No handle needed.
No holes drilled.
Magnetic door screens.
Two panels of insect mesh hang from a single header rail and meet at the centre. Walk through and they part. Step clear and the embedded magnets snap them back together. The whole thing goes up with adhesive tape, not screws.
How a magnetic screen is built
How it works
Two panels. One magnetic join. No springs to adjust.
A magnetic door screen has two mesh panels that hang from a single header rail running across the top of the door opening. Each panel is weighted along the bottom hem so it hangs straight and doesn't lift around in a light breeze.
The panels meet at the centre where rows of small embedded magnets run down each inner edge. When you walk through, the panels part and the magnets separate. When you clear the doorway, they swing back together and the magnets do the closing for you. The force is firm enough to close quickly but gentle enough that it won't trap fingers.
No screws, no rawlplugs, no mess
Hook-and-loop adhesive tape holds the header rail to the door frame. It bonds to timber, uPVC, and aluminium without any drilling. When it comes off, there are no holes to fill.
Keeps flying insects out
The mesh is fine enough to stop midges, flies, mosquitoes, and most other common flying insects. Air passes freely. Insects don't.
Honest about limitations
The centre split lets a small amount of air through even when closed, and in a strong wind the panels can be pushed apart. These work best on sheltered doors. They're not draughtproofing and they won't contain pets reliably.
Why choose magnetic
What makes them different from other door screens
Hinged frame screens and pleated screens both have their place. Magnetic screens suit different situations, and these are the reasons people choose them.
Hands-Free Every Time
The magnets do the closing. You walk through with shopping, kids, or a dog lead and the panels split and close without you touching anything. No handles, no latches, nothing to catch on a full load.
No Screws, No Holes, No Damage
The header rail attaches with hook-and-loop adhesive tape to timber, uPVC, and aluminium frames. There's no drilling involved. When the tape comes off, the frame stays exactly as it was.
Full-Width Mesh, Top to Bottom
Mesh runs from the header rail straight down to the floor and the hem weight keeps it hanging flat. The panels meet along their full height. No gap at the base, no exposed strip at the edges where the frame sits correctly.
Single Doors and French Doors Both
One set of panels handles standard single door openings up to around 90cm wide. Two sets, one per leaf, work on French doors. The header rail cuts to the exact width of the opening.
Cuts to Non-Standard Sizes
The mesh trims with scissors and the header rail cuts with a hacksaw. If the opening is slightly narrow or the door frame isn't a round number, the screen still fits. No special tools needed.
Off in Autumn, Back in 10 Minutes
The screen detaches from the header rail at the end of summer and stores flat. The adhesive tape stays on the frame over winter. In spring, clipping the screen back on takes under 10 minutes.
Setup options
One screen type. Three ways to use it.
The panels, the magnets, and the header rail are the same across every setup. What changes is how they're arranged to suit the opening size and the door type.
Single Door
One header rail across the opening, two mesh panels meeting at the centre. Suits back doors, side entrances, and most standard residential doorways up to around 90cm wide.
Most common setup. Quick to fit and the most asked-about option for back doors opening onto a garden.
French & Double Doors
Two sets of panels, one per door leaf, each with its own header rail. Each set opens and closes independently. Used when both leaves open regularly, whether one at a time or both together.
The outer edges of each panel set are fixed to the door frame sides so the screens stay positioned when just one leaf is used.
Wide Single Opening
Extended panels for doorways and patio-style openings up to around 160cm across. The same magnetic centre closure, just with wider mesh. Common for workshop doors, outbuilding entrances, and wider residential openings.
Wide setups need the hem weight to keep panels hanging straight in a breeze. Not advised for very exposed positions without adequate shelter.
Mesh options
Four mesh types, each suited to a different problem
Standard fibreglass mesh handles most situations. If you've got specific requirements around pollen, visibility, heavy use, or determined pets, there are three other options worth knowing about.
- Standard
Fibreglass Standard
Grey-green woven fibreglass. Stops flies, midges, mosquitoes, and most common flying insects. Good airflow. The right choice for most back doors and garden openings.
