Screens for security, shade and to keep the bugs out.

I have decided to retire my magnetic screens.

An idiot who broke one of my windows driving by with a tossed beer bottle got me looking for a better idea.

The pics below are of new security screens. This stuff is like the stainless but much cheaper in aluminium. It is punched sheet called 602 DVA SUPAMESH  750 x 2000 black. It is $36 a sheet rather than $150 for the stainless and way easier to cut to size. A double window treatment like shown runs a bit under fifty bucks with the aluminium trim and stainless screws.

I used double sided tape on the window frame. It holds the screen nicely while you put the trim in place and allows a little extra room for the outer glass catch to slide. Stops any possible rattle from the screen material as well.  If I need to wash the outside of the windows I can reach inside the screen with a skinny cloth on a stick or remove the screen in about ten minutes.

I was going to use the stainless but was having trouble finding a place with a step shear to cut it for me. This would be easier to break in to if a hole was punched with a screw driver to allow access to shears. Much more difficult with the stainless stuff but thieves might just rip that off too.

I had made magnetic screens which were OK but I think I might like these permanent ones better.

 

 

 

 

Now, there is an unexpected bonus to this punched fluted aluminium sheet. Julian got me testing it's shade potential. Mounted the right way up, shade is complete inside during the middle of the day. The sun starts to shine through later in the afternoon. The sheet is too narrow for a single piece to fit my double windows below. Might have to try joining it, oriented for best shade.

I tried using the offcuts from my cut sheets on the inside.

So here is an alternate installation idea.

Screens inside have the problem of being able to open the window and having a protruding catch in the way. What you see below seems to work well.

 

 

If you look carefully above, you will see another use for those cedar venetian blind slats. The vertical one is a tight fit inside the frame. It pops to bow out and the screen is slid to the right to close the window. It pops to bow the other way and the screen is held in place in the window open or in the window closed and screen stored position.

This piece is oriented in the shade way, right way up.

Light is seen shining on the table only because it is early morning and low sun in Tassie.

Below is a pic with the sun at noon shining through the slit in the glass, but not the curtain or screen.

Sun was about 60 degrees in the sky.

 

 

Detail of mesh and Cuppa's fingers:

 

 

 

The following pics show a low cost solution for a fly screen for the door.

A fourteeen dollar porch screen kit from a discount store contains enough screen and velcro

to do the job three or four times.

It even came with full lenght zippers but I chose not to use that part.

I removed the trim piece on the inside of the door top and attached the screen beneath it.

 

 

 

A quick release of the velcro tabs and the screen drops to fill the door space. Fishing sinkers sewn in to the bottom hem keep the screen snug against the door frame.

 

 

 

Velcro tabs are placed on the hinge side and entry is on the other. The screen can also be rolled aside and secured with the velcro tabs without rolling it up to the top.