Specialty Fabrics Review October 2022 - 34

" For example, with a tightly woven
" Mesh zipper
screens are seeing
high demand
nationwide; they're
taking over the
market in certain
areas of the country.
They'll block some
rain but also let some
air through, which
is attractive in
warmer climates. "
Robert Martensson
Sunair®
Awnings and
Solar Screens
screen mesh, like solar 95, a customer
could employ a space heater and keep
a patio comfortable all winter, " he
says. " For intense UV rays, solar 90
will block 90 percent of those rays,
protecting furnishings and decor as
well as any people sitting in that space. "
Barkin says sun protection is the
biggest concern in the West, while
in the Midwest and Northeast, it's
primarily keeping insects at bay. In
the Southeast, it's about both weather
and insect protection.
ELEMENTAL PROTECTION
Robert Martensson, owner of Sunair®
Awnings and Solar Screens, says
people are looking for denser, less open
fabric for more protection against sun,
glare and weather. Located in Jessup,
Md., the company manufactures
commercial and residential retractable
shading systems (patio awnings, solar
shades, exterior zippers shades) as well
as pergola awnings, adjustable motor
louvered roofs and more.
" Mesh zipper screens are seeing high
demand nationwide; they're taking
over the market in certain areas of the
country, " he says. " We're seeing higher
residential demand in the Southeast
and Southwest. But the commercial
use of these zippered mesh screens is
also on the upswing as outdoor dining
has expanded. They'll block some rain
but also let some air through, which is
attractive in warmer climates. "
Non-mesh, clear-film plastic
zippered screens are also popular in
colder climates. For these, he looks for
low-stretch, high-performance vinyl
fabric with clear-film plastic welded
into the fabric.
" The window film and the PVC
fabric are welded together with a bar
welder. The vinyl fabric is Ferrari 502
or 602, which is a Precontraint® weave
and very dimensionally stable, " he
explains. " The window film isn't stable
at all since it is PVC and doesn't have
a scrim woven into it. This is why you
need a border around the perimeter
of the window to stabilize the fabric
curtain cover. " (For mesh fabric
screens, Martensson uses a variety of
brands, such as Twitchell™ Nano 95,
RecScreen® and Ferrari Soltis® 86.)
The perimeter should be as large as
The Titan Screen®
, developed by Sunmaster of Naples Inc., is a proprietary motorized,
retractable zipper track system that targets Florida's upscale housing market. The screen's
design keeps it from blowing out of the tracks in high winds. The Titan Screen fabric used on
this residence is a Super Screen 17/20 weave for insect protection. Photo: Jeff Barkin courtesy
of Sunmaster of Naples/Titan Screen.
34 SPECIALTY FABRICS REVIEW / October 2022
possible to stabilize the fabric when it
rolls up and down, he explains. At the
same time, since these windows can
adhere to themselves when rolled up,
smaller ones often prove a better, less
sticky, option. These screens can also be
affected by extreme heat and cold, so it's
best not to operate them in this type of
weather. Still, the colder the weather, the
more necessary a solid PVC.
Barnes uses Ferrari Soltis products,
especially the 502, among others. He
limits acrylics to small umbrellas and
awnings. Because the company has

Specialty Fabrics Review October 2022

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