Many homeowners in Singapore choose either window grilles or mesh screens, as fitting both can make the window look bulkier and affect everyday use. However, if the home you bought already has grilles, you may want to add a layer of insect protection without removing the grilles.
A sliding window with grills can still accommodate a mesh screen. The key is choosing a suitable system and installation position that minimises added bulk, keeps the windows and grilles easy to operate, and seals gaps where insects could enter.
Why Grilles and Mesh Seem Like an Either-or Choice
The doubt usually starts with space.In many flats, the grille is fixed on the window, inside the house. That is the same spot a screen would normally go.
Casement windows make this harder. They open outwards, so a screen cannot sit outside the glass. It has to go indoors, either between the window and the grille or on the grille itself.
Sliding windows bring their own limit. The glass travels sideways along its track, so a screen cannot sit flat against it. It needs a track of its own or a fixing point clear of the moving panel.
Then there is the daily routine. You already reach through the grilles to open and close the window. A screen adds one more layer in the way, and that can sound like a chore.
Grilles do not stop mosquitoes, flies or lizards, and a determined cat can squeeze through the gaps. Grilles and mesh do different jobs, so they work better together than apart.
Common Challenges With Installing Mesh Screens
Most problems with screen installation for grilled windows come down to four things: bulk, placement, depth and gaps.
Adding a mesh screen to a window with existing grilles can make the opening look bulkier, especially if the screen comes with its own frame.
Placement also matters. A poorly positioned screen can get in the way of sliding or swing grilles, making them difficult to open and close.
Depth is the next limit. If the grille sits close to the glass, there is little room left for a screen frame, and the window handle projects into that space. A screen that does not clear the handle gets pushed out, which opens a gap.
Fitting the screen over the grilles may leave gaps between the grilles and the window. These gaps need to be sealed to prevent insects from entering.
The screen should also be easy to clean or remove, so you can wash the mesh and reach the windows and grilles behind it.
How Mozziefy Fits Mesh Screens Around Existing Grilles
During the site visit, the team checks how your windows and grilles open, the depth between the glass and the grille, and how far the handle projects. They then recommend a mesh system and an installation position that keeps the screen out of the way of everyday use.
If you are concerned about added bulk, the team may recommend a magnetic screen. Its slim frame adds little thickness, although it suits insect protection only.
Where there are gaps between the window and the grilles, the team carries out additional sealing work to close these entry points.
The team also assesses whether drilling is needed, based on the screen type chosen and the condition of your existing window. If you would rather not have drilling, inform the team early and they will recommend something that works around it.
Magnetic, Sliding or Retractable Options
Magnetic Screens
- Frame hold on with permanent magnets and high-bond adhesive tape, giving a fully sealed edge
- Made with fibreglass or heavy-duty polyester mesh
- Generally installed without drilling
- Built for insects only, since the panel cannot take any weight
Sliding screens
- Panels run on their own track and open like a regular sliding window, so you slide the screen aside to reach the windows.
- It comes in fibreglass, heavy-duty polyester or 316 Stainless Steel mesh.
- A lock can be added
Retractable Screens
- Fibreglass insect mesh or heavy-duty polyester pet mesh that rolls across and retracts neatly into its housing when not in use
- No frames, bars or lines are visible when it is retracted.
- The polyester version is tear-resistant and strong enough to support the weight of a full-grown cat
Magnetic, sliding and retractable screens are all described as suitable for windows with metal or invisible grilles on the window screens page.
Best HDB Window Screen and Condo Mesh Setup
The best HDB window screen depends on how you use each window. Take a window you open every day. A sliding or retractable screen allows you to reach for the windows with a slide left or right.
For a window you leave open most of the day, a magnetic screen is a simple fit. One magnetic screen can also cover a three-panel window. It suits insect protection only, so if you have a cat, ask the team for a cat mesh that suits the space behind your grille.
Condominium and landed-property windows vary more in size, frame design and grille layout. Magnetic, sliding, retractable and 2-in-1 systems can all be considered, and screen installation for grilled windows is planned around the individual opening at the site visit.
Why Custom Measurement Is Important
DIY screens bought online usually require you to measure, cut and customise the mesh yourself. Window dimensions can also vary from home to home, even within the same HDB block, so accurate measurements are important for a proper fit.
A screen cut short leaves a gap at the corner, and insects find corners. A screen cut too long and forced into place, which strains the frame and can open the seal.
Mozziefy offers a free on-site measurement, with no commitment until the final quotation is issued. Each screen is then custom-made to the recorded dimensions, so a custom HDB window screen closes the gaps a cut-to-fit screen leaves.
Get a Window Screen Recommendation from Mozziefy
Send photographs and rough measurements over WhatsApp on +65 6034 9462 for an initial quote, then arrange the site visit. Pricing is per square foot with a minimum price per mesh, plus 9% GST, and measurement and installation are both included. The showroom at One Commonwealth is open by appointment.
If you are unsure whether your sliding window with grills can take ascreen, the site visit will settle it. Book a site measurement with Mozziefy to find the mesh screen for sliding windows or casement windows that works with the grilles you already have.
