When choosing types of screen, there are two main materials that screen can be manufactured from: fiberglass yarns and metal wires. Of course, some screens are manufactured out of polyester yarns as well. So, how do you choose between the three? Read along to learn more!
For more information, please visit Stainless Steel Insect Mesh.
The very first insect screens were manufactured out of metal, so we’ll begin with metal screen. Generally manufactured out of aluminum, metal screen is a more traditional choice of screen material. It is very strong, making it ideal for geographical areas with insects such as grasshoppers that could pose a risk to eating through screens. Traditionally, metal screen delivers a more visually appealing
experience when looking through them. Other metal screens are made from bronze, stainless and galvanized steel wire.
Fiberglass screening began being manufactured in the late 1960’s, and was developed for its forgiving nature. Fiberglass, coated with a vinyl protective layer, offers a durable, longer-lasting option in coastal climates, since it is not susceptible to corrosion. Over time, fiberglass screen has become a popular option for pool enclosures and patios. Generally, fiberglass screen is only available in shades of charcoal or gray.
In the early 1980’s polyester fabrics were first produced by Phifer for outdoor furniture applications in our Phifertex® product line. Its strong, durable and weather resistant features in any outdoor application led to the development of other woven polyester products such as PetScreen®, TuffScreen® and SunTex® exterior sun shading fabrics.
While all three types of screen weather well and offer clear views, there are certain characteristics of each screen that make them more preferable in certain applications.
Metal screen, while sturdy, is also not forgiving, meaning that if pets, people or other object impact the screen, it will dent permanently. The fact that metal screen isn’t forgiving, also makes it difficult to install in DIY projects. There’s a specific process that must be followed when installing metal screen, and most experts suggest hiring a professional to do the job. One more characteristic to keep in mind, is
Bronze Screen
that metal screen generally comes in maximum widths of 60 to 72 inches. Therefore, if you’re looking for screen large enough to cover a wide opening space such as in pool cages, the 6-foot maximum width would not be ideal for projects with wide expanse requirements.
Fiberglass, unlike metal screen, is very forgiving, and can withstand the hustle and bustle of people and pets and accidental bump-ins. This forgiving nature is also a great quality for DIY installs. So, if you’re wanting to screen in your back porch one weekend, this material is your better bet. The width range for fiberglass screen is vast, and can be as wide as 132”, making it a great option for larger installs such as
18x14 Fiberglass
pool and patio enclosures. Fiberglass is also more cost effective than aluminum.
However, fiberglass screen can have its setbacks as well, with fewer colors available and a greater vulnerability to damage from insects such as grasshoppers.
The primary difference with polyester screening products such as Phifer PetScreen® is not only the different core yarn but how it is coated with the protective vinyl. While metal screens are painted after weaving and fiberglass yarns are coated with a liquid vinyl prior to weaving, polyester yarns are vinyl coated in an extrusion process which places more vinyl on the yarn when compared with
SunTex 80
liquid coating. The result is the ability to make a larger diameter and “softer” coated yarn. The larger polyester yarns are woven in all SunTex® sun shading fabrics and many popular pool and patio products such as TuffScreen® No-See-Um screening.
If you’re in the market to buy metal screen, Phifer® offers Aluminum No-See-Um screen that is perfect for keeping most small insects out, and providing great visibility. As for fiberglass screen, UltraVue 2® is an excellent choice of screen that provides unobstructed views and is infused with Water Shed Technology® to keep screens clear by preventing water collection on the screen while also repelling dirt and debris. TuffScreen® is a very popular polyester mesh product for screen porches or pool enclosures where durability is a priority feature. To buy any of these products now, click here.
Check out these and other screening products at www.phifer.com. From our website, you can live chat with us or give us a call at 800-854-9473 to ask questions or receive more information.
If you are looking for new or replacement window screens, you may be wondering "what screen is best for windows?" If you have begun researching, you will have likely already found that there are many different types of window screens and even more types of mesh available. For the person unfamiliar with window screen mesh, the number of choices can be overwhelming. Just a few examples include:
Whether you are shopping for pre-made window screens or bulk window screen material, you have choices. These choices allow you to get more value out of your window screens.
