Fly Screens for Doors & Windows
Aluminium-framed fly screens custom measured and installed across the Garden Route. Fixed, hinged and sliding systems for windows, doors, and large stacker openings. Fresh air without the insects.
What fly screen options are available for Garden Route homes and which type suits each opening?
- Fly screens are aluminium-framed mesh panels fitted to windows, doors, and sliding openings that block insects while keeping airflow and views fully open. Available as fixed, hinged and sliding systems, plus security grade screens.
- Fixed screens mount permanently for year-round insect protection on windows and standard doors. Sliding and hinged screens suit patio doors and larger openings where you want easy daily access.
- Mesh grades range from standard PVC coated fibreglass to stainless steel. Coastal homes need powder-coated aluminium frames and durable PVC coated fibreglass or stainless steel mesh. Uncoated frames corrode quickly at the coast.
- Custom Blinds installs fly screens across the Garden Route from Mossel Bay to Plettenberg Bay. Every screen is custom measured and fitted to the exact opening. For installations outside the Garden Route, Corner Star supplies nationally via their own network.
Garden Route installations: WhatsApp Duncan or call 079 523 5407.
Duncan KaneFounder, Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings"On the Garden Route you live with your doors and windows open. That is the whole point of being here. Fly screens let you keep it that way without the mosquitoes, flies, and midges that come in the moment the sun goes down. The right screen fits so neatly you stop noticing it is there."
What fly screen types are available for Garden Route homes?
Four system types cover the range of openings found in coastal Garden Route homes. Fixed screens mount permanently in the window or door frame for year-round protection with no daily operation required. Hinged screens open like a standard door leaf with a simple latch, suited to single-door openings and kitchens where one-hand access matters. Sliding screens run on a parallel track alongside your existing door, the standard choice for patio sliders and stacking doors, sized to your existing openings. All systems are supplied by Corner Star, whose patented corner system keeps frames precisely square and mesh permanently taut - eliminating the rattling, sagging, and corner stress that affects cheaper alternatives.
Which mesh and frame materials suit coastal conditions?
The Garden Route's combination of salt air, UV intensity, and humidity degrades inferior materials quickly. Uncoated aluminium frames corrode quickly in coastal air, so powder coating is essential. For the highest corrosion resistance and longest service life, 316 marine grade stainless steel mesh in powder-coated aluminium frames is the correct coastal specification.
For the fine midge activity common around lagoon and estuary locations: Knysna, Swartvlei, Keurbooms. Miggies (midges) are smaller than mosquitoes, so no standard insect mesh stops every one. Duncan recommends the closest, best-fitted mesh for each property, especially for homes near the water where miggie pressure is highest.
When should you choose security screens instead of fly screens?
Standard fly screens provide insect protection only. They will not stop a determined baboon, vervet monkey, or an intruder. If your property faces any of these risks, security screens are the appropriate specification.
Security screens use 316 stainless steel mesh bonded to reinforced aluminium frames with tamper-resistant fixings and multi-point locking. They block insects, resist primate force, and deter forced entry. One product, three jobs. Properties bordering the Knysna forest, the Robberg corridor in Plettenberg Bay, the Goukamma reserve in Sedgefield, and bush-facing positions in George and Wilderness should be assessed for security screen specification on accessible openings.
See the dedicated security screens page for full specifications and installation areas.
Does Custom Blinds supply fly screens outside the Garden Route?
No. Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings installs screens on the Garden Route only, from Mossel Bay through to Plettenberg Bay. Installation requires a site visit for measurement and fitting, which our team covers across this area.
For installations outside the Garden Route, Corner Star supplies and installs screens nationally through their own network of approved dealers. Visit cornerstar.co.za to find your nearest installer.
Fly screen questions answered
Are fly screens worth it on the Garden Route?
Yes. On the Garden Route you either live with closed windows or you live with insects, and there is no comfortable middle ground in summer. Mosquitoes and miggies are active from spring through autumn, especially near the lagoons, estuaries and coastal bush. Fly screens let you sleep with the windows open, keep cross ventilation in warm weather, and cut down on repellent sprays. For most homes here they are a practical necessity rather than a luxury.
