Window Screen Mesh Buying Guide: Types of Window Screens for Any Project

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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:

• Fiberglass mesh

• Aluminum Screen
• Super Screen
• Pet Screen
• UltraVue and BetterVue High-Visibility Screening
• Solar Screen
• AllergyGuard
• Brite Bronze
• No-See-Um Screen
• Stainless Steel Screen Mesh

Window Screen Mesh Types Explained

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 Screen: Standard Window Screen

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.

Benefits of Fiberglass

• Standard screen choice
• Budget-friendly
• Insect protection

Fiberglass Screen-Best Uses

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 Screen: Tight Window Screen Mesh

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. 

Benefits of Aluminum Screen

• Keeps screen tight
• Easy to clean
• More durable than fiberglass

Aluminum Screen — Best Uses

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. 

Super Screen: 3x Stronger Than Fiberglass Mesh Screen

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. 

Benefits of Super Screen

• UV-tolerant to retain color and strength
• Will not flake or fade
• Weather-resistant
• Pet-resistant
• Insect protection

Phifer Super Screen — Best Uses

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.

Pet-Resistant Screen: 7x Stronger than Fiberglass Screen

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.

Benefits of pet screen

• Increased durability and strength 
• Can withstand pet paws, claws, and teeth
• Comes in multiple colors for many types of projects
• Insect protection
• Extremely weather-resistant

Pet screen- Best Uses

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.

Pet screen reviews

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!

UltraVue & BetterVue: High-Visibility Window Screen Mesh

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.

Benefits of UltraVue and BetterVue Screens

• Best outward visibility
• Insect protection
• Increased airflow
• Water-shedding technology
• Dirt-resistant to prevent grime build-up
• Improved light transmittance in low-E glass windows
• GREENGUARD-certified
• Made in the USA

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 — Best Uses

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.

Solar Screen: Sun-Blocking Window Screen Mesh

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:

Benefits of solar screen

• Cooler interior temperatures with sun-blocking screens
• UV protection
• Excellent outward visibility
• Pet-resistant screen (when buying 80%-95% sun protection)
• Excellent insect protection
• Daytime privacy

Types of solar screen

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.

• 65% Solar Insect Screen- Blocks 65% of the sun's harmful UV rays and is a 20x30 mesh count. Screen openness is approximately 32%.
• 80% Solar Screen- Heavy-duty, pet-resistant with 80% sun and UV blockage. Openness is approximately 25%.
• 90% Solar Screen- Heavy-duty, pet-resistant with 90% UV blockage. Openness is approximately 10%.

Solar screen — Best Uses

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!

AllergyGuard: Window Filter Screen

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.

Benefits of AllergyGuard filter screens

• 3-layer air filtration prevents fine dust, pollen, bacteria, smoke, viruses, and more
• Blocks 95% of rain and water spray to help prevent water damage and mold
• Corrosive-resistant
• Insect protection
• 50% thinner than a standard window screen
• Blocks 69% of UV light and 50% of infrared light
• Easy to clean with just a rag and water- no soap required

AllergyGuard Window Screen — Best Uses

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: Copper Window Screen

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.

Benefits of Brite Bronze Screen Mesh

• Made from 90% copper and 10% zinc
• Weathers to a dark bronze color
• Rust- and corrosion-resistant
• Controls pests
• Adds and elegant and nostalgic look to your home

Brite Bronze Screen — Best Uses

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.  

No-See-Um Screen: Keep Tiny Bugs Out

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. 

Stainless Steel Screen: Secure & Strong Window Screen

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:

Benefits of 0.23 Stainless Steel Mesh Screen

• Stop glass breakage from rocks and vandals
• Increase window safety for kids and pets
• Prevent broken glass from golf balls
• Provides good visibility (black color)
• Available with various frame profiles- fixed, hinged, latches, key locks, and more
• Multiple frame and screen color options

Stainless Steel Screen — Best Uses

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.