For example, while most screen meshes offer basic insect screening protection, some mesh types will provide more outward visibility (UltraVue 2 and BetterVue) so you can take in the views from the comfort of your home. Other types might provide increased durability against pet and weather damage (pet screen and Super Screen), solar protection (Solar Screen), and air filitering for dust and other allergens (AllergyGuard). Other benefits can include security screening, increased airflow, and defense against tinier insects and no-see-ums.
Below are some of our most popular window screen materials and how they can benefit you.
Fiberglass window screen is the economy choice for window screens, screen doors, and porch enclosures. It is affordable and comes standard with most windows that are sold with a window screen.
Fiberglass can be used anywhere in your home, but it is best used for window screens. It does not provide the durability or strength that most people need for their sliding screen doors as well as porch screen enclosures.
Fiberglass is an economy option for most of our screen products. Shop our pre-framed window screens, sliding screen doors, porch panels, and fiberglass screen rolls.
Aluminum window screen offers enhanced durability when compared to fiberglass window screen, though it is less strong than stainless steel. It is sometimes called "tight" window screen because it can be easier to keep tight than fiberglass.
For more wire mesh for windowinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.
Aluminum screen mesh is best used in sliding screen doors but can also be used in window screens. It offers increased durability. For best visibility, choose charcoal or black aluminum screen.
Shop aluminum window screens, aluminum sliding screen doors, or aluminum screen rolls online.
For added strength and durability, Super Screen is your go-to option. Made from vinyl-coated polyester, this top-of-the-line screen replacement is three times stronger than standard fiberglass screen mesh.
Super Screen is a great option for patio screen mesh and is sometimes called "pool enclosure screen" because it is a popular choice for pool and porch screen mesh. Even so, it can also be used in screen doors and window screen. Because of Super Screen's strength and increased visibility compared to pet screen (see below), it is an excellent pet screen for windows.
Put simply, Super Screen can be used anywhere in your home where you want increased durability. We offer fixed-panel replacement window screens with Super Screen, sliding screen doors, and bulk screen rolls.
If you've ever given up on having screens because your pets destroy them almost as fast as you can replace them, pet screen may be the perfect solution. Our pet-resistant screen is made of vinyl-coated polyester and is 7 times stronger than fiberglass.
Pet-resistant screen can be used anywhere in your home. However, because of its decreased visibility (due to its enhanced strength), most customers do not use it for their new or replacement window screens. Many, though, do use it in their screen doors, porch enclosure panels, and catio/pet enclosure structures. We offer a variety of colors to match your home's architecture, so a pet enclosure or screen enclosure enhances or blends in with the aesthetic of your home.
One customer who gave our pet-resistant screen five stars said:
"Our six cats like to climb the screened walls of their catio. After nearly a year of abuse, there are no signs of wear. One day I looked out to see all three of our big male cats hanging on one section, determined to get a bird on the other side. No damage occurred. Truly a remarkable fabric and well worth the expense. The linen color has not faded in the West Texas sun and matches our beige stucco perfectly."
Shop our pet window screens, sliding screen doors, bulk screen rolls, or learn more about all of our pet products and accessories — we also offer pet screen doors!
If visibility, rather than durability, is your top priority, UltraVue or BetterVue may be the best mesh screen for your project. Both screen types provide the best outward visibility of any screen on the market. UltraVue 2 is best used in window screens, and BetterVue, which is stronger than UltraVue, is best for screen doors and porch enclosures.
In addition to increased outward visibility during sunny conditions, UltraVue and BetterVue feature water-shedding technology that keeps water from building up in your screen during wet weather conditions, and they also keep dirt build-up at bay for long-term visibility.
High-visibility screens can be used anywhere. Many people with million-dollar views put UltraVue in their picture windows, but anyone who wants crystal clear visibility will benefit from UltraVue. As mentioned, UltraVue is best for window screens but can be installed anywhere. BetterVue is best for places where greater durability is needed.
Shop our invisible window screens, bulk rolls of BetterVue, and our sliding screen doors — choose your mesh type at checkout.
When energy efficiency, sun glare, heat, or sun damage are issues, the it's time to shop solar screen. Solar screen comes in various strengths to block a percentage of the sun's UV rays and light. Benefits of solar screen include:
The stronger the solar protection, the darker and more opaque the screen will appear. Use the information below as a guide for choosing the right solar screen. You can also always contact us with your questions.
