Choosing screen porch material - Black & Decker

Screening for porches, doors, and windows has performed the same primary function—keeping the bugs out—since it came into popular use in the late-s, but today’s screening products can offer more than protection from insects. 

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To help you select the right material for your project, here is a look at the most common types of screening and the specific properties of each. 

Fiberglass 

By far the most common type of screen used for porches, fiberglass mesh is inexpensive and offers good visibility due to minimal glare from sunlight. Fiberglass screen won’t crease like metal screening, and its flexibility makes it the easiest type to work with. Its main drawbacks are that it stretches and tears more easily than most other screen types. Commonly available in black, silver gray, and charcoal; black tends to produce the least glare. 

Aluminum 

Aluminum is the other standard screen material and costs about a third more than fiberglass. It offers excellent visibility, but glare can be a problem, especially with a bare (silver) metal screen. Aluminum screen is more rigid than fiberglass and thus a little harder to install, but it’s also more durable, although it is prone to creasing during installation and to denting at any time. In coastal areas, aluminum will oxidize. Available in gray, black, and charcoal; black usually offers the best visibility. 

For more Black Color Fiberglass Screeninformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

Premium Metals 

For upscale jobs, screen is available in bronze, stainless steel, copper, and monel (a nickel-copper alloy). All of these are tough, long-lasting, and desired for their specific coloring and somewhat more elegant appearance over standard screening. Bronze, stainless steel, and monel hold up well in seaside climates. 

Sun Control 

For porches and sunrooms that tend to overheat in the summer, sun-blocking screen is available in a variety of types. The idea here is to keep out the bugs, along with most of the sun’s heat, while letting light pass through to the interior of the space and still maintaining good exterior visibility. Some sun control screens can keep up to 90% of the sun’s heat from getting inside. 

Pet-resistant 

Pet screening is many times stronger than standard mesh—perfect for owners of dogs, cats, small children, and other loveable but destructive creatures. It’s more expensive (and affords less visibility) than standard screen, so you might choose to install pet screening only along the lower portion of screened walls, such as below a sturdy mid-rail or hand railing. 

Understanding Screen Weave 

Standard insect screening is made from woven strands of material. The tightness of the weave, or mesh size, is measured in the number of strands per inch. Standard mesh is 18 x 16, which has 18 strands per inch in one direction and 16 strands in the other direction. For large expanses of unsupported screen, you might consider using 18 x 14 mesh. This has slightly heavier strands, so the screen holds up better when stretched over large areas. If you live in a climate where tiny “no-see-um” bugs are a problem, you might need 20 x 20 mesh screen, which offers the best protection from teensy pests. 

For more information, please visit Pleated Insect Screen.

TDKPE
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Location: Ra-cha-cha, NY I need to rescreen a bunch of my windows, and have run into a dreaded color choice - black vs gray.  And maybe aluminium, though I'm leaning toward vinyl.  What's the upside/downside to either color? 

Mine are the original aluminium now, and most have holes.  It's time.  But I don't know why there are two different colors, and why one would choose one over the other. 

I've done plenty of rescreening in decades past, but that was with aluminium.  So I've never had to think about color.

Any insights would be appreciated. Tom

“This place smells like that odd combination of flop sweat, hopelessness, aaaand feet" Cooler
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(05-20-, 10:44 AM)TDKPE Wrote: I need to rescreen a bunch of my windows, and have run into a dreaded color choice - black vs gray.  And maybe aluminium, though I'm leaning toward vinyl.  What's the upside/downside to either color? 

Mine are the original aluminium now, and most have holes.  It's time.  But I don't know why there are two different colors, and why one would choose one over the other. 

I've done plenty of rescreening in decades past, but that was with aluminium.  So I've never had to think about color.

Any insights would be appreciated.

I just rescreened in black fiberglass.  It virtually disappears and just seems like a little less bright.

I used the pet proof stuff the last time and it is thicker and much more difficult to work with. 

I used the fine mesh stuff this time.  It is supposed to keep out noseeums.

I am glad I went with black.  It visually disappears from just a few feet away.  Get fresh spline.  Trying to reuse spline is probably a false economy. No animals were injured or killed in the production of this post. RJT123
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Joined: Nov On the sunny sides of the house I used the screen that blocks a lot of the light. On the non-sunny sides used the least amount of light blockage. Huge difference in solar gain. But i like a bright room. Saratoga, NY Woodenfish
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Joined: Jan Black screens look much nicer IMO than the gray. To each his own. Any free advice given is worth double price paid. TDKPE
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Location: Ra-cha-cha, NY Black it is, then!  
Tom

“This place smells like that odd combination of flop sweat, hopelessness, aaaand feet" JTTHECLOCKMAN
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Joined: Jan Had new windows installed last year and they went with black and glad I did. Today the screening is so small that it virtually is invisible John T. Roly
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(05-20-, 09:51 PM)JTTHECLOCKMAN Wrote: Had new windows installed last year and they went with black and glad I did. Today the screening is so small that it virtually is invisible

Black on mine too.   I have the solar screens on mine which cuts light transmission but when it rains the smaller openings catch the rain drops and you can not see out until they somewhat dry, if that would be a problem for you.    Also they are harder to see in your house from the outside.    Roly Cooler
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Joined: Sep I would note that bronze window screens are very, very classy, and might elevate your status in the neighborhood.

It is hard to find outside wealthy seaside communities however:

https://www.wholesalescreensandglass.com...creen.html


It is more expensive, but has a reputation of being very durable.  (And did I mention it was classy?)


https://www.windowinsectscreen.com/windo...creen.html 


Bronze Insect Screen

We use this most most frequently in wood screen doors, not only for its longevity, but for its aesthetic appeal. Also suitable for casement window screens and other wood screens. No animals were injured or killed in the production of this post. Phil Thien
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Location: Milwaukee area "I would note that bronze window screens are very, very classy, and might elevate your status in the neighborhood."

Love it. TDKPE
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(05-21-, 08:00 AM)Cooler Wrote: I would note that bronze window screens are very, very classy, and might elevate your status in the neighborhood.

I have an RV parked in my driveway.  OK, the big badge on the grill is Mercedes-Benz, but it's an RV for cripes sake.  Not much is going to elevate my status in this neighborhood.  

All I'm missing is the old fridge on the front porch, and I need to take a wheel or two off my car while my dog hangs out with me, and the package will be complete.

Oh, wait - I've done that already.  

    Tom

“This place smells like that odd combination of flop sweat, hopelessness, aaaand feet"