Which Screen Do I Choose?

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. 

Mix & Match Window Screen Types

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.

Contact Us With Any Questions

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. 

Cover for the opening of a window

A window screen (also known as insect screen, bug screen, fly screen, flywire, wire mesh, or window net) is designed to cover the opening of a window. It is usually a mesh made of metal, fibreglass, plastic wire, or other pieces of plastic and stretched in a frame of wood or metal. It serves to keep leaves, debris, bugs, birds, and other animals from entering a building or a screened structure such as a porch, without blocking fresh air-flow.

Most houses in Australia, the United States and Canada and other parts of the world have screens on windows to prevent entry of flying insects such as mosquitoes, flies and wasps. In some regions such as the northern United States and Canada, screens were required to be replaced by glass storm windows in the winter, but now combination storm and screen windows are available, which allow glass and screen panels to slide up and down.

For screens installed on aluminium frames, the material is cut slightly larger than the frame, then laid over it, and a flexible vinyl cord, called a spline, is pressed over the screen into a groove (spline channel) in the frame. The excess screen is then trimmed close to the spline with a sharp utility knife. Common spline sizes range from 3.6 mm (0.140 in) to 4.8 mm (0.190 in), in increments of 0.25 mm (0.010 in).

The spline is often manufactured with parallel ridges running along the length of the spline to provide a better grip and compression when it is pressed into the spline channel. A spline roller — a special tool that consists of a metal (or plastic) wheel on a handle — is used to press the spline into the frame. The wheel edge is concave, to help it hold the spline and not slip off to the side. Some spline rollers are double-ended and have both convex and concave rollers; the convex roller can be used to seat the spline deeper into the channel without risk of cutting the screen. Driving the spline into the channel tends to tension the screen on the frame, so the installer must avoid pre-tensioning the screen excessively to prevent the frame from becoming warped.

History

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"Wove wire for window screens" are referenced in the American Farmer in 1823. Advertisement for wire window screens also appeared in Boyd's Blue Book in 1836. Two wire window screens were exhibited at Quincy Hall in Boston in 1839.

In 1861 Gilbert, Bennett and Company was manufacturing wire mesh sieves for food processing. An employee realized that the wire cloth could be painted gray and sold as window screens and the product became an immediate success. On July 7, 1868, Bayley and McCluskey filed a U.S. Patent, number 79541 for screened roof-top rail-car windows, allowing ventilation, while preventing "sparks, cinders, dust, etc." from entering the passenger compartment. By 1874, E.T. Barnum Company of Detroit, Michigan advertised screens that were sold by the square foot.[1]

Window screens designed specifically to prevent insect entry were not patented in the United States, although by 1900 several patents were awarded for particular innovations related to window screen design. By the 1950s, parasitic diseases were largely eradicated in the United States in part due to the widespread use of window screens.[2] Today many houses in Australia, the United States and Canada have screens on operable windows.[3]

Uses

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A window screen prevents insects flying or crawling into a house without obstructing the view or airflow through the window. It is not generally intended to prevent young children from falling out of the window, stop home intruders, or defend against larger animals.

Collecting water

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Screen mesh may collect condensation. This effect has been used to collect water from fog.[4]

Decoration

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Screen painting is a folk art consisting of paintings on window screens. It is also possible to print images directly onto fiberglass screen cloth using specially designed inkjet printers.

Fabric types

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The most common materials used for the mesh of window screens are aluminum and fiberglass. Aluminum is generally available in natural aluminum or in an applied black or charcoal color, which make the screening less visible. Fiberglass is available in light gray as well as charcoal colors, the charcoal again offering better viewing and appearance. Fiberglass is less expensive, and has the advantage of not "denting" when hit or pushed, but it is somewhat more opaque than aluminum. For this reason, dark aluminum allows a better view of windows from the exterior, detracting less than fiberglass from the architectural effect of traditional divided-light window styles.

