Solar screens are a major home improvement. They help reduce thermal penetration, reduce glare, and improve the overall curb appeal for your home. I recently completed my first thermal screen build and install this last week. What a challenge from start to finish! Sure the basics of the process are very similar to making and installing regular window screens, but the nuances proved to be a valuable learning tool. For starters, the 90% fabric I choose, was quite a bit thicker than the standard window screen material. Its more dense, and blocks about 90% of the heat and UV rays before entering the window – so what right? Well it was extremely difficult to work with, and tough to fit into a standard window screen frame. I tried everything but it was pure muscle to get the spline to seat into the window screen frame. I learned although the standard .125″ spline will work (and a lot of folks use this) there is specialized spline on the market (.115″) the makes seating the thermal screen into the window screen frame much easier. I learned I am very uncomfortable on an 8/12 roof or steeper without specialized equipment. The home I was working on was about 9/12. I was able to make do with two large pieces of foam, but I will 100% be purchasing a couple of Pitch Hoppers made specifically for traversing steeper pitch roofs. I figured out there are adjustable corners, but they only fit into slightly larger frames, not the standard 5/16″ window screen frame I used to match the pre-existing solar screens on the home. The biggest takeaway for me, was that nobody in town has the tool, or is willing to make a curved window screen frame. Not the Home Depot, Not Lowes, not Ace, not a fabrication shop, literally nowhere local to Weatherford. What did I do? I purchased a square tubing bender – the perfect tool for this job. The window with the curved top in the bottom of the picture was difficult. I learned the tool, and fabricated the arched top window screen frame. I got super super creative on the corners (I’m not telling my secrets here) I severely underestimated this job, and I walked away learning more than anything so far. I am extremely proud of how my screen build job turned out, gained a valuable tool in the process, and gained a ton of knowledge. Reach out for a Free Quote