Although the winter gloom is still with us the days are getting longer and hopefully summer is on the horizon. Always looking forward we're thrilled to launch our brand-new Chain Fly Screen read and waiting for what we're all hoping will be a long, glorious British summer. As the temperatures rise, there's nothing quite like opening your doors to let the fresh air flow through your home. Unfortunately, along with that welcome breeze comes an uninvited parade of flies, wasps, bees, mosquitoes, and all manner of other insects determined to make themselves at home in your kitchen, living room, or conservatory.
After years of hearing from customers frustrated with traditional mesh screens that block light, obstruct views, and deteriorate quickly in our changeable weather, we knew there had to be a better solution. That's why we've developed our Chain Fly Screen – a practical, stylish, and remarkably effective way to create your very own "No Fly Zone" whilst maintaining your home's aesthetic appeal and allowing natural light to flood through.
The Problem with Traditional Fly Screens
Let's be honest – we've all struggled with conventional fly screens. The mesh variety quickly becomes grimy, tears easily, and makes your doorway look rather industrial. Plastic strip curtains work to some extent but they're hardly attractive, and they can feel claustrophobic, blocking out precious natural light. Magnetic screens seemed like a good idea until they lost their magnetic grip after a few months, leaving frustrating gaps that defeat the entire purpose.
We understood there needed to be a solution that was practical, durable, and actually looked good. Something that wouldn't make your beautiful home look like a garden centre or industrial warehouse. That's where our expertise in chain manufacturing – honed since 1923 – came into play.
Introducing the Chain Fly Screen: Function Meets Form
Our Chain Fly Screen kit represents a clever fusion of functionality and aesthetics. Rather than relying on solid mesh or plastic, we've utilised precision-linked anodised aluminium chain to create a curtain that's simultaneously effective at keeping insects out whilst allowing air circulation, natural light, and easy walk-through access.
The principle is beautifully simple: closely spaced strands of lightweight aluminium chain hang from a header track, creating an effective barrier that insects simply won't navigate through. When you need to pass through the doorway, you simply part the chain strands – much like walking through a beaded curtain – and the chains fall naturally back into place behind you, maintaining the protective barrier.
The kit includes everything you need for a complete installation: two mounting brackets, a header rail cut to your specified width, and the aluminium chain itself. We've designed the system to be remarkably user-friendly, even for those who aren't particularly handy with DIY projects.
Designed to Fit Your Doorways Perfectly
One of the most frustrating aspects of shop-bought fly screens is that they rarely fit your specific door dimensions properly. We've addressed this by offering our Chain Fly Screen in a comprehensive range of widths and heights to accommodate almost any single door configuration.
Our standard widths range from 700mm (27.5") up to 900mm (35.5") in 50mm (2") increments, whilst heights are available from 1900mm (75") to 2100mm (82.5") in 100mm (4") increments. This extensive sizing ensures that whether you have a standard back door, a stable door top, or even a slightly non-standard opening, we've got you covered.
But here's where it gets even better: if you have double doors, you can easily pair two kits together to create seamless protection across the entire opening. The chains from adjacent kits will fit closely, ensuring there are no gaps for enterprising insects to exploit whilst still allowing you easy access by parting the chains in the centre.
A Colour for Every Home
We understand that your home's aesthetic matters. After all, what's the point of keeping out flies if your solution makes your doorway look unsightly? That's why we've gone to considerable effort to offer the Chain Fly Screen in six sophisticated colour options that will complement virtually any interior or exterior décor.
Choose from gold for a warm, traditional look that pairs beautifully with brass door furniture; silver for a sleek, contemporary appearance; bronze for a rich, earthy tone that suits period properties; copper for those seeking something distinctive with a touch of warmth; black for a modern, statement look that recedes visually into dark door frames; or pewter for a subtle, sophisticated grey that works with everything.
This colour variety means you're not compromising your home's appearance for functionality. The Chain Fly Screen becomes a thoughtful design element rather than a necessary evil – something we think is rather important when it comes to home improvements.
Light, Practical, and Seasonal
One of the most practical features of our Chain Fly Screen is its lightweight, removable design. Unlike fixed mesh screens or permanent installations that clutter your doorway year-round, our system can be lifted off its mounting brackets in seconds.
This is particularly valuable when autumn arrives and those flies, wasps, and bees retreat for the season. Rather than leaving the fly screen in place where it might accumulate winter grime and look unnecessary, you can simply lift it off the brackets and store it away in minimal space – perhaps in the garage, loft, or even a cupboard. The lightweight aluminium construction means it's not a heavy, awkward item to handle, and because the chain is corrosion-resistant, it will emerge from storage next spring in perfect condition, ready for another season of protection.
The removability also makes cleaning absolutely straightforward. If the chain accumulates dust or needs freshening up, you can take down the entire unit, give it a quick wash, and have it back in place within minutes.
How It Works: Creating Your "No Fly Zone"
The effectiveness of the Chain Fly Screen lies in the density and configuration of the chain strands. Insects, particularly flies and wasps, are visually confused by the overlapping chain links. Unlike a solid barrier which they might attempt to land on, or a mesh which they can detect edges and openings in, the chain creates a three-dimensional maze that they simply don't navigate successfully.
The chains hang with just enough spacing to move gently in a breeze, creating additional visual confusion for insects whilst maintaining a coherent barrier. Bees, wasps, flies, and mosquitoes all struggle to find a path through, whilst humans can walk through effortlessly by simply parting the strands.
