one panel or a multi-panel kit; do not multiply the pergola’s nominal side length into an invented custom panel size.

• Inspect the 80S 10 × 10 example before researching 80/88 accessories

Choose the function before the material

Mirador describes retractable screens as a flexible shade/privacy option and glass doors as a more substantial semi-enclosure. It also states that these additions do not turn a pergola into an insulated, sealed indoor room. Treat comfort, visibility and weather protection as separate requirements.

Ask for material samples or an in-person demonstration when privacy is critical. Compare the view from both sides at the lighting conditions you care about. A product photograph taken in one direction is not a complete privacy demonstration.

• Understand what rain protection can—and cannot—mean

Check what the upgrade changes around it

A screen is not just a fabric purchase. Include installation, access, delivery and any required accessories in the quote. Preserve an easy route out of the seating area and the manufacturer’s service access. Do not attach a third-party panel by drilling a convenient-looking frame section without approved instructions.

Glass calls for a different handling plan: the Mirador 13-foot sliding-door page lists a 634.7-pound item weight, aluminum and tempered glass, and 111-series suitability. That is a specific product example, not a load allowance for your frame or patio. Ask an installer to assess the exact system and site before ordering.

• Add the complete accessory installation to your budget

Your final selection checklist

Choose a single priority side first. Shortlist only accessories whose current documentation identifies your model and side. Compare how each option handles privacy, view and access; then obtain a complete installed quote. Keep the compatibility confirmation with your order.

If you already own a 111DA or 80S, use the linked product pages to identify your model before checking its accessories. If you have another series or brand, restart with that manufacturer’s accessory system. The right outcome may be postponing the screen until an ambiguous model or opening is resolved.

• Exact frame model and accessory SKU recorded.
• Side, size, selected option and quantity checked together.
• All exclusions resolved before purchase.
• Access, drainage and operating instructions preserved.
• Material privacy evaluated under relevant lighting.

• Next: confirm installation requirements before modifying the structure
• Still choosing the kit? Compare roof operation separately