Zip screens in Malaga the outdoor blind that stays put

Every zip screen is an outdoor roller blind, but not every outdoor blind is a zip screen. The difference lies in the edges of the fabric. On a conventional blind, the fabric hangs freely or is guided by cables or simple channels, and there’s some play between the fabric and the guide. When it’s windy, the fabric moves, bangs about and lets light in at the sides.

On a zip screen, the fabric has a welded zip along both sides that slots into the guide and runs inside it along the full height. The fabric is held taut from top to bottom, with no gaps. That’s why it copes far better with wind, makes no noise and shades more evenly, depending on the model.

You really notice the difference on the coast. On a penthouse in Malaga city or a porch in Torre del Mar, an ordinary blind has to go up as soon as the wind picks up. A zip screen, on the other hand, can stay down in a moderate breeze, always within the limits the manufacturer sets for each size.

If your window is sheltered and small, a roller awning may be enough and simpler. If it’s exposed or it’s a large picture window, a zip screen is worth it. We’ll look at it during the free visit, which you can book using the form.

That’s its great strength. Thanks to the zip, the fabric can’t come out of the guides or flap, which makes a zip awning far more stable than a conventional outdoor blind. On terraces and porches where the levante (easterly) or poniente (westerly) wind comes in from the side, you’ll notice the difference from day one.

Even so, no fabric screen is a wall. Wind resistance depends on the model, width and height of each unit and on how the guides are anchored. A very wide zip screen takes more wind load than a narrow one, so for large openings it’s sometimes better to split it into two units. We always follow the manufacturer’s guidance for each size.

In a storm or very strong gusts, the sensible thing is to roll it up. If you’d rather not have to think about it, a motorised zip screen can have a wind sensor that retracts it automatically, depending on the model. It’s very handy for holiday homes in the Axarquia and on the Costa del Sol.

At the visit we look at where the wind comes from at your home and suggest the size of each unit and the safest anchoring. If you want to shield a bar terrace from the wind with clear windows, compare it with the windbreak awning with side guides. There’s more on automation on our awning motorisation page.

Yes, you can see out from inside. Screen fabric is micro-perforated: it’s a weave with tiny openings that let some light through and allow you to see through it. During the day, because it’s brighter outside than in, you can see the garden, the street or the sea quite clearly from inside, as if through a sheer curtain.

From outside it’s the other way round: during the day very little of what’s going on inside can be seen. That’s why a zip screen is so useful for gaining privacy on porches and living rooms overlooking the street or the neighbours. Bear in mind that at night it reverses: if the lights are on inside and it’s dark outside, people will see more from outside.

How much you can see depends on the fabric’s openness factor and its colour, depending on the model. A more open fabric gives a better view and lets in more light; a more closed one filters more sun and gives more privacy. Darker colours usually give a clearer view out; lighter ones reflect more heat. We bring samples to the visit so you can check for yourself.

If heat is your main concern, read our article on which awning keeps the heat out best. And if you want total privacy, you can also combine the zip screen with other vertical awnings.

In many cases, yes. A pergola screen is fitted between the posts, with the cassette at the top and the guides at the sides, and turns the pergola into a room sheltered from the low sun and from prying eyes. It’s one of the most worthwhile upgrades for an existing pergola.

The first thing we check is the structure. The top beam needs to carry the cassette and the posts need to be plumb so the guides sit parallel. If the pergola is aluminium, we normally fix it to the frame; if it’s wooden, we check the condition of the timber and choose suitable fixings. If anything isn’t right, we’ll tell you before suggesting anything.

It doesn’t matter if another company installed the pergola. Our after-sales service also covers work by other installers, and we assess compatibility just as if it were our own. For new pergolas, the ideal is to plan the zip screen from the start and run the motor cabling inside the structure, so no cables are on show.

A bioclimatic pergola with zip screens on the sides is the closest thing to an outdoor room you can use almost all year round. If you’d prefer a simpler structure, take a look at our aluminium pergolas. Either way, you get a written, fixed-price quote.

A motorised zip screen has a tubular motor inside the roller in the top cassette. When you press the remote or the wall switch, the motor rolls the fabric up or down, and the zip guides it inside the channels to the end of its travel. The end stops are set during installation so the fabric stops exactly where it should.

We install Cherubini motors, which you can operate with a remote control or a wall switch. If you have several zip screens, for example on three sides of a porch, they can be programmed to move all together or one by one, depending on the set-up.

You can also add automation, such as a sun sensor that lowers the zip screen when the facade starts to heat up, or a wind sensor that raises it in strong gusts, depending on the model. The motor needs a power point near the cassette; at the visit we tell you where to run the cable and, if it’s a new installation, we allow for it.

You’ll find more details on our awning motorisation page and in our article on which motor to choose for your awning. There we also explain how remotes and sensors work and what to bear in mind before you choose.

The price of a zip screen depends on lots of factors, which is why we don’t give ballpark figures: each unit is made to the exact size of its opening, and two picture windows that look the same may need different solutions. We’d rather come out, measure for free and give you a real price for the zip screen you need in Malaga.

What matters most is the size of each unit (width by height) and how many units you need: one picture window isn’t the same as three sides of a porch. Then there’s the fabric you choose, with its openness factor and colour; the motor and automation; and where the cassette and guides are fixed, whether on the facade, inside the window opening or on the frame of a pergola.

Height and access count too. A zip screen on a penthouse where the materials have to be carried up the stairs isn’t fitted the same way as one at garden level. Taking all that into account, we give you a written, fixed-price, no-obligation quote, often in under 24 hours.

If, once we’ve seen it, we think a roller awning or a drop arm awning will do the job just as well, we’ll tell you. Book your visit using the form or on our contact page.

Looking after a zip awning is easy, but on the coast it’s best not to neglect it. Salt and sand settle on the fabric and, above all, in the guides, which is where the zip runs. If dirt builds up there, the fabric starts to rub and the motor has to work harder than it should.

A couple of times a year, or more often if you’re on the seafront, clean the inside of the guides with fresh water and a cloth or soft brush. Clean the fabric while it’s down, with water, mild soap and a sponge, without scrubbing hard or using harsh products, solvents or pressure washers. Let it dry fully before rolling it up.

Avoid leaving it rolled up wet for days: like any fabric, it can get marks or smells. And if you notice the zip is noisy, the fabric isn’t coming down straight or the motor stops early, let us know. Very often it’s just a matter of adjusting the end stops or cleaning the guides. You’ll find more tips in how to clean and maintain an awning.

From the outset we use powder-coated aluminium guides and stainless fixings, designed for a salty environment. If the fabric wears out over the years, it can be replaced without changing the whole system, depending on the model. We do this through our awning repairs and fabric replacement service.

It depends on where it goes and on your building’s rules. A zip screen fitted on the facade or terrace of a flat changes the outside appearance of the building, and in many communities that requires approval or, at the very least, sticking to a common model and colour. If you live in a detached house, there’s usually no community to consult, but there may be local town hall rules.

Most often, the community has set a fabric or frame colour to keep the facade uniform. In that case, we choose the zip screen within those conditions. If nothing has been decided, it’s best to raise it at the owners’ meeting before installing, to avoid problems later. We explain it in our guide to awnings in communities of owners and the Spanish Horizontal Property Act.

If you’re the administrator or president of a community and you want the same system on several homes, we can also help you agree on a common model. There’s more information on our awnings for communities of owners page.

At QUBRE we handle the paperwork and permits when they’re needed, and at the visit we tell you which procedure applies in your case. For questions about local council licences, see also our guide to permits for installing an awning or a pergola.