Double-Sided Fly Screens in Dubai

A double screen has a cassette fixed to each side of the opening, each holding a roll of mesh on a sprung barrel. To close the screen you take the leading edge of each half and draw them toward the middle, where they meet and join at a centre closure. Now the whole width is covered, with no frame or post breaking up the view.

To open it again you release the centre and a soft brake guides each half back into its own cassette at a steady pace. Tracks run along the top and bottom to keep both halves straight and moving evenly, which is what stops a wide screen sagging or billowing. Splitting the span into two shorter pulls is the whole trick, and it's why a double can cover an opening a single screen never could.

It comes down to width. Up to about 5 metres, a single screen pulling across from one side is usually all you need, and it's the simpler, cheaper choice. Once an opening is wider than that, a single pull becomes long enough that the mesh is harder to keep taut and tidy, and that's the point where a double earns its place.

A double splits a wide span into two shorter halves that meet in the middle, so a 7, 10 or 12 metre opening stays neat and easy to use. Both are retractable fly screens, so they roll away the same way. The honest answer is that most normal doors and windows take a single, and a double is for the genuinely wide openings. We measure yours and tell you which one it needs, with no push to the dearer option.

The point where the two halves come together is the part that matters most on a double, and it's designed so there's no gap for an insect. As the halves meet in the middle they join along a centre closure, usually a magnetic strip or a slim centre bar, that holds them together and seals the join. The top and bottom tracks keep both halves aligned, so they come together in the same place every time.

On a door this centre is also how you get through. You part the two halves like a pair of curtains, walk out, and they glide back and rejoin behind you. It feels natural after a day or two, and because the brake controls the speed, the halves close gently rather than snapping. We set and test the centre meeting at fitting so it lines up cleanly from day one.

Wide multi-panel doors are the classic home for a double. When a full set of bi-folds folds right back, or a three or four panel slider opens up, you're left with a very wide gap that a single screen simply can't pull across. A double covers it by meeting in the middle, so you keep the whole open-plan view onto the garden with insects shut out.

The screen sits in front of the door track and works independently, so you still slide or fold the glass as normal. We measure the full opening, not just one leaf, and size the two halves to span it. If your slider is on the narrower side, a single panel screen or our sliding door screens may suit instead, which is something we confirm at the measurement.

The wider the opening, the more the mesh matters, because there's more of it catching any breeze. We use fine fibreglass and polyester see-through mesh that holds its shape and lets air and light through while stopping mosquitoes, flies and dust. Mosquitoes are more than a nuisance in warm climates, and the World Health Organization's guidance on dengue explains why keeping them out matters.

On a big garden-facing opening that gets the wind, the tracks top and bottom hold both halves taut so the mesh doesn't billow, and we pick a tension and system to suit how exposed the spot is. Charcoal, grey and black mesh almost vanish against the daylight and give the clearest view across a wide span, which is why most people choose a darker shade. We bring samples to the measurement so you can see them against your own opening.

A wide opening needs more care to measure than a single door, because small differences add up across a big span. We measure the width and the height at several points, check whether the opening is level and square, and look at where the two cassettes will sit so the halves meet exactly in the centre. On older or uneven openings we account for any lean when we cut the screen.

All you need to do is point us at the opening. Getting the measurement and the centre point right is what gives you two halves that close cleanly together with no gap, and tracks that keep everything gliding for years. It's the part that makes the difference between a wide screen that works beautifully and one that fights you, which is why we always measure a double ourselves.

A double has two tracks and two halves, so there's a little more to keep clear than on a single, but it's still simple. The main thing is to keep the bottom tracks free of grit and sand, because a smooth glide on both sides depends on it. A quick brush or a wipe along the tracks now and then does the job, and a vacuum nozzle clears anything stubborn from the runners.

Let each half return gently rather than letting go from the centre, and wipe the mesh, the cassettes and the centre closure with a soft cloth and mild soapy water when they gather dust. Near a building site or a busy road you'll do it a bit more often. There's nothing to oil and nothing to adjust, and if either half or the centre ever feels off we'll come and set it right under the warranty.

For a wide opening there are really three routes. A double retractable screen rolls fully away when you want the view clear and parts in the middle to walk through, which suits a door or glass wall you use often. A fixed plain mesh, like our plain mesh screens, is a tensioned panel that stays put, which is neat and economical for a very wide opening you don't walk through much. A pleated screen folds to the side and is another tidy option for a wide run.

Glazing the opening in is the other thought people have, but that seals the space off and takes away the open-air feel, and it's a far bigger job. A screen keeps the breeze, the light and the view while shutting out the bugs. For most wide garden openings that you actually open, a double retractable screen is the best balance, and we'll give you a straight recommendation at the measurement.