Fly screens
Fly screen mesh comparison
Nine meshes, the same six ratings for each, and a straight answer for midges, pets, bushfire, coastal, privacy and view. It is the sheet we send with every quote, rebuilt so you can actually read it on a phone.
Free measure and quote with samples. QBCC 15340369.
Mesh comparison
Which fly mesh is right for your home?
Nine meshes, rated for the things people ask about: view, privacy, durability, airflow, cost and how much they slow an intruder. Ratings come from the Factory Fit catalogue; every mesh carries a 1-year warranty.
Nine fly screen meshes rated out of 100
Standard mesh
Fibreglass
- Strand
- 0.28 mm
- Warranty
- 1 year
- Bushfire
- Not compliant
- In short
- The affordable, durable and flexible option for most doors and windows.
Sand-fly mesh
Fibreglass, tighter weave
- Strand
- 0.33 mm
- Warranty
- 1 year
- Bushfire
- Not compliant
- In short
- Keeps midges out where they are a problem; the tighter weave costs some visibility and airflow.
Paw Proof mesh
Pet resistant
- Strand
- 0.64 mm
- Warranty
- 1 year
- Bushfire
- Not compliant
- In short
- Built to take damage from cats and dogs and to stay durable in harsh weather.
Paw Proof Lite
Pet resistant, lighter
- Strand
- 0.46 mm
- Warranty
- 1 year
- Bushfire
- Not compliant
- In short
- For small pets; balances durability with airflow and view.
UltraVue
Phifer fibreglass, fine
- Strand
- 0.20 mm
- Warranty
- 1 year
- Bushfire
- Not compliant
- In short
- Near transparent. The clearest view and great airflow.
Aluminium mesh
Aluminium
- Strand
- 0.24 mm
- Warranty
- 1 year
- Bushfire
- BAL 12.5, 19, 29
- In short
- Durable and stylish; resists corrosion and UV, so it suits homes near the ocean.
Stainless mesh
Stainless steel
- Strand
- 0.17 mm
- Warranty
- 1 year
- Bushfire
- BAL 12.5, 19, 29, 40
- In short
- The stylish way to make a home in a bushfire-prone area compliant.
One Way Vision
Aluminium strands
- Strand
- 0.60 mm
- Warranty
- 1 year
- Bushfire
- BAL 12.5, 19, 29
- In short
- Privacy from the street in high-traffic areas: you see out, they do not see in.
Patio and pool mesh
Fibreglass, outdoor
- Strand
- 0.33 mm
- Warranty
- 1 year
- Bushfire
- Not compliant
- In short
- For enclosing outdoor spaces and pools against insects, leaves and debris.
Choose by situation
Choose the situation that best matches your home.
"Midges are a problem at dusk."
Sand-fly mesh on the openings that face the water, standard mesh elsewhere. Expect less airflow on the sand-fly screens; it is the trade for the tighter weave.
"The dog or cat damages every screen."
Paw Proof on the doors and windows the pet uses, and a pet door to remove the reason to scratch. If the pet is big or a climber, skip the fly mesh and go to stainless mesh on a security screen; the pet-proof page explains where that line is.
"We are in a bushfire zone."
Aluminium mesh for BAL 12.5, 19 and 29; stainless insect mesh for BAL 40. One Way Vision is also rated to BAL 29 if you want privacy too. Check your property's BAL first; the BAL guide explains how.
"We are near the water."
Aluminium mesh resists salt air and UV where fibreglass fades. Frames should be powder coated. For screens that also lock, the 316 stainless security products are built for the coast.
"People can see straight in from the street."
One Way Vision mesh. You see out, they mostly do not see in, and it is tough. Accept a little less airflow.
"We just want the view."
UltraVue. The near-invisible mesh on windows and quiet doors, standard mesh on the door everyone uses. Aluminium or stainless mesh if you want the view with a metal mesh that lasts.
"We are enclosing the alfresco."
Patio and Pool mesh for an insect-only enclosure at the lowest cost; stainless barrier mesh if a dog will lean on it or you want it to last decades. See patio and alfresco enclosures.
