Spring is in the air. With the snow gone, many are ready to get outside and start working on their yards. Whoa! Where did that big white propane tank come from?

Okay, we know that the only people who think propane tanks look good are us. Combined Energy Services offers tanks in white, beige, and green. We hope that they blend in with your landscaping aesthetics but realistically they don’t.

There are a number of ways to hide your tank while still making it safe and accessible for your delivery drivers. Here’s some suggestions:

Plants & Shrubs – Dense shrubs like junipers or arborvitae and tall grass, such as pampas or tall fescue, create a screen in a few years that effectively hide the tank while allowing for deliveries. When creating your plantings, make sure to keep them at least 5 feet away from the tank. Please create a path to the tank lid that’s easy to maneuver for the delivery driver and the long hose. We don’t want your shrubbery to get trampled.
Staying with the plant idea, you can also place potted plants strategically around the tank building a temporary summer blind. Colorful potted plant ensembles will disguise the tank beautifully.
Create a fence façade – You can hide just the front or the front and sides with a little vinyl or wood lattice or fencing. Make sure to leave plenty of room around the tank for deliveries and don’t totally enclose the tank. Do not make a solid enclosure. The tank needs ventilation to disperse potentially dangerous propane fumes. You can use the fencing as a trellis and grow seasonal plants such as morning glories or perennials like clematis or wisteria.
We do allow homeowners to paint their tanks, as long as it’s not a dark color. We’ve seen them painted as cows, submarines, flower gardens and shrubbery. You do want to use a paint that’s specifically for metal. Image from shaverlakevillagehotel.com
Temporary mobile screen. Use a folding screen, built from lattice or recycled bifold closets doors. Along with flowers, you’ve now turned an eyesore into a focal point.

Hopefully this will give you some ideas to transform the area around your propane tank.