- Charcoal
Charcoal Mesh
Darker construction that reduces glare and gives a better view out from inside. The same insect barrier properties as standard, but with less of the bright silvery appearance in direct sunlight.
- Fine Pollen
Fine Pollen Mesh
Denser construction than standard, designed to catch pollen as well as insects. Airflow is slightly lower as a result, but it makes a noticeable difference for hay fever sufferers through spring and summer.
- Heavy Duty
Heavy-Duty Mesh
Thicker yarn and a tighter construction than standard mesh. More resistant to snagging and tearing on a busy door. Worth considering for high-traffic entrances or households with cats that tend to climb and push.
Header rail colours
Matches most door frames as standard
The header rail comes in six standard finishes. Most door frames sit comfortably within white, cream, brown, or anthracite. Grey is available for contemporary door surrounds, and black for very dark frames.
- White
- Cream
- Brown
- Grey
- Anthracite
- Black
Where they work well
Six situations where magnetic screens make sense
They're not the right answer for every door, but for these six situations they're often the most practical option available.
- 01
Back Doors in Active Households
The busiest door in summer, especially when children and dogs are going in and out all day. A magnetic screen closes itself every time without anyone having to think about it. No door left propped open, no flies in the kitchen.
- 02
Garden Rooms and Home Offices
If you're spending long stretches in an outbuilding or garden office, fresh air matters. A magnetic screen keeps the door open to airflow while making it easy to go in and out without leaving it unscreened.
- 03
Garages and Workshops
Particularly useful where food, equipment, or materials are stored. Keeps flying insects out on a warm working day without blocking the airflow needed to make the space comfortable to work in.
- 04
Caravans and Holiday Lets
No permanent fixing means no damage to door frames or surrounds. Go up at the start of the season, come down at the end. No risk to deposits on rented properties and no marks left when the tape comes off.
- 05
Conservatories and Wide Patio Doors
A double-width or extended setup covers patio door openings that would otherwise mean a choice between heat and insects. The conservatory stays usable through summer rather than becoming a sealed greenhouse.
- 06
Rental Properties
Landlords wanting to offer something practical without any risk of dispute. The screen goes up with adhesive tape and comes down cleanly. No holes, no damage, nothing that needs to be declared or made good at the end of a tenancy.
Fly Screen Range
Other fly screens from Homefair
Magnetic Door Screens
Two-panel magnetic closure screens for single doors, French doors, and wide openings. Adhesive tape fixing, no drilling.
You are hereDoor Fly Screens
Aluminium-framed hinged screens with spring-close mechanisms. A more permanent option for regularly used back doors and side entrances.
View screens →Door, pleatedPleated Door Screens
Concertina mesh that stacks neatly to one side when the door is in full use. Works on single and double doors without a centre post.
View screens →WindowWindow Fly Screens
Retractable and fixed frame screens for casement, tilt-and-turn, and sash windows. Measured to fit each opening individually.
View screens →Customer reviews
What our customers say
"Fitted to our back door in about half an hour. The magnets close it faster than I expected and it's stayed shut reliably all summer. We've had it on since May and haven't had a single fly in the kitchen."
"We went for the French door setup with two sets of panels and it works really well. Each side closes independently which is exactly what we needed. The charcoal mesh looks good too, not as obvious as the standard grey."
"I was sceptical about the tape holding but it's been on since June without moving at all. Did exactly what it said, no drilling into the uPVC frame. Took it down in September, the frame is clean underneath."
Common questions
Magnetic door screens: what you need to know
Straight answers to the questions we get asked most. If yours isn't here, give us a call.
How does the magnetic closure actually work?
What size doors will a magnetic screen fit?
Do I need to drill into the door frame?
Can these be used on French or double doors?
Will pets push through the screen?
Do they let draughts through?
How long does fitting take?
Can I take it down for the winter?
Ready to keep the flies out this summer?
We cover the North East and North West. Our team measures, supplies, and fits. You get a fixed price at the survey with no surprises on the day.
Free home survey. No obligation. Fixed price quoted on the day.