Saint-Gobain ADFORS FCS8988-M Pet Screen, 36" x 84", Charcoal

I recently adopted an indoor cat and needed to rescreen my front screen door to protect my 8-month-old kitten from the roaming 15-pound felines. I considered using aluminum screen, but while it is more durable than fiberglass, it still has drawbacks in that it dents, can be torn, isn't intended to be pet proof, the wires can be pulled apart, and it can be a pain to install if you aren't skilled. Pet D- br>br>Pet D- br>Pet D- br>Pet D- b Pros of a Fence:
1. ) Nylon or fiberglass material that is extremely tough - It was a lot more difficult than I expected.
2. ) Transparency is acceptable. It's darker than a standard charcoal fiberglass screen, but it also makes it more difficult for passers-by to peer into my front door during the day, but not at night. br>3. ) Less difficult to install than aluminum screen, and more resistant to screen spline roller slips than either fiberglass or aluminum screenbr>4. ) Installation requires only a few simple tools - screen roller, new screen bead if necessary, slot blade screwdriver, razor knife with new blade, or take it to the hardware storebr>5. ) Gives a screen frame a great deal of stability and rigiditybr>6. ) (NEW) This screen deflects nearly all of the sunlight and heat away from my front door. See my updated comments at the bottom of this review for more information. br>Cons: br>There are none, but see the "things to know" section below. br>br>Things to be aware of:
1. ) I noticed some other reviewers complaining about how thick this screen is to install. If you have extremely narrow screen channels, this may be the case, but there are techniques to try before giving up. Smaller diameter screen spline might be required. br>br>2. ) An alternative to purchasing new screen spline is to simply press about one inch of existing spline into place with a regular slot screw driver blade at a corner, then gently pull the spline to stretch it and reduce its diameter, and then roll it into place with a spline roller - I did exactly that. 3. br>br>4. br>br>5. br>br>6. ) I didn't put extra thickness on the list of "cons" because D- The fence screen is made to be more durable and thicker. 4. br>br> ) Keep in mind that stretching the screen spline necessitates the use of a very stable work table. Installation is also aided by having a second pair of hands and strong forearms. With patience, I completed mine on my own and it turned out nearly perfect. br>br>5. ) The D- Because the mesh is thicker, the fence product darkens the screen's appearance and reduces some outward visibility even in daylight. It's fine with me because I want my cat to be safe, and I think the darker color looks good, but you may disagree. 6. br>br>br>br>br>br>br>br>br> ) To avoid scratching the screen frame when setting the bead, I used a few small wood shop style 2" spring clips and a wooden ruler to hold it in place. Another option is to use medium-sized metal binder clips, which are commonly used in offices to hold large stacks of paper, or have a second person simply maintain pressure by gently pulling the screen tight. br>br>On the left is a standard charcoal fiberglass screen, and on the right is a D-shaped fiberglass screen. On the right, there is a fence screen. In conclusion, I am very pleased with this product and have ordered two additional rolls from Amazon. I did not accept any kind of discount or free product in exchange for my review. br>br>Update 5/30/16 - A mauling from a large neighborhood cat two nights ago had no effect on the screen. After the other 15-pound cat climbed half-way up the screen, there was no trace of him. There's one more thing to mention. With a standard screen in place, the morning sun heats up my main entry door, which faces east. When it comes to pets, With the fence screen in place, the temperature inside the door never rises above about 100 degrees - All of the heat is reflected by the thicker mesh. That last point alone is enough to persuade me to purchase this item. br>br>update 7/16/16 - I made use of Pet- After a local cat clawed up my original Marvin fiberglass screen in an attempt to fight with my indoor cat, I installed a defense screen on a back house screen. Last night, the same outdoor cat attacked my cat, who was perched in the window with the Pet-O-Matic. This is a defense screen. The other cat slammed into the pet screen, which was made of heavy duty mesh. It was loud and funny from where I was sitting 5 feet away on the sofa. There was no harm done to the new Pet- The other cat must be scratching its head, unsure of what just happened. I purchased a new, larger screen roller and "pre-installed" it in my machine. the Pet-Roll" Use the convex side of the roller to defend the screen notch, then use the concave side to press the spline into place. De-escalate cat fights with this awesome screen!.

Lucille Schwartz

| May 05, 2021

I like to leave the door open with the screen door secured shut so they can enjoy the air and sounds of outside, but I didn't trust the standard screen material to withstand their claws (I live near open desert that is full of coyotes), but I didn't trust the standard screen material to withstand their claws. Damage is one thing, but I didn't want them to be able to escape the house while I was in another room by ripping the screen out. So I was hoping to find a screen material strong enough to allow me to leave the door open during the warm months, so I tried this one. br>br>I heard the familiar sound of claws testing out the new screen door not long after it was installed. Despite the fact that one cat was found climbing up the screen from 6 feet above the ground, there was no sign of damage to the screen material! Even with the weight of the cat suspended on it, it has stayed firmly in the sliding door frame. There aren't any sags or bulges here! br>br>Installing the screen requires some elbow grease- Invest a few dollars in a metal roller-coaster. However, I believe that installing this screen is easier than installing the standard stuff, possibly because it is thicker and does not stretch out of shape as easily. The installation went the fastest when I first rolled the screen into the groove with the round edge of the roller, then used short quick strokes to push in the spline with the concave side. br>br>I used a 0. It was oddly difficult to find a 135 dia spline on here, but the model number ended up being Prime-Line Products P 7631, which worked perfectly. It was a tight fit, but not impossible, and the screen appears to be securely fastened. The original spline in my door, as far as I can tell, was. 140-inch diameter As a result, I used one that was just a smidgeon smaller for the new material. br>br>It is true that it is a darker, more visible screen than the standard ones, but the peace of mind is well worth it. Plus, when the screen is clean and straight, rather than bulging out and full of holes and rips like so many other screens I've had in the past, it actually looks nice. br>br>I've had it installed for over 4 months now and there are still no rips or tears anywhere, and I haven't had to adjust anything despite cats climbing, scratching, and bouncing off of it while chasing their toys. The fact that this stuff costs only a few dollars more than a standard fiberglass screen is incredible; I believe it is well worth much more!.

Rebekah Houston

| May 04, 2021

Not by a long shot. He's two years old and weighs 15 pounds, but he still jumps up when he sees a moth on the screen, a stray cat on our porch, or a bird in the bushes on our deck (which happens frequently in the summer when the doors are open). He also stays for a while, and when he leaves, I look at the screen, and you'd never know he was there. They're a little darker than a regular screen, but they don't look out of place and you can see right through them. Look at the illustration below. I used the same screen spline (plastic string that holds the screen in place), but due to the thicker material of the screen, reinserting and keeping it in place was much more difficult.

Gabriella Nolan

| Dec 30, 2021

This product is strong enough to withstand even the most frustrated cat, and I have cats who simply claw through normal screen material. I had never installed a screen before, so I watched a video on YouTube and purchased the wood handle screen tool (rather than the plastic one). I had to do this alone, so I used folder clips to keep the screen material in place while I attached it, which made it a lot easier. I simply took them out as I approached them, which made the entire process a breeze. I would strongly advise anyone else to do the same.

Helen Chaney

| Dec 08, 2021