What would you do without your screen door, or the screens in your home&#;s windows? What did people do before these things were invented? You might be surprised to learn that horse hair and cheese cloth played roles in the origins of what we now take for granted.

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The story of today&#;s metal, fiberglass or other synthetic wire screens goes back to the turn of the 19th century when sieves, used for sifting bran from meal, were made from horse hair.

Horse hair as a weaving and sieve material was ultimately unsatisfactory. Innovation led to its replacement by fine metal wire, with wire cloth being invented in the early &#;s. Wire cloth was soon being used to protect stored food such as meat and cheese. Other applications included ox muzzles, coal ash sifters, glue production and strainers for milk and other liquids.

At the time of the American Civil war (-65) a coating of paint was applied to wire cloth, provide protection from the elements, so that it could be sold as window screens. Until then, cheese cloth was sometimes used to prevent bugs from entering windows. The flimsy delicate nature of cheese cloth would have been a constant frustration. The new wire cloths quickly became popular, marking the beginning of the metal window screen industry. Painted iron wire was soon improved upon with galvanized iron. Towards the end of the &#;s, bronze, copper, brass then steel became popular materials for manufacturing screens. By the early &#;s, metal screens were easily available throughout North America.

Also in the early &#;s, a movement against flies and other insects was gaining momentum. The idea was spreading that insects weren&#;t just a nuisance &#; they spread disease. A common project for Boy Scout troops was to build and install residential window screens. At that time, screens were simply nailed to wooden frames. The smaller patches of screen left over from this process led to mini screens being attached to the end of a stick &#; the fly swatter.

By the mid &#;s, wire used in screens was being coated for increased durability. Further advances included the invention of the spline system to make replacing screens much easier, as well as attaching screens to frames much more secure. Spline, sometimes known as screen bead, is typically made of foam or vinyl.

Today, screens come in a myriad of materials, fibre sizes, mesh sizes and colours, and can be used for bug, sun and wind protection as well as privacy. Screens can still be attached to frames with spline or with even more secure zippered systems. They can be fixed in place or part of a retractable system, either manually operated or motorized. Screens cover small and large openings, even serving as retractable walls around patios and garage doors.

The future may see nanotechnology screens used to filter air. Researches are working towards a thin fabric that could be applied and removed from existing screens, and would filter out air particles, keeping indoors free of pollutants and allergens.

Screens play a critical role in providing protection and comfort in today&#;s homes and businesses. At Solaris, we are constantly on the lookout for new screen technology and applications. Our focus on screen and shade solutions keeps us up to date on what&#;s available to provide the results our customers want.

Call us today to find the best solution for your screen needs!

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History of the Window Screen

Window screens are some of the things, like carpet, the light bulb, and other everyday items and materials that go unnoticed by most. Window screens have been assimilated into our everyday life since before we were born and would hardly give them a second thought until we have to bear the nuisance of pests that make their way into our space due to the lack of screens; or, we may give window screens a thought when we are forced to buy replacement window screen frames or window screen material.

It&#;s hard to believe that there was a time when there were not screens and it&#;s also amusing to think of something such as window screen material being invented. But, like all the various everyday conveniences that we take for granted in our first-world lives, window screens had to be invented and they added more than just convenience to our lives.

Beginnings

The invention of window screen material is not clear. The American Farmer speaks of &#;woven wire&#; for window screens in and an advertisement is seen in the edition of Boyd&#;s Blue Book. Though some screens were seen before this, the company Gilbert and Bennett is credited with it&#;s invention. During the Civil War, Gilbert and Bennett was unable to sell their products to the South. To save their company and the woven wire material they had, they began painting the wire so it wouldn&#;t rust. They began selling their painted wire mesh as window screen and window screens grew in popularity

On the Railroad

The company Bayley and McCluckey was the first to file for the patent for window screens on passenger railroad cars. The window screen material keep cinders, sparks, and dust out of the passenger cars, allowing for passengers to have a more pleasant and safe trip.

Window Screens As Art

Artists saw the window screen material as an opportunity for artistic expression. Using the window screen material, artists would paint landscape scenes on the screens and these painted screens not only keep bugs and other annoyances out of homes, but also acted as privacy windows.

Window Screen to the Rescue

Before the widespread use of window screens, most people had to suffer through months and months of mosquitoes, flies, other pests flying in and around their house. With these pests came diseases. The widespread use of window screens helped bring about the eradication of many diseases that plagued early America and are now mostly unheard of. It&#;s interested to think something so simple made such a big difference in modern society and eliminated much of the things that plagued early-Americans.

Modern Window Screen Material

Today, it is very rare that homes, apartments, and other living spaces aren&#;t outfitted with window screens. Thanks to modern technology, there are more options for the window screen material outfitting your windows. You can pick window screen material that fits the needs of your home and your lifestyle. Window screen material is now made out of aluminum, fiberglass, copper, PVC, and more.

Metro Screenworks: Quality Window Screen Material

Are you looking for quality window screen material to replace old torn screens, for your home building project, or to finally screen in your porch? We can guarantee we have just what you need. Not only do we see every kind of window screen material, but we sell window screen material in various roll sizes and lengths as well as custom window screens premade.

Shop all our products online! Have questions about our products our how to measure for your custom screens? Check out our Measuring FAQ page!

And be sure to check out our blog for screen tips, ideas, and topics! 

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