“I cannot believe we still get the same view with these screens installed. They blend in seamlessly and work perfectly.”
Lisa Elliot
Insect Screen Mesh Options NZ
Compare every mesh and fabric across our doors, windows, and outdoor blinds - and where each one is available.
7 options Meshes + fabrics across the range
Midge mesh For coastal + estuary homes
Solar mesh Cuts heat and glare
Pet mesh Resists paws and claws
Since 1999 NZ made in Tauranga
Choosing the right insect screen mesh
The mesh you choose changes how a screen performs - what it keeps out, how much you can see, and how much air and heat get through. Phantom Screens NZ offers seven meshes and fabrics across our door, window, and outdoor ranges. Not every product takes every mesh, so each section below says where it is available.
Compare them at a glance in the mesh table below, download our mesh selection guide (PDF), or see the woven fabric swatches - real weave photos of every solar, privacy, and outdoor colourway.
Standard insect mesh (18x14)
The default for most inland homes - a balanced weave (about 58% openness) that keeps out flies, mosquitoes, and spiders while staying high-visibility and letting plenty of air through. About 98% of the homes we screen choose it.
Available on every door, window, and outdoor screen we make.
Midge mesh (18x18 no-see-um)
A finer weave for coastal and estuary properties, where standard mesh lets sandflies and midges through. It keeps the smaller insects out and stays high-visibility, so your views are largely unchanged.
Available on every door, window, and outdoor screen we make.
Solar / privacy mesh
A tight architectural weave (E-Screen, 10% or 6% openness) that cuts a meaningful share of the sun’s heat, glare, and UV on hot, sunny openings, and softens the view in for more daytime privacy - good for west-facing rooms and overlooked windows. See the full E-Screen colour range - 17 colourways across both weaves.
Available on Serene window screens, Wall Screens, and outdoor blinds - not the smaller door cassettes.
Pet mesh
A vinyl-coated polyester weave (PetScreen Lite, about 45% openness) that stands up to paws, claws, and nudging from cats and dogs - the durable choice where pets use the opening. For determined jumpers, see our heavy-duty pet screens.
Available on door screens, Wall Screens, and Executive outdoor blinds - not the Serene window cassette.
Blockout fabric
The Serene 100% Blockout upgrade: the same discreet cassette with a Vibe blockout fabric instead of insect mesh, for full light exclusion in bedrooms and media rooms. It is a light-control fabric, not an insect screen.
Available on Serene window screens; also a special order on Executives fitted indoors, where a big glass wall needs full light exclusion - ask us.
Outdoor fabrics and clear PVC
Outdoor blinds also take a woven privacy-fabric range (Vtex Extreme, Plus, Ultra, and View colourways) for sun control and privacy, and glass-like clear PVC for full weather enclosure and heat retention.
Available on Executive motorised (140/180 mm housings) and Ziptrak outdoor blinds.
One exception: the Brio 612
The Brio 612 pleated door screen uses its own pleated mesh as part of the system - there are no mesh options to choose on that product.
Not sure which mesh you need?
Tell us about your home - coastal or inland, sunny or shaded, pets or not - and send photos and rough window sizes through the quote form. We will recommend the right mesh and come back with an indicative price. You can also download our mesh selection guide (PDF).
Insect screen mesh compared
| Attribute | Standard 18x14 | Midge 18x18 | Solar / Privacy | Pet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Most inland homes | Coastal and estuary homes | Hot, sunny, or overlooked rooms | Homes with cats and dogs |
| Weave | Standard insect weave | Finer no-see-um weave | Tight solar weave (E-Screen) | Vinyl-coated polyester |
| Keeps out | Flies, mosquitoes, spiders | Sandflies and midges too | Insects, plus cuts heat and glare | Insects, and resists paws and claws |
| Visibility | High | High | Reduced - more privacy | High |
| Airflow | High | Good | Good | High |
| Weave openness | About 58% open | About 48% open | 10% or 6% open | About 45% open |
| Available on | Every door, window + outdoor screen | Every door, window + outdoor screen | Serene windows, Wall Screens + outdoor blinds | Door screens, Wall Screens, and Executive outdoor blinds (not Serene windows) |
The meshes, up close
The same screen frame takes different meshes - standard insect, midge, solar/privacy, and pet. A few installs across our window and door range.
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Standard insect mesh on a retractable window screen.
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High-visibility mesh keeps the outlook largely unchanged.
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Vibe blockout on a Serene window screen - room-darkening.
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Vinyl-coated pet mesh where cats and dogs use the opening.
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Whichever mesh you choose, the screen retracts out of sight.
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Standard insect mesh keeps flying insects out at the opening.
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High-visibility mesh keeps the outlook clear.
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A retractable screen across a wide sliding-door opening keeps the view open.
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A retractable door screen closed across French doors, the view through kept clear.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which mesh should I choose for a coastal home? +
Midge mesh. It has a tighter weave than standard insect mesh, so it keeps out the sandflies and midges common around the coast and estuaries while still letting air through.
Does solar mesh really reduce heat and glare? +
Yes. Solar/privacy mesh is a tight E-Screen weave (10% or 6% openness) that cuts a meaningful share of the sun's heat, glare, and UV on hot, sunny openings, and it softens the view into the room for more daytime privacy.
Is pet mesh worth it? +
If you have cats or dogs near the screen, yes. Pet mesh is a vinyl-coated polyester that resists the paws, claws, and nudging that stretch or tear standard mesh. It is available on our door screens, wall screens, and Executive outdoor blinds.
Can I still see out through midge mesh? +
Yes. Midge mesh is tighter than standard mesh but still high-visibility, so your outlook stays clear while the smaller insects are kept out.
Are you the same company as Phantom Screens in the US or Canada? +
Phantom Screens NZ is New Zealand owned and run, and part of the wider Phantom Screens family. Phantom in Canada leads much of the group's research and development, and a few of our door and outdoor ranges are made to measure by Phantom in Australia, where our New Zealand volumes are too low to make them here. Our window screens are made in our Tauranga workshop, and every screen is measured, fitted, and serviced by our own team.