An outside-mounted shade and a retractable screen are part of the same family of home improvement products, but they have a few differences that consumers need to keep in mind when choosing between one or the other. An outside-mounted shade is a shade that is mounted on the exterior of your home for sun control, heat reduction, and privacy.
A retractable screen door is a screen system that can be mounted on the exterior or interior of your home to allow airflow and insect protection, letting fresh air circulate throughout your home while keeping bugs and debris out. Outside-mounted shades and retractable screens come in manual or motorized options, and both have customization options to ensure you get the right home improvement product for your home and needs.
What are Outside Mounted Shades?
An outside-mounted shade is a type of door or window covering installed on the exterior of a home and is designed to provide solar protection, temperature control, and privacy. Outside-mounted shades effectively block the powerful UV rays of the sun from entering your home, protecting you and your house guests while also keeping the climate controlled. This can offer energy savings for your home as it will reduce the need for an air conditioning system under certain conditions. Outside-mounted shades are a highly customizable product, as they are offered in different materials, operation options, mounting types, and sizes.
What are Retractable Screens?
Retractable screens are a family of screen systems that can be installed on a wide range of applications such as doors, windows, large openings, garage doors, covered patios, etc. Retractable screens offer a versatile and modern solution to traditional screen products, as they can let fresh air into your home while keeping bugs and debris outside. Retractable screens can also be made using solar mesh material that will block the harmful UV rays from the sun, keeping you protected. They’re also a highly customizable product, as they are offered with different handle and operation options, mounting types, colors, and sizes.
Outside Mounted Shade vs Retractable Screen
Outside mounted shades and retractable screens are both a great home improvement option that will add functionality and enhance the experience of your home. These products are similar but do have some key differences to keep in mind when choosing between one or the other. Keep reading below to learn about the differences between outside mounted shades and retractable screens.
Functionality
Functionality-wise, outside-mounted shades and retractable screens have key differences. Outside-mounted shades are typically made with solar mesh that is a thicker fabric intended to block the harmful UV rays from the sun, while retractable screens are typically made of thinner insect mesh that is intended to let fresh air through the opening while keeping bugs outside. Outside-mounted shades are also installed on windows and outdoor openings to block sun, while retractable screens are installed on doors, large openings, outdoor patios, garages, and other applications.
Appearance
In terms of appearance, outside-mounted shades and retractable screens have some differences. The cassettes or screen housing for both products will be similar, as the material will roll up into the housing when not in use. For outside-mounted shades, visibility will be different than retractable screens as the material they are made with is harder to see through. Retractable screens are commonly made with insect mesh that is easier to see through.
Benefits
Both products will bring benefits to the experience of your home, but they do have some differences. Outside-mounted shades act as a sun blocker for your home or the opening they’re installed on, so they will provide more sun-blocking benefits. Retractable screens are intended to let fresh air into your home or the opening they’re installed on while keeping insects outside. Retractable screens can block some of the harmful UV rays of the sun, but typically, they are made with thin insect mesh that you can see through easily.
Available Types
For outside-mounted shades, you will be able to choose which fabric you want installed, depending on what your needs are. If you want simple solar blocking with still some visibility, you should opt for a 90-grade solar mesh. If you want complete privacy and to block all sun from entering the space, you could opt for a 97 or 99-grade blackout mesh. For retractable screens, the type that will best suit your needs depends on the application.
The 1750 retractable screen would work best being installed on entry doors, French doors, patio sliding doors, and windows, while the 3500 would be best installed on large doors, bi-folding doors, NanaWall doors, and other large openings. If you want to enclose your outdoor patio space with retractable screens, or to install it on your garage to add an extension to your home, your best choice would be to get the 4500 motorized screen installed. Your Mirage retractable screens specialist will be able to diagnose your needs and offer you the best screen solution possible.
Installation
Outside-mounted shades and retractable screens are installed in similar ways but still have their differences. Outside-mounted shades will typically mount to the header or top of an opening so the shade can retract up and down to cover the opening. For retractable screens, the 1750 and 3500 will mount vertically on the left or right side of the doorway or opening, while the 4500 will mount to the top or under the header, similar to an outside-mounted shade. The application you are installing the product on will determine what product is the best fit for those needs, and what the corresponding installation type would be.
Material Options
The material options for outside-mounted shades and retractable screens differ as they solve different issues. For outside-mounted shades, you have to choose between different grades of solar mesh. Typically, the lower end of the solar mesh is a 90-grade, and it can go up to 99-grade, which is a blackout mesh. For retractable screens, you have to choose between different grades of insect mesh. For Mirage retractable screens, you can choose between our standard fiberglass insect mesh or our pet mesh tuffscreen, which is a vinyl-coated polyester mesh that is scratch and tear-resistant.
Durability & Maintenance
For retractable screens, you will need to regularly follow the care and maintenance instructions when you have them installed. You will have to regularly blow debris out of the tracks to ensure it doesn’t roll up into the housing, and also apply a dry silicone spray to the moving components of the screen system to make sure everything is lubricated properly. For outside-mounted shades, you will need to regularly clean the fabric to avoid any debris or dust build-up on it, cleaning the side tracks or side channels to make sure no debris stays inside, and to inspect the housing to make sure nothing is stuck inside to avoid damage or rips in the shade material. To learn more about our care and maintenance instructions, read our retractable screen maintenance blog.
Which Is The Right Option For You?
The best option between an outside-mounted shade or a retractable screen depends on what problem you’re trying to resolve and what type of opening you want the product installed on. If you want a pure sun-blocking product, then we recommend that you have an outside-mounted shade installed on your home. If you want a modern screen solution to let the fresh air into your home while keeping bugs and debris outside, then we recommend that you have a retractable screen installed on your home. You should contact your local Mirage retractable screens specialist and have them assess your needs and offer the best retractable screen solution possible to you.
Conclusion
Outside-mounted shade and retractable screens are both great home improvement products that solve certain issues. They’re similar in nature but have some glaring differences that we outlined in this article. To conclude, if you want a product whose sole intention is to block the sun, then you should have an outside-mounted shade installed on your home. If you want a screen solution that will let fresh air into the opening you install it on, while keeping that space protected from bugs and debris, you should have a retractable screen installed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Outside-mounted shades can be made using different grades of solar block material that can block sunlight from entering the space you installed them on. You can opt for total blackout material that will block 99% of sunlight from entering the space.
Yes, but only up to a certain wind speed. Outside-mounted shades will be able to withstand most wind conditions, but most products are tested up to a certain wind speed. After a certain wind speed, it would be best to close the sun shades to prevent any damage to the system and your home.
For insect protection, we recommend that you have a retractable screen installed on your home. The reason for this is that the retractable screen can be made with different grades of insect mesh to best suit your needs, while the outside-mounted shades will be made with a sun-blocking material that will still keep insects out, but won’t allow as much air to flow through.
Both outside-mounted shades and retractable screens are easy to clean. The components of both products are very similar so you would follow the same care and maintenance protocols to ensure the product will last for a long time in your home.
Outside-mounted shades would provide more privacy than retractable screens. The reason for this is that outside-mounted shades would be made with a thicker mesh that would block the sunlight. This will also offer privacy to your home or outdoor space, compared to retractable screens, where you can see through most of them.
Yes, retractable screens are very durable and are engineered for frequent use. Mirage retractable screens are cycle-tested in our facility over 250,000 times to simulate regular use. When you invest in a Mirage retractable screen, you can rest assured that the product will last a very long time.
