Screening a patio

16 years ago

Hi all,

We have a covered patio with metal support posts (see below). Despite the dry, we actually get a decent number of mosquitos here in Phoenix (during the wetter monsoon season) and they seem to be especially bad on the days when it would be nicest to use the patio. I'd like to figure out a way of putting in some sort of screening (preferably retractable so we only use in the evening/at night when we want to use the patio) to at least block some of the mosquitos by forcing them to work at getting into the patio area (in other words, something that isn't anchored to the floor or something that still has some small gaps or a lose overlap would be OK). The problems I see in this idea are:

1) no doorway sized opening so hard to get out to the pool if the patio is screened

2) metal posts harder to anchor sides of screen than if posts were wood

3) don't want to tear out the deck to add tracks

4) creating something that's tolerably attractive

5) convincing DH to let me do it :)

Any suggestions or ideas?

Would something like the phantom screens work in a situation like this?

(sorry - don't have the dimensions as I'm at work right now)

Thanks!

-Maureen

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Comments (8)

crystal01
16 years ago
What about these ideas? drop down screens

Instant Door Screen
drmeow3
Original Author
16 years ago
The dimensions of the patio to be screened are about 20' x 9' and the roof is about 7' high.

I bought one of the instant door screens for the door from the house to the patio but ended up returning it. I can't remember why I returned it but I remember I was underwhelmed by it.

Something like the drop down screen would be OK except they are very small and I don't know how long they are. But that is a bit like what I envisioned if I could get a few really big panels (10' each) and hook them together where they meet. 10' foot panels would run from the wall to the center pillar, overlap at the center pillar and run to the far pillar, and wrap around the pillar to the side wall.

Still doesn't fully resolve the getting out to the pool question but its the start of an idea. But I would definitely be willing to pay more to get something more custom and user friendly.

-Maureen
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kbuild
16 years ago
Hello, I am a Contractor in Florida. And we install screens due to the bugs. So they are very common for us. The roll down screen can be manually dropped. But judging by your pics the posts would have to be square insted of scrolls.Or have the patio tracked out with aluminum extrusions. This would give you a door for egress. But this installation would be stationary. And I dont know if you could get the extrusions in Arizona. I have some pics of jobs to give you some ideas if you are interested?
drmeow3
Original Author
16 years ago
kbuild

Yes, I would love to see some pictures. You can e-mail them to me directly (I've enabled e-mailing) if you don't want to post them. Thanks!

Maureen
crystal01
16 years ago
Here's another interesting site. What I'm wondering is how are you going to handle the space between the roof and the beam?

Here is a link that might be useful: Roll-Away® retractable window screens and screen doors
drmeow3
Original Author
16 years ago
crystal

A very valid question which I have definitely been thinking about. I'm leaning towards permanently attaching some screening on the underside of the roof on the outside of the cross beam. The roof slopes down from the house (which means the side is also going to be a problem) so I can basically attach it to the beam and then to the edge of the roof and it will be level. I'll probably paint it white to match the roof.

I'll add the link to my bookmarks - although I'm not sure the retractable screens will work. They all seem to need some sort of frame and I have nothing to anchor the frame to.

I did find a website that sells screening material in 9' by 100' rolls - I'm thinking I might try to build some sort of roll-up shade like thing using screening material that is weighted on the bottom to rest on the ground. I'd like something a little bit more professional and attractive looking but considering how much we have already spent on this house and still will be spending on this house, it may be a few years (depending on the cost) before I can have my better quality product. I'd like to enjoy the patio before then!
micahjo
16 years ago
What about this? It sounds like to me what you're looking for . . .

Here is a link that might be useful: Mosquito Curtains
drmeow3
Original Author
16 years ago
micahjo -

Awesome! That might be perfect. I'm definitely going to check into it. Thanks for finding that for me and steering it my way.

-M