How much do fly screens cost?
Fly screens are quoted per project rather than sold at a single fixed price, because the cost depends on the screen type, the size of each opening and the mesh specified. A fixed window screen, a hinged or sliding door screen and a security grade screen are each priced differently. Every Custom Blinds quotation includes final on-site measurements, supply and professional installation. Send your sizes and a few photos on WhatsApp for a complimentary estimate.
What types of fly screens are there?
Custom Blinds fits the Corner Star range across the Garden Route. Fixed window screens sit permanently in the frame for windows that stay screened. Hinged door screens suit single doors such as the kitchen or front door, with optional pet flaps and a self-closing hinge. Sliding door screens track alongside patio and stacker doors. For high risk or baboon areas, security grade screens use a heavier stainless steel mesh.
Which is better, aluminium or fibreglass fly screen mesh?
For the screens Custom Blinds fits, the choice is PVC coated fibreglass or, for strength and security, stainless steel. Fibreglass is the right choice for most Garden Route homes: it does not crease or dent and holds its shape over years of coastal use. Aluminium mesh, offered by some suppliers, is stiffer, but we specify fibreglass or stainless steel for coastal durability. For security or baboon-prone areas, 316 marine grade stainless steel is the correct mesh.
Can fly screens fit large sliding and stacking doors?
Yes. Sliding screen systems track alongside your existing sliding or stacker door and are sized to the opening, including wide multi-panel configurations built to match your door profiles. Every large opening is measured on site to account for track depth and existing hardware, so the screen glides as smoothly as the door behind it.
Do fly screens block the view or reduce light?
No. The mesh is fine enough to be almost invisible from inside the room, and the frames sit close to the existing joinery. Rooms stay bright and the view stays clear. You only really notice the mesh when you look directly at it rather than through it.
Will fly screens keep miggies (midges) out?
Miggies, the tiny midges common near the Garden Route lagoons and rivers, are smaller than mosquitoes, so no standard insect mesh stops every single one. A close, well fitted and undamaged mesh makes a real difference, and Duncan will talk you through the best option for a home near the water during the design consultation.
How do you clean and maintain fly screens?
Rinse the mesh with fresh water to remove salt and dust, and wipe the frames with a damp cloth. Check the latches and track channels seasonally. That covers most Garden Route coastal maintenance.
How long do fly screens last?
With powder-coated aluminium frames and fibreglass or stainless steel mesh, fly screens last for many years in coastal conditions, and the mesh usually needs replacing before the frame. We specify materials for salt air and UV exposure rather than general-purpose hardware that corrodes within a few seasons.
How do I choose the right fly screen mesh?
Match the mesh to the insect pressure and the location. Standard PVC coated fibreglass mesh handles mosquitoes and flies for most homes. For the smallest biting miggies near the Knysna Lagoon, Swartvlei or Keurbooms, the closest, best-fitted mesh helps most, and Duncan will advise during the design consultation. For coastal salt exposure specify durable fibreglass or 316 marine grade stainless steel, and for baboons or forced-entry risk specify heavy stainless steel security mesh.
Do you charge for quotations?
No. Estimates and consultations are complimentary. Send through your dimensions and a few photos on WhatsApp and we will prepare your estimate, or share your building plans for larger projects. If you are happy to proceed, we come out and do the final measurements. Larger projects include a design consultation with Duncan Kane, on site anywhere on the Garden Route.
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Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings is an independent, owner-managed window covering specialist established in 2010 and based in Knysna. The business installs fly screens, security screens, outdoor blinds, indoor blinds, shutters, awnings, and shadeports across the Garden Route from Mossel Bay to Plettenberg Bay. Fly screen installation is Garden Route only. For national screen supply and installation, Custom Blinds refers customers to Corner Star, an approved screen manufacturer with a national dealer network. All screens supplied by Custom Blinds are custom measured and fitted on site. Products carry manufacturer warranties on supplied components and Custom Blinds warranties on items we make. We keep every install on file and handle any warranty claim with the supplier on the customer's behalf.
More from the screens range: Screens hub · Security Screens · Insect Screens Guide · Screens Knysna · Screens Plett · Screens Sedgefield
