Screen Mesh Rolls matchup
Super Screen 17/14 Polyester Pool Cage Mesh vs Phifer 18x14 Pool & Patio Screen
polyester vs fiberglass — the pool-screen question, ruled
The judges have ruled
Super Screen 17/14 Polyester Pool Cage Mesh took this fight in our Pound-for-Pound division showdown.
Ringside notes
This is the real decision behind every pool-cage rescreen, and our best-pool-screen-mesh showdown ruled it for Super Screen. The two meshes are made of different things: Super Screen is a vinyl-coated marine-grade polyester, Phifer 18x14 is fiberglass. That material gap is the whole fight. Super Screen resists tears, pets, and wind and holds its tension — its own ball-burst test puts it at 182 lb versus about 61 for fiberglass — and it carries a 10-year warranty, where Phifer fiberglass carries only a defect/dimensional limited warranty with no year term. Florida screen contractors back the pattern: Gulf Coast Aluminum rates new fiberglass at about 63 lb ball-burst and estimates it loses roughly 75% of its strength in the first three years, while the polyester screens are warrantied against tears for 10. What Phifer 18x14 wins is price and airflow: it is the cheapest mesh, breathes best, and gives the clearest view, and at 4.6 stars across 224 owners it is genuinely well proven. So the honest verdict is not that one is bad — it is that Super Screen is the buy-it-once pick and Phifer 18x14 is the buy-it-cheap pick, and because a rescreen bill is mostly labor, the longer-lasting polyester usually costs less per year. Buy fiberglass to save today; buy polyester to not do this again for a decade.
Tale of the tape
| Model | Best for | Owner rating | Warranty | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best screen for longevity | 4.7★ / 205 (Amazon) | 10-year limited | Check price → | |
| Best value mesh | 4.6★ / 224 (Amazon) | Defect only (no year term) | Check price → |
Prices move constantly — tap through for today's number.
Prices move constantly — tap through for today's number.
What would decide it
- Owner proof: Super Screen 17/14 Polyester Pool Cage Mesh reads 4.7★ across 205 owners; Phifer 18x14 Pool & Patio Screen reads 4.6★ across 224. Depth of sample matters as much as the star.
- Super Screen 17/14 Polyester Pool Cage Mesh — your pick if: you want to rescreen once and not do it again for years — a tough polyester weave that shrugs off pets, wind, and tears where fiberglass gives out.
- Phifer 18x14 Pool & Patio Screen — your pick if: you want the standard, best-airflow pool-cage screen at the lowest cost, and you're fine rescreening again in 5–7 years.
The full cards
Super Screen 17/14 Polyester Pool Cage Mesh
Best screen for longevity · A vinyl-coated marine-grade polyester mesh that resists tears, pets, and wind far better than fiberglass — the rescreen-once-and-forget-it upgrade, in cage-width rolls (60–120 in.).
Your pick if you want to rescreen once and not do it again for years — a tough polyester weave that shrugs off pets, wind, and tears where fiberglass gives out.
Check price at Amazon →“Very strong and easy to install.”
Super Screen 17/14 Polyester Pool Cage Mesh
Best screen for longevityYour pick if you want to rescreen once and not do it again for years — a tough polyester weave that shrugs off pets, wind, and tears where fiberglass gives out.
“Very strong and easy to install.”— D.C.S., Amazon
- Vinyl-coated polyester is roughly 3x stronger than fiberglass — resists tears, punctures, pets, and wind, holds tension
- Highest-rated mesh here (4.7★ across 205) and sold in true cage-width rolls (up to 120 in.)
- Costs only a bit more per square foot than fiberglass but lasts far longer (marketed 10–20+ years), so the best cost per year
- Costs more up front than standard fiberglass
- Determined squirrels can still cut through it (one owner's note) — no mesh is rodent-proof
- Slightly less airflow than open 18x14, and darker if you pick a heavier weave
Phifer 18x14 Pool & Patio Screen
Best value meshYour pick if you want the standard, best-airflow pool-cage screen at the lowest cost, and you're fine rescreening again in 5–7 years.
“This screen was perfect for a Lanai Enclosure. I would definitely by this roll of screen again.”— Jarrell, Amazon
- Best airflow and visibility of the mesh options, and the cheapest per square foot
- Genuine Phifer (the brand pool-screen pros specify) at 4.6★ across 224 ratings, in cage-width rolls up to 84–96 in.
- Easiest mesh to work with for a first-time DIY rescreen
- Shortest lifespan in Florida sun (~5–7 years) of the mesh picks
- The 18x14 openings let no-see-ums and sand flies through
- Fiberglass tears more easily than polyester if pets or wind hit it
FAQ
Super Screen or Phifer 18x14 — which should I buy?
Our pool-screen-mesh showdown ruled for Super Screen. It is polyester, so it outlasts Phifer 18x14 fiberglass and carries a 10-year warranty (fiberglass carries none by term); its owner rating is also higher (4.7 stars/205 vs 4.6/224). Phifer 18x14 wins on price and airflow. Buy Super Screen to rescreen once and forget it; buy Phifer 18x14 to spend the least today.
Is Super Screen really stronger than Phifer?
By the vendor and contractor numbers, yes, and by a lot: Super Screen's own ball-burst test shows 182 lb versus about 61 for fiberglass, and Florida screen contractors estimate fiberglass loses most of its strength within about seven years. Treat the figures as claims, not neutral lab tests, but they point the same way — polyester holds up, fiberglass fades faster in Florida sun.
Is Phifer ever the better choice?
Yes — when price and airflow matter most, or you are only patching a panel. Phifer 18x14 is the cheapest mesh, breathes best, gives the clearest standard view, and is the brand screen shops specify. If you are fine rescreening again in 5-7 years to save money now, it is the value pick. If you want the Phifer name AND polyester longevity, Phifer TuffScreen is the near-tie with Super Screen.
Full fight coverage
Every number on this page derives from the same verified data that renders our showdowns — dated owner-rating reads, MSRP-based tiers, and rulings only where a real fight happened. Data last verified: July 2026. Methodology and monetization disclosure: how we test.