Opening a garage door is an easy way to let in fresh air and natural light. Unfortunately, it also creates a car-sized entrance for mosquitoes, flies, leaves and other debris.
The Lifestyle garage-door screen sold and installed by ScreensLux offers a more substantial solution than hanging mesh or a zippered curtain across the opening. It uses a rigid aluminum frame that lowers into place when needed and retracts toward the ceiling when the garage needs to return to normal use.
The manual screen operates independently of the existing garage door, so installing it does not mean giving up the original door. ScreensLux offers the system in Central Florida in multiple widths, two listed heights, four frame colors and different mesh materials.
It works alongside the existing garage door
The Lifestyle system is installed inside the garage on its own tracks. When the conventional garage door is raised, the screen can be pulled down to cover the opening. When the screen is no longer required, it retracts overhead and the normal garage door can be closed again.
Unlike a motorized roll-down shade, the system uses a spring-loaded counterbalance mechanism. No motor, electrical connection or remote control is required for normal operation.
The manufacturer says the screen typically reduces the usable opening by no more than 1.75 inches (4.4 cm). ScreensLux warns, however, that it is not compatible with low-headroom garage-door tracks, so the opening and interior clearance need to be checked before ordering.
The manufacturer’s FAQ also says the system can work with wind-loaded and hurricane-reinforced garage doors, although doors reinforced with 6-inch C-channels may require changes that should be discussed with the installer.
A smaller door is built into the screen
One of the system’s most practical features is a retractable passage door built into the larger screen frame. It allows a person to enter or leave without raising the entire screen.
That makes the setup more useful when the garage is being used as a gym, workshop, hobby area, play space or informal sitting area. The large opening can remain screened while people move through the smaller hinged section.
The passage door comes as standard on the principal Lifestyle configuration, although versions without it are also sold. An optional locking mechanism is available, but a screen should not be confused with a secure replacement for a closed garage door.
Aluminum frame with several mesh choices
The frame is made from 2 × 2-inch (5.1 × 5.1-cm), 0.050-gauge architectural-grade aluminum with a powder-coated finish. ScreensLux currently lists black, white, brown and sandstone frame colors.
The standard screen material is an 18 × 14 charcoal fiberglass mesh, designed to prioritize ventilation and visibility while helping keep insects and airborne debris outside. Upgraded black or white PVC-coated polyester mesh uses a 17 × 20 weave and is marketed as the more durable option, with greater privacy and resistance to wear from pets.
There is a trade-off between airflow and the denser material. Lifestyle Screens says its standard fiberglass mesh provides approximately 58% airflow, compared with approximately 48% for the optional mesh materials.
ScreensLux’s black-mesh product page currently describes the included material as white PVC-coated polyester in one paragraph, despite the product title identifying black mesh. Customers should therefore confirm the selected mesh color and material on the final order.
Sizes for single- and multi-car garages
ScreensLux’s online configurator lists widths of 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 ft (1.8 to 5.5 m), paired with heights of 7 or 8 ft (2.1 or 2.4 m).
The manufacturer separately says Lifestyle systems are available in heights up to 10 ft (3 m), although 9- and 10-ft-tall models are limited to widths of up to 16 ft. Those larger versions do not currently appear in the ScreensLux online selector and may require a direct quotation.
One 18 × 8-ft configuration is listed at a depth of 2 inches (5.1 cm) and a weight of 114 lb (51.7 kg). Weight will vary with size, so that figure should not be applied to every model.
Price and availability
ScreensLux currently lists its white PVC-polyester models from US$2,200, while black PVC-polyester versions start at US$2,400. The final amount depends on dimensions, frame finish, mesh and installation requirements.
For example, the black PVC-coated polyester product page displays US$2,500 for the selected configuration at the time of writing. Shipping is calculated separately for online purchases, while professional installation is offered across parts of Central Florida.
ScreensLux lists service coverage in Lake, Orange, Polk, Sumter and Osceola counties, including communities such as Clermont, Orlando, Davenport, Kissimmee and The Villages.
Lifestyle Screens provides a limited lifetime warranty on the system’s parts, but the mesh and installation labor are excluded. ScreensLux also notes that hardware and instructions are included with online orders, and the manufacturer permits self-installation through authorized dealers.
The idea is straightforward: keep the garage’s full-size overhead door for security and weather protection, then lower a second, ventilated barrier when the space is occupied. It will not turn an unconditioned garage into a conventional room, but it can make an open garage considerably more usable without leaving the entire doorway exposed.
Product page: ScreensLux
