Comfort & shade
Screens & Shades Nassau
Exterior solar shades, privacy screens and insect screens, made to measure for New Providence homes. These are comfort products for living with the heat and the bugs — not storm protection — and we build them to survive salt air.
Solar shades for Bahamian heat
The Bahamian sun is relentless, and glass is where it wins. Exterior solar shades intercept sunlight before it reaches the window, cutting glare and UV while keeping most of the view — from inside, a good solar fabric reads like light sunglasses over the opening. The practical effects are the ones you feel: rooms that stay cooler through the afternoon, air conditioning that works less, and furniture, floors and artwork that stop fading. On porches and verandas, drop shades turn the hottest, brightest hours back into usable outdoor time.
One thing we say plainly, because we are a hurricane protection company first: screens and shades are comfort products, not storm protection. Fabric and mesh will not protect an opening in a hurricane. If the opening needs rated protection, that is a separate product doing a separate job — and the two live happily on the same window.
Privacy and insect screens
Living with open windows is one of the pleasures of the islands, and screens are what make it civilized:
- Insect screens. Tight-woven mesh over windows and doors keeps mosquitoes and no-see-ums out while the breeze comes through. Fine mesh options handle the no-see-ums that ordinary screening misses.
- Privacy screens. Denser fabrics and meshes that limit the view in from the street or a close neighbor during the day, without turning the room dark or blocking airflow.
Fixed or roller?
Both types are made to measure; the choice is about how you live with the opening.
- Fixed screens are framed panels mounted over the opening — the simple, economical choice for windows that just need permanent insect or privacy screening, with no moving parts to maintain.
- Roller shades and screens retract into a compact housing above the opening, so you deploy them when the sun is on that side of the house and roll them away for the view. Wide patio and veranda openings usually call for rollers, and motorized operation is available for large spans.
Marine-grade materials, because salt air is the real enemy
On an island, screens fail from corrosion long before the fabric wears out. We use aluminum frames and housings, stainless steel fasteners, and solution-dyed synthetic fabrics and meshes that shrug off salt, sun and mildew. Cheap systems with plated screws and painted steel brackets streak and seize within a couple of seasons here — building it right the first time is cheaper than replacing it.
Made to measure, priced per opening
Every screen and shade is made to the exact dimensions of your openings — we measure on-site, not from your tape figures — and installation is ours as well. Pricing is per opening, like everything we install: size, fabric or mesh choice, and fixed versus roller operation set the price of each one. The measurement visit is free and the written quote itemises every opening, so it is easy to start with the west-facing rooms and the porch and add the rest later. And if the same openings need rated storm protection, our accordion shutters and storm panels are the economical place to start.
Frequently asked questions
Do solar shades really help with cooling bills?
Yes, because they stop heat before it reaches the glass. A shade hung outside the window intercepts sunlight in the open air, where the heat dissipates, instead of letting it through the glass to warm the room. On west- and south-facing openings in Nassau the difference is easy to feel in the afternoon, and the air conditioning runs correspondingly less. Interior curtains cannot do this — once the sun is through the glass, the heat is already in the house.
What is the difference between screens and shades?
Screens are about what gets in: insect screens keep mosquitoes and no-see-ums out of open windows and doors, and privacy screens limit the view in from outside. Shades are about the sun: solar fabric that cuts glare, UV and heat while keeping most of the view out. The two overlap — a dense solar fabric adds daytime privacy, and any exterior mesh keeps some insects off — but they are chosen for different jobs, and we will tell you plainly which one solves yours.
Are screens and shades hurricane protection?
No. Fabric and mesh are comfort products, not storm protection, and we will never sell them as a substitute. Before a hurricane, roller shades should be retracted and fixed screens are simply expected to take their chances. If the opening needs real protection, pair the shade with a rated system — our accordion shutters and storm panels page covers the most economical options — and let each product do its own job.
How long do they last in salt air?
That depends almost entirely on the hardware, which is why we specify marine-grade components. The fabrics and meshes we use are solution-dyed synthetics that do not rot or mildew and hold their color for years in island sun. The failure point on cheap systems is always the metal — plated screws, painted steel brackets — so we use aluminum and stainless steel throughout. Rinsing the salt film off occasionally with fresh water is the only maintenance.
What is the lead time?
Measurement is a single visit, then everything is made to your exact openings and shipped to Nassau — typically a few weeks. Installation is usually a day or less for most homes. Unlike storm products there is no seasonal rush on screens and shades, so lead times stay steady year-round.
Explore our other services
Most Nassau homes use a mix. We'll recommend the right combination at your free measurement.
Premium motorized protection with manual override for power cuts.
One-person closing, lockable accordions and the cheapest rated panels.
Louvered style plus shade — the rated kind, not decorative.
Always-on protection with nothing to close. Ideal for off-island owners.
Motor replacement, stuck shutters, bent tracks — including systems installed by others.
Impact entry, French and sliding glass doors, rated as complete units.
Custom interior louvered shutters in wood or composite, made to measure.
Screened patios, verandas and pool decks, plus re-screening of existing enclosures.