Bird Cage Roof
 

We are having a birdcage built and our builder, T&D, gave us a choice of screening material. We are going to use 18/14 for the front and sides but the roof is questionable.

We have a southern exposure and the sun beats down something awful in the afternoon. We were wondering about the other screening meshes. There is a 20/20 and there is something called sun screen. Do any of you have any experience with either of those two choices? If you got the 20/20 are you happy with it or do you wish you got the sun screen? If you got the sun screen do you wish you got the 20/20? Is the sun screen too dark? Does it lower the temperature?

We know that there is added expense with either choice so please do not factor that into your answer. We would just like the pros and cons of the products.

Thank you in advance.

First let me start by saying I do not have a bird cage ........... however, I have two neighbors who do. They are both huge spaces and they are both unusable in the summer due to the position of the sun overhead. We get full sun from before noon to early evening. I also have a row of premium homes to the right of me which have all the bells and whistles, birdcages, lanai's, pools, all with the same exposure and I have yet to see anyone use these additions in the past 9 years. Also, keep in mind that when it rains everything in the birdcage gets soaked.

You might want to look into a roofing material of some sort to get the use from your birdcage.

We have a birdcage with a west exposure so we get the afternoon sun and we still use it a lot year round but it does get warm in the summer months. I really don't think the difference in mesh for the roof will affect the temperature in the birdcage but the heavier mesh will cut the exposure to the sun a bit more on your skin. If you have a pool or are a sun worshiper, I would go with the lighter mesh. If you like to lay out but still have relative shielding from the suns rays, the go with the heavier cloth. Ask T&D what they suggest.