At the same time, the open nature of the chain design means air circulates freely, natural light floods through virtually unimpeded, and you can see through to the garden beyond – something completely impossible with traditional mesh screens. It's rather like having a force field that selectively keeps out pests whilst allowing everything else through.
Complete Kit or Individual Components
We've designed our Chain Fly Screen offering to accommodate different needs and situations. For most customers, our complete kit is the perfect solution. It arrives with everything you need: the mounting brackets, the header rail cut to your specified width, and the appropriate length of aluminium chain. Installation is straightforward, with the brackets fixing to your door frame and the header rail clipping into place.
However, we understand that some customers may have specific requirements or may want to purchase components separately – perhaps to replace a damaged rail or to add additional chain. That's why we also offer all the individual fly screen components separately. This includes spare brackets, header rails in various lengths, and the aluminium chain itself in all our colour options.
This flexibility means you're not locked into buying a complete new kit if you only need one component, and it also allows for creative solutions for unusual installations.
Bespoke Solutions: We Love a Challenge
Whilst our standard size offerings cover the vast majority of doorways, we're well aware that British homes come in wonderfully varied configurations. Perhaps you have an unusually wide opening, an arched doorway, or a quirky stable door with non-standard proportions. Maybe you've imagined a specific colour combination that isn't available as standard, or you need to cover a window rather than a door.
This is where our heritage as chain specialists since 1923 really comes into play. We genuinely love a challenge, and we have the manufacturing capability and technical expertise to create bespoke solutions that standard retailers simply can't match.
If you need a custom size, an unusual colour combination, or any adaptation of our standard Chain Fly Screen design, we encourage you to get in touch with our team. Give us a call on 01483 239733 or drop us an email at websales@englishchain.co.uk. Describe what you need, provide your measurements, and we'll work with you to create exactly what you require.
We've created custom installations for conservatories, adapted systems for listed buildings where drilling limitations exist, and even designed double-height versions for grand entrances. Whatever your specific situation, we'll see what we can do – and more often than not, we'll find a solution.
Perfect Timing: Ready for Summer
There's something wonderfully optimistic about spring turning into summer. After months of closed doors and windows, the first truly warm days bring the irresistible urge to fling everything open and let the fresh air circulate through your home. Gardens come alive, barbecues emerge from storage, and suddenly everyone wants to live with their doors open.
Unfortunately, this is also precisely when the insect population explodes. Flies breed rapidly in the warmer weather, wasps build their nests and become increasingly territorial, bees emerge in force for their essential pollination work, and mosquitoes discover that your shady garden is the perfect hunting ground for warm-blooded prey.
By launching our Chain Fly Screen now, we're giving you the opportunity to be fully prepared before the height of summer arrives. Install your fly screen now, and you'll enjoy uninterrupted indoor-outdoor living throughout the warmest months without the constant annoyance of shooing flies away from food, waving away wasps, or suffering mosquito bites in your own home.
Why Chain? Why Us?
You might wonder why a chain manufacturer has ventured into fly screens. The answer lies in our fundamental expertise with lightweight chain products and our understanding of how different chain configurations can solve practical problems.
We've been working with aluminium chain for decades, understanding its properties, durability, and versatility. We know how to create chains that are lightweight yet strong, that resist corrosion, and that maintain their appearance over time. This expertise translates perfectly into the fly screen application, where you need a material that's light enough to hang gracefully, strong enough to withstand regular use, and weather-resistant enough to stay looking good season after season.
Our anodised aluminium chain won't rust, won't deteriorate in sunlight, won't become brittle in cold weather, and maintains its colour indefinitely. These qualities make it ideal for a product that will be exposed to varying weather conditions, regular handling, and seasonal storage.
Simple Installation, Lasting Results
We've designed the Chain Fly Screen with installation simplicity in mind. The mounting brackets fix to your door frame with standard screws (included in the kit), positioned at the top corners of your doorway. The header rail then clips into these brackets, and the chain hangs from the rail.
The entire installation typically takes less than thirty minutes, even for someone with modest DIY skills. You'll need a drill, a spirit level, and a screwdriver – tools most households already possess. We provide clear instructions with every kit, and our customer service team is always available if you need any guidance.
Once installed, your Chain Fly Screen requires virtually no maintenance. An occasional wipe-down if it gets dusty, and that's essentially it. The anodised aluminium doesn't need treating, painting, or special care. It simply does its job, season after season.
Your Pest-Free Summer Awaits
As we head into summer, we're genuinely excited about how our Chain Fly Screen can transform your home's indoor-outdoor living experience. No more flies buzzing around your kitchen whilst you're preparing food. No more wasps investigating your fruit bowl. No more mosquitoes taking advantage whilst you're reading in the conservatory with the doors open.
Instead, you'll enjoy fresh air circulation, abundant natural light, easy access to your garden, and peaceful, insect-free living – all without compromising your home's appearance or creating an industrial-looking doorway.
We've combined nearly a century of chain expertise with practical problem-solving to create something we're genuinely proud of. Whether you opt for a standard kit or need a bespoke solution, we're confident that our Chain Fly Screen will exceed your expectations and become an essential part of your summer routine.
To explore our complete range and find the perfect size and colour for your home, visit our Chain Fly Screen collection or call our team on 01483 239733 or email websales@englishchain.co.uk
Here's to a pest-free, enjoyable summer ahead!