A zip screen is an outdoor roller blind whose fabric edge is zipped into the side guides, so wind cannot lift it out. That single detail is what separates it from an ordinary outdoor blind: it stays flat and stays put in wind that would flap a conventional screen out of its rails.
What it does
- Cuts sun and glare while keeping the view — openness factors from 1% to 10% depending on how much you want to see through.
- Blocks wind and insects on a terrace or a pergola side.
- Lowers cooling load by stopping solar gain outside the glass rather than after it has entered.
- Motorised with remote control, and optionally a wind sensor that retracts the screen automatically.
What drives the price
- Size. Width matters more than height — wide screens need a larger tube and a stronger motor.
- Fabric. Standard PVC-coated mesh, a technical fabric with a specified openness factor, or a fully blackout fabric.
- Motor and sensors. Basic tubular motor, or a motor with wind and sun sensors.
- Box and guides. Surface-mounted box versus one recessed into the pergola beam.
- Quantity. Cost per unit drops noticeably from the third screen on.
When a zip screen is the right answer
When you want shade, wind protection and airflow at the same time — and you do not need the space to be sealed. If the terrace has to be watertight and usable in winter, glass or a transparent shutter is the correct product and a zip screen will disappoint you. If you want the pergola to stay open in feel, cost a fraction of glazing, and disappear into the beam when retracted, this is it.
Getting a quote
Send the width and height of each opening on WhatsApp, and say whether you want to see through the fabric or block the view — that decides the openness factor and the fabric.
Frequently asked
Does it keep rain out?
It sheds light rain and stops wind-driven spray, but it is not a watertight enclosure. For that you need glass or a transparent shutter.
What wind speed can it take?
That depends on size, fabric and mounting. Wide screens carry a lower wind rating than narrow ones, which is why we specify a wind sensor on exposed terraces — the screen retracts before the wind reaches its limit.