Aluminum window screens
Aluminum screening
is a rugged, metal mesh. To make the fabric, a 3/8-inch-diameter aluminum rod is drawn out to a .011 mil (inch) wire. The
manufacturer winds this wire on a master bobbin, loads the bobbin onto a modified loom and starts the machine weaving.
Once the screen fabric is woven, it's given a finish. Aluminum screen fabric typically comes in three
colors: black, dark gray and bright aluminum. Black is least noticeable from inside the house (the darker the color, the better
the outward visibility in most cases, because darker colors have less light reflectance and glare). Dark gray is made to complement
painted window and frame systems. Although bright aluminum looks like raw aluminum, it has a clear coating that helps maintain
the material's sheen.
Aluminum window screening is made as an "18 x 16" mesh. This simply means that there are 18 horizontal
and 16 vertical "yarns" (or wires) per square inch.