rv flyscreen Archives - Roaming on Rubber

Something we really wanted to make for our Toyota Coaster motorhome, was flyscreens! Our bus has so many windows, and with cats, the possibility of opening one without a flyscreen was never going to happen. So flyscreens were a must.

This is something that had been on our list from the very beginning and was one of the final things that needed to be done before we could officially move into the bus with the cats.

So the next step was to decide if we wanted to build them ourselves, or if there was a pre-built option, or if we were going to get someone like Crimsafe to make and install them for us.

After looking into it a little, we decided Crimsafe was a bit out of our price range, and whilst great for security, was not something we could make happen. We were getting to the end of our build, and the end of our budget!

So we opted on the DIY flyscreen option. Surely it couldn’t be that hard? Correct! It was not!

Not only was it super simple to do, it looks great, and was budget friendly. Oh, and of course cat friendly!

So, what type of flyscreen is available for DIY?

Here is a handy table I have made up which lists all the current flyscreen options available at Bunnings for the people looking to make them themselves.

Flyscreen Type	Features
Fibreglass	Good for general purpose uses Good visibility and airflow through the screen Good flexibility for DIY UV stabilised Cheapest option available Multiple widths available
Aluminium	Heavy duty Extra Strength than standard fibreglass Good visibility through the screen Ember protection Easy DIY install Multiple widths available
Petmesh	Approximately 6 times stronger than standard fibreglass screen Heavy gauge Good flexibility for easy DIY Resistance to damage caused by pets claws Multiple widths available
Tufflite	Thicker wire and increased gauge than standard aluminium Ember protection Good resistance to extreme weather conditions Resistance to damage caused by pets and children Multiple widths available
Stainless Steel	Marine grade stainless steel Ember protections Corrosion Resistant Ideal for coastal or bushfire prone areas Good visibility through the screen Limited widths available
Polyethylene	High density plastic Strong and durable Corrosion Resistant – ideal for coastal areas Good visibility through the screen Good flexibility for easy DIY install Multiple widths available
UV Guard	UV fibreglass material Approximately 68% UV blockage Good visibility through the screen Good airflow Multiple widths available

So which flyscreen did we choose for our Toyota Coaster motorhome?

We ended up choosing the aluminium fly screen. The main reasons we chose this one were; price, visibility and strength.

Initially we were going to buy the petmesh – for obvious reasons that we have cats living with us in our motorhome. However, the pet mesh is approximately 50% more expensive than the aluminium and as it has a higher gauge, the visibility is not as good as we wanted. So we opted for the cheaper option, the aluminium. It is still strong and durable, whilst having good visibility – not blocking off those amazing views we are building this home for!

Toyota Coaster bus conversion - Motorhome flyscreen DIY

Are we happy with our decision?

For the most part, yes.

The aluminium has been great. It had good flexibility when we were building our fly screens, and the install was easy. The screens have withstood travel without issues, and being in and around coastal areas without corrosion.

The cats have not been able to get through them (thankfully!), however, we have got a few small tear marks where they have gotten their claws stuck. Who knows if the pet mesh option would have been more durable here.

So, what items are required to make the flyscreens yourself?

Spline – foam or PVC
Spline Roller
Corner stakes (Corner brackets)
Flyscreen frame
Flyscreen of choice

Tools required for DIY –

Handsaw
Mitre Box
Measuring Tape
Scissors or stanley knife
Rubber Mallet

What we needed to attach the flyscreen to our Toyota Coaster motorhome –

Drill (and drill pieces)
Stainless steel metal screws

Drill (and drill pieces)
Pop rivet gun
Pop rivets

Steps to make the flyscreen –

Start by measuring your flyscreen frame to the size required for your motorhome.

Note – make sure that the size required does not exceed the dimensions of your flyscreen of choice as you need to be able to do it in one piece.

Once your flyscreen frame is measured up, use your mitre box and saw to cut to a 45 degree angle on each end. Be mindful of your orientation and make sure they are cut in the right direction.

Once all of your flyscreen frame is cut, insert a corner bracket into one of the ends and gently hit with the mallet until completely in place.

Repeat on the rest of the frame until they are all joined together.
Cut your flyscreen of choice to size, allowing approximately 10-15cm each side overhang and lay into place over the frame.
Starting from one of the corners, lay the spline into place in the frame and gently push down and roll into position using the spline roller.
Ensure the flyscreen stays in position during this process.
Continue all the way around the frame. Make sure the flyscreen is kept taut and in position (it’s easy to go crooked here!)
Once complete, cut the spline and push the last bit into position. You can now trim any excess flyscreen using scissors or a stanley knife.
Repeat steps on all other screens.

How we attached the flyscreens to our Toyota Coaster motorhome –

On our Toyota Coaster, there is a metal frame around the edges of our windows. We used this as a guide for how big we wanted to make our flyscreens as this was going to be the point of attachment.

Attaching it was relatively simple.

We held it into position and pre-drilled holes. With our Coaster, we were careful to not go too close to where the glass would be behind the metal frame, just in the off chance we may damage it.

Once the holes were pre-drilled we used stainless steel metal screws, and simply screwed the frame to the bus. Screws are a good option as they can always be removed at a later date (particularly if you have cats that may damage the screens!).