Front Elevation Jali Design: 12 Screens for Indian Homes

12 elevations Materials and colour Updated October 2026

A good front elevation jali design gives shade, privacy and airflow in one move. It also hides tanks, pipes and AC units that spoil many fronts. A jali can be a small screen beside the door or a full skin across the house.

This gallery shows 12 original jali fronts in terracotta, cement, GRC, stone, CNC metal, PVC and WPC. Each picture has notes on plot, floors, materials and fixing. Mix jali with tiles from our front elevation tiles page or panels from ACP and WPC fronts.

Front Elevation Jali Design in Terracotta and Cement

Clay and cement jali blocks are the oldest way to screen a front. They cut glare, let air pass and look warmer with age.

Front elevation terracotta jali design screening the staircase on a G+1 house — **Plot** 25 x 50 ft
**Floors** G+1
**Materials** Terracotta jali, paint
A full height terracotta jali covers the stair well and keeps it bright but private. The red clay looks good next to plain white walls.
**Architect's note:** Terracotta jali needs steel anchor bars into the slab at each floor; check this with the engineer.

Front elevation terracotta jali balcony with a curved clay screen on the first floor — **Plot** 30 x 50 ft
**Floors** G+1
**Materials** Terracotta jali
A terracotta jali on the balcony gives shade to the bedroom behind it. It works well on west facing fronts with hard evening sun.
**Architect's note:** Leave a 2 to 3 inch gap between the jali and the balcony wall so rain water can drain.

Front elevation cement jali design on the parapet of a single floor grey house — **Plot** 30 x 40 ft
**Floors** Ground floor
**Materials** Cement jali, paint
Grey cement jali on the parapet hides the roof tank and adds a pattern at the top. It is one of the cheapest jali options.
**Architect's note:** Ask for jali blocks with a steel tie bar every three courses and a concrete coping on top.

Front Elevation GRC Jali and Stone Jali

GRC jali is cast in big thin panels, so it covers large areas with fewer joints. Stone jali gives a heavy, rich look on smaller parts.

Front elevation GRC jali panels in white covering the upper floor of a G+2 house — **Plot** 30 x 60 ft
**Floors** G+2
**Materials** GRC panels
Large white GRC panels wrap the upper floors and act like a second skin. Rooms behind stay cool and the house looks clean from the road.
**Architect's note:** GRC panels need a steel frame with anchors; ask the supplier for a fixing drawing before work.

Modern jali design for front elevation with beige GRC hexagon panels beside the windows — **Plot** 40 x 60 ft
**Floors** G+1
**Materials** GRC, paint
Beige hexagon panels sit beside the windows like tall shutters. The pattern is simple, so it will not look dated soon.
**Architect's note:** Plan light points behind the panels before fixing; reaching wiring later is hard.

Front elevation stone jali design in carved pink sandstone beside the main entry — **Plot** 30 x 50 ft
**Floors** G+1
**Materials** Sandstone jali
A carved sandstone jali next to the door gives a classic Rajasthani touch. Use it as one feature panel rather than a full wall.
**Architect's note:** Stone jali is heavy; fix it on a concrete frame with steel pins and check the lintel above.

CNC Grill Design for Front Elevation

CNC cut metal sheets give sharp patterns for screens, gates and balcony grills. Powder coat keeps them from rusting in the rains.

CNC tree design for front elevation with a black metal panel across two floors — **Plot** 20 x 40 ft
**Floors** G+1
**Materials** CNC MS sheet
A tall tree pattern grows up the front across both floors. It is one of the best CNC design for front elevation ideas for a narrow plot.
**Architect's note:** Ask for 3 mm MS sheet with powder coat, and fix it on a square pipe frame away from the wall.

Front elevation CNC balcony grill design in a gold geometric pattern — **Plot** 30 x 50 ft
**Floors** G+1
**Materials** CNC MS sheet
A gold coloured CNC grill on the balcony gives a rich look without heavy work. The geometric pattern also keeps small hands safe.
**Architect's note:** Keep pattern gaps under 4 inches for safety and the railing height at least 3.5 ft.

