Is Super Screen worth the extra cost?

HomeGuide lists polyester at $0.30 to $0.75 per square foot against $0.15 to $0.60 for fiberglass, and a 20-plus-year life against 10-plus. On a 20-by-40 cage that HomeGuide rescreens at $1,500 to $3,500, the material difference is small next to the labor, and the labor is what you are buying twice if the cheap mesh fails.

What is the difference between 18/14 and 20/20 pool screen?

Openings per inch, per HomeGuide: 18/14 is the standard pool weave and 20/20 is finer, keeping out no-see-ums and pine needles and adding UV protection. The finer weave trades a little view and airflow for that.

Can pool cage screen be pressure washed?

HomeGuide's material note on polyester says it can start to shred within three years if pressure washed. Its description of the trade's practice is to power-wash the aluminum grooves before installing new mesh, not the mesh itself.

Should copper screen go on an aluminum cage?

HomeGuide says copper bronze should not be used on aluminum frames. The dissimilar metals are the reason — on an aluminum pool cage the long-life choices it lists are polyester and aluminum mesh.

What is the best screen to use on a pool cage?

Published August 21, 2026

The best pool cage screen depends on the problem: HomeGuide lists polyester and aluminum mesh at 20-plus years, fiberglass at 10-plus, and warns off budget screen that lasts 3 to 4.

HomeGuide's framing is the honest one. The mesh is 30% to 50% of a rescreen's cost, the cheapest screen is the shortest-lived, and the choice is between a handful of materials whose prices differ by dimes per square foot and whose lives differ by decades. Its advice is to skip the bargain screen — it publishes a 3-to-4-year life for it — and choose a longer-lasting polyester, fiberglass or aluminum mesh from a named maker.

Source: HomeGuide

Pool screen mesh, side by side

Mesh	Material per sq ft	Published lifespan	What HomeGuide says about it
Polyester	$0.30 – $0.75	20+ years; 25+ coated	Stronger and more flexible than fiberglass; resists rust and mildew; can shred within 3 years if pressure washed
Fiberglass	$0.15 – $0.60	10+ years (Phifer, 10-year warranty)	Resists mildew and algae; keeps its color
Aluminum	$0.30 – $0.55	20+ years if maintained	Will not sag; reduced glare with a finish
Copper bronze	$1.40 – $2.20	Durable; forms a protective patina	Should not be used on aluminum frames
Copper	$2.00 – $4.00	Up to 50 years	Very expensive

HomeGuide's published material cost and lifespan by pool screen mesh.

Source: HomeGuide

The weave matters as much as the material

HomeGuide explains the numbers on the roll: mesh sizes run from 8/8 to 20/20, the count of openings per inch. The standard pool screen is 18/14, or Super Screen's 17/14. The finer 20/20 — 17/20 in Super Screen — keeps out pine needles and no-see-ums and adds UV protection, at the cost of a little airflow and view. Squirrels, birds and the smallest insects are what the weave decides; the material decides how many years it lasts.

Source: HomeGuide

Standard weave for airflow, fine weave for no-see-ums. Pick the weave for the bugs you have, then the material for the years you want.

The named screens HomeGuide lists

Super Screen, which HomeGuide lists in 17/14 and 17/20 with a 20-plus-year life and the maker's claim of being several times stronger than standard 18/14 fiberglass. Phifer, tightly woven against small insects with a 10-year manufacturer warranty. TuffScreen in 18/14, listed as pet- and weather-resistant. A 20/20 no-see-um mesh. Pet screen, which HomeGuide describes as scrape- and puncture-resistant and recommends near golf courses. Solar sun-control screen, and BetterVue and UltraVue, which trade a little insect protection for visibility.

Source: HomeGuide

Matching the screen to the problem

Dogs, golf balls, tree limbs: pet screen or TuffScreen, on HomeGuide's descriptions.
No-see-ums and pine needles: a 20/20 weave.
Glare and a hot deck: solar screen, or aluminum with a finish.
The longest life for the least money: polyester or coated aluminum, at 20-plus years on HomeGuide's table — and no pressure washer on the mesh.
Privacy: that is its own question, with its own page on this site.

For what a rescreen with any of these costs, per square foot and per panel: pool enclosure rescreening cost.

These are the pool cage rescreening companies AI assistants actually name when homeowners ask. Nobody can pay to be on these lists.

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Questions people ask next

Is Super Screen worth the extra cost?: HomeGuide lists polyester at $0.30 to $0.75 per square foot against $0.15 to $0.60 for fiberglass, and a 20-plus-year life against 10-plus. On a 20-by-40 cage that HomeGuide rescreens at $1,500 to $3,500, the material difference is small next to the labor, and the labor is what you are buying twice if the cheap mesh fails.
What is the difference between 18/14 and 20/20 pool screen?: Openings per inch, per HomeGuide: 18/14 is the standard pool weave and 20/20 is finer, keeping out no-see-ums and pine needles and adding UV protection. The finer weave trades a little view and airflow for that.
Can pool cage screen be pressure washed?: HomeGuide's material note on polyester says it can start to shred within three years if pressure washed. Its description of the trade's practice is to power-wash the aluminum grooves before installing new mesh, not the mesh itself.
Should copper screen go on an aluminum cage?: HomeGuide says copper bronze should not be used on aluminum frames. The dissimilar metals are the reason — on an aluminum pool cage the long-life choices it lists are polyester and aluminum mesh.

Written for homeowners by Most Recommended Screen Enclosures, which measures which screen enclosure companies AI assistants actually recommend in 12 U.S. metros. Nobody can pay to be on those lists. How we measure.