Mesh on security screens
Two of our security products use these meshes too. Diamond Grille doors and windows have insect mesh behind the grille, and you can choose any of the nine, so a grille door for a cat owner gets Paw Proof behind it and a coastal grille gets aluminium. DecoView panels come with fly mesh built in, with a midge mesh option. SecureView and Xceed are different: their mesh is the security layer itself, a heavy woven stainless steel or perforated aluminium sheet that stops insects and people, so there is nothing to choose behind it.
Fly screen or security screen? An honest answer (bridge)
The same comparison as a two-page sheet
Print it or save it for reference. Sammy sends it with every quote.
Also see
Mesh comparison questions
What is the best fly screen mesh?
There is no single best. Standard fibreglass suits most homes at the lowest cost. UltraVue gives the clearest view, Paw Proof survives pets, sand-fly mesh stops midges, aluminium and stainless are rated for bushfire zones and last near the coast, One Way Vision adds privacy, and Patio and Pool mesh suits enclosures. Decide what matters most, then use the ratings above.
What does the strand diameter tell me?
Thicker strands are tougher and slightly darker; finer strands are clearer and lighter. Standard mesh is 0.28 mm, Paw Proof is 0.64 mm (more than twice as thick, which is why it takes claws), and UltraVue is 0.20 mm (why it almost disappears). Stainless insect mesh is 0.17 mm yet strong because it is steel.
Is UltraVue worth it?
If the window's job is the view, yes. UltraVue by Phifer lets through more light and a clearer view than any other mesh in the range, with good airflow. It is the least durable, so it suits windows, upper floors and quiet doors rather than the back door the dog uses. Many people put UltraVue on the front windows and standard mesh everywhere else.
Which mesh stops midges and sandflies?
Sand-fly mesh. Its 0.33 mm strands are woven tighter than standard mesh so the smallest biting insects cannot get through. Standard fibreglass mesh does not stop them. Expect less airflow and a slightly reduced view on sand-fly screens, so use it on the openings that face the water.
Which fly screen mesh is bushfire rated?
Aluminium mesh is rated BAL 12.5, 19 and 29. Stainless insect mesh is rated BAL 12.5, 19, 29 and 40. One Way Vision is rated BAL 12.5, 19 and 29. Fibreglass meshes (standard, sand-fly, Paw Proof, Paw Proof Lite, UltraVue, Patio and Pool) are not bushfire rated. Your property's BAL comes from an assessment; the BAL guide explains how to find yours.
Does any fly screen mesh give privacy?
One Way Vision does. Its angled aluminium strands let you see out while making it hard to see in from the brighter side, which is the street in daytime. At night with the lights on inside the effect reduces, as with any screen. It also carries a BAL 29 rating.
Which mesh lasts longest in the sun?
The metal meshes: aluminium, stainless and One Way Vision resist UV and corrosion, where fibreglass can fade and go brittle after years of direct sun. Among the fibreglass meshes, Paw Proof is the toughest. Every mesh carries a 1-year warranty.
Can I use these meshes on a security screen?
On Diamond Grille, yes: any of the nine can go behind the grille. DecoView panels include fly mesh with a midge option. SecureView and Xceed use a heavy stainless steel or perforated aluminium mesh that is the security layer itself, so there is nothing to choose behind it. The compare page covers those.
Are these ratings measured or opinion?
The strand diameter, warranty years and BAL ratings are manufacturer data. The six ratings out of five are relative judgements from our supplier's comparison sheet, useful for comparing one mesh with another, not test results. Airflow percentages for insect mesh do not exist in our data, so we do not print one. If you want to see the difference for real, the free measure comes with all nine samples.
Get an estimate with your mesh
If you have chosen a mesh, start the estimate with it pre-selected and tell us the openings. If you are still deciding, start with "not sure" and we bring all nine samples to the free measure so you can hold them up to your own view.
Free measure and quote. QBCC 15340369.
Book a free measure
The samples make the decision easy. We bring every mesh, hold them against your windows in your own light, and quote in writing. No obligation.
Brisbane, Gold Coast and Logan.