What size of framing is used for insect bug window screens?
All manufacturers and all installers out there use three-quarter inch bug window screen framing for their insect bug window screens. As well, I did so for many years. I used 3/4 inch insect bug window screen framing just like shown in the following picture. Then, I wised up a couple years ago and started using heavy duty 1″ solar screen framing instead.
What a adifference heavy duty solar screen framing makes when building my Austin window screens.
It cost me a bit more, but the solar screen framing is so heavy duty, so strong. Being heavy duty and strong, I don’t have to worry about my solar screen frame bending. This there a three-quarter inch framing it has a tendency to bend. Like if you were to make a bug screen that was 46 in wide, the top and bottom framing for that bug screen will have a tendency to bow in. But when that is if you use that three-quarter inch framing. Me using the one-inch heavy duty solar screen framing, you can make a 46-inch screen all day long and it will never bow inward.
This video that I made clearly explains the difference between our 1 inch frame and 3/4 inch frame. I illustrate for you bug window screens we made out of 1 inch heavy duty Framing and bug window screens we pulled out of the window that was made out of traditional three-quarter inch window screen framing.
What exactly are insect bug window screens?
Insect bug window screens are window screens that came with your windows. Most all the time insect bug window screens are screens that fit into the opening portion of the window. The purpose of an insect bug window screen is to simply just provide you with insect bug protection. Insect bug window screens never provide you protection from crawling bugs. No bug screen ever will. No screen ever will. The only way you could get a screen to provide you with total bug protection from crawling bugs is if you caulk or silicone all the way around the edges of the screen framing.
So your insect bug window screens fit into the opening portion of the window as illustrated by these pictures. On rare occasions, very rare occasions you will have an insect window screen that will cover the entire window. These are very rare types of windows that are out there. If you have a crank out window you will have an insect window screen installed on the inside of your window. But for most all windows that open up and down or side-to-side, an insect bug window screen will fit into tracks within the opening portion of that window.
Replacing your existing Austin window screens.
Here in Austin, I often get calls from people that want to replace their existing solar screens, and they refer to them as window screens.
I had one situation not too long ago where a woman wanted us to put insect bug window screens on the front of her home, to replace her existing screens. What she had was old 60% builders grade solar screens. We put our insect bug window screens on and she didn’t like them because she said that it wasn’t the same as the window screens she had before. She didn’t take the time to see that there was a difference, that what she had were old solar screens.
A solar screen covers the entire window. Insect bug window screens just cover the opening portion of the window.
To provide protection from flying bugs. I had a hard time getting this point through to her. She, in her mind incorrectly had this idea that all screens should cover the entire window. It was just the bottom part of her window that opened, therefore just the bottom part of the window is the area that you need to protect from Bugs. Just the area that opens.
solar window screens verses insect bug window screens.
Here’s a great picture that shows a Austin TX solar window screen and an insect bug window screen. There’s an insect bug with a screen there sitting below that 24 by 60 inch window. As you can see that insect bug window screen will fit into just the opening portion of the window. It is the same size as the opening portion of that window it will fit into. Then to the left you see a solar window screen, that’s solar window screen will fit over the entire window to provide shade for the entire window. A solar window screen has to be the same size as the entire window because you don’t want to provide shade for some of the window and not the rest of it. You want to provide shade for the entire window.
Why do insect bug window screens not cover the entire window?
Like I said, in very rare situations you will have an insect window screen that will cover the entire window. When you have a situation like that, that is because your window can open from either the top or the bottom. Where the top of the window can slide down AND the bottom of the window can slide up. That is the only reason why you would have a full-size insect window screen. Or, if you have a crank out window. 99.5 percent of our insect window screen installations are just like what you see in these pictures. If you live in Austin Texas, and you have a screen that covers your entire window, chances are you have a builders grade solar screen installed by an old Austin solar screen company.