For applications requiring greater strength, such as screened doors (which have a larger area than windows), nylon and polyester screening is often used. However, these materials are not generally used for smaller applications such as window screens.[5]

Bronze insect screening is much more expensive, but gives much longer service than either aluminum or fiberglass. When first installed, it has a bright gold color; this weathers to an unobtrusive dark charcoal within a year or less. Weathered bronze darkens the external appearance of windows to approximately the same degree as charcoal or black aluminum. Bronze is somewhat more resistant to denting than aluminum. Less common screen fabrics include copper, brass, stainless steel, and galvanized steel. For coastal locations, corrosion resistance usually requires the use of bronze or synthetic screening fabric.

Some manufacturers offer screening that promise to substantially reduce the visibility of the screening. Several manufacturers offer screens that roll into a pocket when not in use. These are available for casement windows as well as other types of window and door openings.

Do-it-yourself screen and frame replacement kits are widely available at hardware and home improvement stores. One kind is composed of straight aluminum sides (which can be cut to size) and plastic corner inserts. Screen replacement kits usually consist of a roll of nylon screening fabric and a generous supply of rubber spline.

In addition to insect screening, denser screen types that also reduce sunlight and heat gain are available. These offer significant potential energy savings in hot climates.[citation needed] Other manufacturers offer screens designed to filter for pollen and dust.

Temporary, removable screens that fit within window tracks of double-hung windows are a common expedient widely available in hardware and home improvement stores. Typically 30 to 76 centimetres (12 to 30 in) high, these screens are wedged beneath the lower sash of a double-hung window and secured laterally by the tracks of the window. A sliding mechanism allows the screen to be adjusted laterally to fit the width of most windows, which also allows the screen to fit securely within the tracks below the open sash.

Screen sizes

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Typically, metal screen frames (roll form) are 6.4 mm (1⁄4 in), 7.9 mm (5⁄16 in), 9.5 mm (3⁄8 in) or 11 mm (7⁄16 in) in thickness by 19 mm (3⁄4 in) and 25 mm (1 in). The most common sizes are 7.9 mm (5⁄16 in) and 11 mm (7⁄16 in) by 19 mm (3⁄4 in). The 6.4 mm (1⁄4 in) and 7.9 mm (5⁄16 in) sizes are generally used for single hung windows, while the two larger sizes are used for double hung windows. As 9.5 mm (3⁄8 in) is not a common size, the 7.9 mm (5⁄16 in) thickness may be used instead and shimmed as needed. They come in a variety of colors including unpainted, white, bronze, tan, black, desert sand, etc. The screen may also include a crossbar for added strength.

Fiberglass screen material is typically available in 30 m (100 ft) rolls in varying widths, from 46 to 305 cm (18 to 120 in) wide. Aluminum screen material is available in 30 m (100 ft) rolls except the range of available widths is less than for the more commonly used fiberglass. The fineness of a screen mesh is measured in wires per inch on the warp (length) and the weft or filler (width). An 18×14 mesh has become standard; 16×16 was formerly common and other common sizes are 18×18 and 20×20. For comparison, a typical screen in a clothes dryer has a nylon 23x23 mesh screen.

Fiberglass solar screens provide over 75% of UV protection, by using thicker strands and a closer mesh than regular 18x14 fiberglass window screening. There is some reduction in visibility, but this can be advantageous, since solar screens are difficult to see through from the outside, while easier to see through from the inside.

Finer meshes have been developed to prevent very small insects, often called "noseeums" from flying through. The finer mesh screens are also used to prevent pollens and allergens from entering homes in order to control allergic reactions.

Gallery

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• A pierced window screen brings light into the mandapa at Manikesvara Temple in Lakkundi, Lakkundi

• A window with an insect screen

• Sailors assigned to the dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46) replace a protective window screen at Kalalake Elementary School during a community service project

See also

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Notes

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Want more information on what is copper mesh used for? Feel free to contact us.