Should You Choose Safety Screens or Security Screens for Your Home?
Choosing the right screen for a door or window can have a surprisingly big impact on how comfortable and secure your home feels.
Screens need to perform several jobs at once, from allowing fresh air into your rooms to helping keep insects outside and providing another barrier between your family and the outdoors and the right choice will depend on where the screen is being installed, how much security you want and how often the opening is used.
Safety and security screens can look similar at first glance, but they are designed with different priorities in mind. Understanding how they work and what separates them can make the decision much easier.
What Safety Screens Are Built For
Safety screens are designed around everyday use. They keep insects out, let air move freely through the home, and give a door or window an extra layer between your family and the outdoors without changing how the space feels. For a back door that gets opened and closed constantly, or a window that stays open for airflow through the warmer months, this is usually the more practical option.
These screens can also be fitted with different mesh types depending on the household. Homes with pets, for example, often use a tougher mesh that holds up to scratching without needing the frame and locking construction that a dedicated security screen requires.
Basix is a good example of a purpose built barrier screen which is designed primarily to prevent falls, particularly at elevated openings. As it uses a 316 marine-grade stainless steel mesh that's durable enough for everyday use while still delivering fresh air and insect protection, without the added engineering and hardware of a dedicated security product. For lower-risk areas of the home, or where budget is a primary consideration, this is often the right choice.
What Security Screens Are Built For
Security screens take a different approach. Rather than focusing on insect protection alone, they're engineered as a complete system, where the frame, mesh, locking mechanism and method of fixing all work together to resist forced entry. This construction is what allows the screen to withstand significantly more pressure than a standard flyscreen.
Security screens make the most sense for external doors and ground-floor or easily accessed windows, where an added layer of protection is worth the investment. They also allow doors and windows to stay open for airflow without leaving the opening unprotected, which is a common reason homeowners choose them for entry points used throughout the day.
The distinction isn't just about the mesh or grille material, and instead it comes down to the whole system including the frame construction, how the infill is fixed, the locking hardware and the overall engineering. There's a range of builds to suit different aesthetics and priorities:
- Diamond Grille: A classic, decorative option using an aluminium grille infill, and a popular choice for homeowners after a more traditional look.
- SecureView: Built from marine-grade stainless steel mesh, offering premium strength and durability alongside excellent visibility and airflow.
- Xceed: Made from perforated aluminium mesh, a modern alternative that delivers strong visibility and airflow while still meeting the same security standards.
Each has a different look, but they share the same core objective of providing meaningful protection at vulnerable entry points such as front doors and rear access. Which one suits best comes down to personal preference and the specific requirements of each opening.
Why Locks and Installation Matter Just as Much as the Screen
The mesh and frame only tell part of the story and how a screen is locked and installed to the opening has a direct effect on how well it performs. A well-built screen with a weak locking system won't offer the same protection as one designed as a complete unit.
Multi-point locking systems, which secure a door at several points rather than a single central lock, are worth considering for entry doors where security is the priority. Installation quality matters just as much as a screen that isn't fitted correctly to the opening can affect both how securely it sits and how smoothly it operates day to day. This is one of the details homeowners often overlook when comparing screens on appearance or mesh type alone.
So, What is the Best Option?
There's rarely one screen type that suits an entire property and the right approach is usually to assess each opening individually, using a few simple questions:
- How often is it used? Frequently opened doors and windows need reliable, easy-to-operate hardware
- How exposed is it? Ground-floor windows and main entry points carry more risk than upper-level or less accessible openings
- What matters most for that spot? Airflow and insect protection, an open view, or resistance to forced entry
A frequently used back door with reasonable street visibility might only need a safety screen, while a ground-floor window or main entry point may call for the added protection of a security screen.
Using different screen types across different areas of the home is also a practical way to match protection level to actual risk, rather than applying the same solution everywhere. If you're weighing up security and insect screen options for your property, just contact us and we can talk you through what's available and help you find the right fit for each opening.