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Many people, including contractors, think there are only two types of
insect screening, fiberglass or aluminum. Actually there’s a lot more to
consider in addition to the material used to weave the screen. Below
material as well as the weave choices and how the differences may be
important to you are discussed. We’ll first cover the choice of
materials: Aluminum Screen - Aluminum screen wire is available
in 3 colors - Bright Silver, Charcoal, and Black. Charcoal has a
baked-on charcoal finish that reduces glare and improves visibility. It
has a matte black / dull gray appearance. Black offers the best
visibility of any screen finish and matches bronze and other dark window
framing. All aluminum screening materials are strong, dependable, and
long lasting.
Epoxy Coated Steel Screen – A strong and dependable material.
Bronze Screen - A mix of copper and zinc, this screen will
weather to a beautiful dark bronze finish. An excellent choice for
inland as well as coastal regions since it will not corrode in salt air.
Pure copper screens are also available.
Stainless Steel Screen - Several style are available including
Type 304 (for most applications), Type 316 (best for coastal regions and
salt air exposure). Relatively expensive, but long lasting in corrosive
environments.
Galvanized Screen - Electro-galvanized steel wire that will
last through many seasons. An extra strength material that has superior
durability when compared to normal aluminum or fiberglass screen
materials.
Fiberglass Screen -The screen fabric material is woven from
strong permanent glass yarn and coated with a protective vinyl coating
which ensures beauty and color. Fiberglass will not rot, corrode,
shrink, scratch, stain and is non-combustible. Fiberglass comes in many
colors and the widest range of weaves. It is long lasting and requires a
minimum of maintenance.
Vinyl-Coated Polyester – Pet Resistant Insect Screening resist
damage by dogs and cats while still maintaining excellent outward
visibility. It is rated at seven times stronger than regular insect
screening. Some builders will install pet resistant screening in the
lower panel and standard fiberglass screening in the upper. It is
available in black and gray and widths up to 48” wide.
With fiberglass screening there are many choices in weave (threads
per square inch in both directions.) The table below summarizes the most
common choices:
|
WEAVE |
WIDTHS & COLORS |
APPLICATIONS |
|
18 x 16 |
24"-84"
Silver
Gray, Charcoal |
Standard
fiberglass screening for windows and
doors. Replacement for standard
half-screens. |
|
18 x 14 |
36"-108"
Silver
Gray, Charcoal |
Pool enclosures, porches, applications
that require wider widths of screening. |
|
20 x 20 |
36"-96"
Silver
Gray, Charcoal |
For stopping tiny insects (no-seeums).. |
In addition, fiberglass is available in solar
weaves as well. These fabrics, in addition to keeping out insects, also
block some of the suns rays keeping the porch cooler. The chart on the
next page presents one manufacturer’s line of solar screening products.
Other manufacturers have similar products.
|
Product |
Widths |
Colors |
Approx.
Shading |
Features |
Recommended
Uses |
|
SOLAR
INSECT SCREENING |
24", 30", 36", 48", 60", 72", 84" |
Charcoal, Silver Gray |
65% |
Maximum Insect Protection |
Window, Door and Porch Screens |
|
SUNSCREEN® |
24", 30", 36", 48", 60", 72", 84" |
Charcoal, Gold, Bronze, Dk Bronze, Silver Gray |
70% |
Unique Ribbed Weave |
Window, Door and Porch Screens |
|
SUNTEX® |
36", 48", 60", 72" |
Black, Brown, Grey and Stucco |
80-90% |
Heavy-Duty Pet Resistant |
Window, Door and Porch Screens |
|
SUPER SOLAR
SCREENING |
36", 48" |
Charcoal |
90% |
Maximum Shading |
Window, Door and Porch Screens |
There have been reports that grasshoppers and crickets can chew holes
through fiberglass screen. We have never experienced this with any of
the hundreds of porches that we have built. One manufacturer when asked
about the possible problem said that it was possible and recommended
that the screen be sprayed with Raid insect spray if it occurred.
We were very partial to aluminum screens for a number of years.
However we switched to fiberglass about 5 years ago because there were
many more choices in weave and color. While it may be a little less
durable than aluminum, when splined, it is very easy to change or
replace.
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WHERE TO BUY
Home centers are offering more of the screened porch
specialty products, but you may have better luck
with getting these products at glass companies. They
typically have a choice of screen frames, different
types of screening material, and even retractable
screen doors. Also check the Internet. There are
several companies that sell these products online.
Some links can be found elsewhere on this page. |
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© Hanover Wire Cloth.
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