Modern CNC design front elevation with a leaf pattern screen on the compound wall and gate — **Plot** 40 x 60 ft
**Floors** G+1
**Materials** CNC MS sheet, paint
A leaf pattern CNC screen ties the gate and compound wall to the house front. It gives privacy at road level.
**Architect's note:** Ask the fabricator to match the gate pattern to the wall screen and use a rust-proof primer.

PVC Jali Design for Front Elevation and Laser Cut Balcony Railing

PVC and WPC jali are light and need no painting. Laser cut panels suit balconies where you want a neat, flat screen. Pair them with ideas from our balcony railing page.

PVC jali design for front elevation in white over a ground floor window — **Plot** 25 x 40 ft
**Floors** Ground floor
**Materials** PVC jali
A white PVC jali sits in front of the street side window. It is light, easy to fix and simple to wash with water.
**Architect's note:** PVC jali can fade in harsh sun; ask for a UV stable grade and a metal frame behind it.

WPC jali design for front elevation with brown slats inside a white box frame — **Plot** 30 x 50 ft
**Floors** G+1
**Materials** WPC, paint
Brown WPC slats inside a white box frame give a warm wooden look. Unlike real wood, they do not need polish every year.
**Architect's note:** Fix WPC slats on an aluminium or MS frame with gaps for expansion; ask for stainless screws.

Front elevation laser cut balcony railing with a bronze panel in a floral pattern — **Plot** 30 x 60 ft
**Floors** G+2
**Materials** Laser cut MS sheet
A bronze laser cut panel makes the balcony railing the main feature of the front. Keep the rest of the house plain so it stands out.
**Architect's note:** Weld the panel to a sturdy top rail and posts; check fixing into the slab edge is not loose.

Which Jali Material Suits Your Front

Material	Best use	Care	Cost driver
Terracotta	Stair walls, balconies	Wash yearly, seal top	Area and anchoring
Cement	Parapets, boundary walls	Repaint every few years	Low, mostly labour
GRC	Large screens, full skins	Low, wash gently	Frame and panel size
Stone	Small feature panels	Seal against stains	Carving detail and weight
CNC metal	Grills, gates, tree panels	Touch up powder coat	Sheet thickness, pattern
PVC and WPC	Window screens, slats	Wash with water	UV grade and frame

A complex pattern costs more to cut and to clean. Bigger holes let more light in but give less privacy.

What to Tell Your Architect and Fabricator

Every jali needs a frame or anchors into the slab or columns. Never just stick it to plaster.
Keep a gap behind screens for air and cleaning.
Plan lights behind or below the jali before fixing. Patterns look best lit from behind at night.
For balcony screens, check railing height and safe gaps.
Choose tree, leaf, flower or geometric patterns. Avoid religious motifs on the front.

For glass behind the jali, see our front elevation glass design page.

Front elevation questions

Which is the best CNC design for front elevation?

Simple geometric and tree patterns age best. Large, clear shapes read well from the road. Very fine patterns gather dust and look busy from a distance.

Is terracotta jali front elevation good in heavy rain?

Yes, if it is good fired clay and well anchored. Add a coping on top and leave drainage at the bottom. Wash it once a year to stop moss.

What is the difference between front elevation GRC jali and cement jali?

GRC is glass fibre reinforced concrete, cast in thin large panels. Cement jali comes as small heavy blocks laid like brickwork. GRC covers big areas with fewer joints but needs a steel frame.

How do I keep a CNC grill design for front elevation from rusting?

Use MS sheet with a zinc primer and powder coat, or choose aluminium. Seal all cut edges. Touch up chips quickly, especially after the monsoon.

Is PVC jali design for front elevation strong enough?

PVC jali works for light screens at low height. For balconies and upper floors, choose metal, GRC or WPC on a proper frame. Pick a UV stable grade so it does not turn yellow.

What makes a jali front cost more?

Total area, the material, pattern detail and the frame behind it decide cost. Lights behind the jali and work at height on upper floors also add to it.