Solar screen fabric can be used anywhere in your home where you want to mitigate the effects of the sun - most commonly in window screens, sliding screen doors, and your porch enclosure.
We offer UV-blocking window screens, also called "dark window screens," as well as solar screen rolls, and sliding screen doors. Shop all these products online and contact us with any questions!
Nothing is worse than not being able to enjoy a beautiful day because your allergies are acting up. AllergyGuard has unique filtering technology that blocks pollen, pollution, dirt, dust, bacteria, and more from entering your space - meaning you can breathe freely with the windows wide open.
AllergyGuard can be used anywhere in your home, but keep in mind that because of its filtering structure, it may affect the visibility of your window, door, or enclosure. Remember, you don't have to use the same type of screen everywhere in your home - you can mix it up.
Shop our air quality solutions when you shop AllergyGuard window screen filter screens, AllergyGuard window screen filter screen doors, and our AllergyGuard screen rolls.
Brite Bronze is a copper screen mesh material that is designed for use on any home or business but is a great choice for vintage and historic buildings or homes on the coast. When first installed, it is a bright bronze color that fades to a deeper patina with time and wear.
Use Brite Bronze copper screen anywehre that you would install standard window screening in your home or business. It coordinated with copper architecture elements such as roofing, dormers, and gutters to give your home a nostalgic, elevated look.
Shop Brite Bronze copper window screens and copper mesh screen rolls, and contact us with any questions. We also offer rolls of pure copper screen that can be used in RFI shielding, Faraday cages, and other technical applications.
Tiny mesh can be installed anywhere in your home or business where you have window screens, a sliding screen, or porch panels. Because of its tight weave, it offers strength and durability for all applications and makes a suitable choice for pool, porch, and patio enclosures.
Buy no-see-um mesh rolls or shop our replacement window screens and sliding screen doors and select tiny mesh at checkout.
We offer a couple stainless steel options. SeeVue Stainless Steel mesh is a fine mesh designed to provide enhanced durability and excellent visibility with other benefits.
We also offer 0.23-diameter stainless steel screen that is the most weather- and pet-resistant screen available. We use this mesh to construct our security screens that are also vandal-proof and can provide enhanced window safety and golf ball protection depending on the construction of your window screen. The 0.23 stainless steel mesh screen is a great option to do the following:
SeeVue can be used anywhere you would install window screen mesh and is an ideal option for coastal homes. Stainelss steel mesh screen comes in mill (silver) color as well as black, and is best for use in window screens to provide more durability and security. It can be used in sliding screen doors as well, making it the ultimate pet-resistant window screen. Commercial clients sometimes use it as a particle filter as well.
Shop security screens and rolls of mill and black stainless steel window screen mesh. For window screen applications, we suggest black, as a mill finish can be highly reflective and decrease visibility.
With so many choices, it may be difficult to choose which mesh type is best. The easiest way to think about it is to ask "Which do you need more — durability or visibility?" Most screen mesh types offer one quality more than the other. In other words, if it is more durable, it is likely offers less visibility, and visa versa.
You can also mix and match the screen types that you buy based on application and location. Use a more visible screen in your windows, like UltraVue, and use a more durable screen like BetterVue or Super Screen in your screen door and porch enclosure.
Another option is to use AllergyGuard in your bedroom windows to avoid waking up with allergy symptoms in the morning, but to use UltraVue or security screens elsewhere in your home for best visibility or improved safety.
If you are unsure which type of window screen mesh you need, read up on our latest blogs or give us a call. The screen experts at Metro Screenworks would love to help you. You can also request a sample of any of our screen mesh types to see it before you buy. If you are in the Denver area, stop by our showroom in Highlands Ranch!
Buy Pre-Made Window Screens, Screen Doors, Or Bulk Screen Rolls
We offer pre-made products such as pre-framed window screens and sliding screen doors as well as porch panels for easy installation into your porch enclosure. We also offer bulk window screen material with our screen rolls – as well as many other products. If you need a solution, we can help. Shop with Metro Screenworks for high-quality and affordable options that you can count on.
The company is the world’s best high-quality aluminum screens for long-lasting use supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.