Outdoor Window Shade Question

BigD9

We have a screen room, or a screened in porch, that we just love to sit and soak up all of the nature around us. But there are two problems we have been trying to address for the past 5 years with minimal success.

First is the afternoon sun. We need a way to filter out the direct glaring sun. Second problem is the wind. The house sits on a ridge top and boy oh boy it is windy up here! The roll-up bamboo shades we have used so far will billow out and get tangled in anything and everything in their path from chairs to cats. We need something that will stay in place, but filter the sun. They also need to be weatherproof.

I experimented with building a tracked system to hold the shades in place, but the bamboo was too thin and flimsy and bent in the middle and popped out of the track.

Any ideas out there?

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Tom Struble

one thing you can do is change the screening to a solar screen mesh

http://www.qualitysolarscreen.com/product_solar.html

Thurman

My first thought also Tom, but to rescreen that porch would cost the HO quite a bit. After looking at the photo a few times, I wonder is building panels which would fit into the present framing, using the solar screening would work, at a lower cost alternative. You could have them fit into either the inside or outside of the current framing, and could use them seasonally as needed.

BigD9

Funny you should mention replacing the screen material. I completely re-screened the entire area after an ice storm shredded the 5 year old fiberglass screens. I used aluminum and after the first few I developed the knack on how to do it. Isn't that always the case?

I'm still working on ideas, so keep the suggestions coming!