“Will it close the house in?” It’s one of the first things homeowners ask when they start weighing up security screens – and it’s a fair question. Nobody wants to trade a light-filled, breezy Sunshine Coast home for something that feels like a cage. The short answer is reassuring: yes, you can see through Crimsafe clearly, and in most cases, it won’t make your home feel darker or more closed in at all.
As a licensed Crimsafe manufacturer fabricating locally in Kunda Park, we install Crimsafe on homes right across the Sunshine Coast and the “it’ll block my view” worry is one we put to rest almost every week. Here’s exactly how Crimsafe handles views, natural light and privacy, so you know what to expect before you book a free measure and quote.
The short answer: yes, you can see out clearly
Crimsafe’s Tensile-Tuff® security mesh has an aperture (hole size) of just 1.5mm x 1.5mm -only marginally larger than a standard flyscreen. According to Crimsafe, that fine weave doesn’t impede your view in any substantial way under normal lighting conditions. Stand at your kitchen window with Crimsafe installed and you’ll still watch the kids in the backyard, the birds in the garden, or the delivery driver at the gate – clearly and without obstruction.
The mesh is woven from 0.9mm, 304 structural-grade stainless steel: strong enough to resist a knife, yet fine enough that your eye reads straight past it to the view beyond.
Why black mesh improves your view
A common question is why Crimsafe mesh only comes in black. The answer is genuinely about visibility, not just looks. Black absorbs light and is non-reflective, so when you look through the screen, all you see is the light coming straight through the holes, nothing bounces back at you. Our eyes naturally ignore black and focus on everything else, which is precisely what you want when you’re looking outside.
If the mesh were white or silver, it would reflect light and create glare, reducing how clearly you could see out. So, while black is the only mesh colour, it’s the right one for keeping your view sharp. (You still get plenty of choice in frame and fitting colours to match your home – the black applies to the mesh only.)
Will Crimsafe make my home darker?
This is the “close the house in” fear in its purest form and the reality surprises most people. Because the aperture is so fine and the mesh so thin, Crimsafe doesn’t substantially reduce the natural light coming into a room under normal conditions. Depending on the angle of the sun, it can even act like a very effective blind, taking the harsh edge off midday glare while still letting you enjoy the outlook.
There’s a comfort bonus, too. Independent testing shows Crimsafe can cut solar heat gain by up to 53% and filter up to 62% of UV radiation. On the Sunshine Coast, where the summer sun is relentless, that means cooler rooms and less fading on your furniture and floors, without the gloom you’d expect from something that blocks that much heat. You keep the light, minus a good chunk of the heat.
Privacy — can people see in?
Here’s where Crimsafe quietly does you a favour. During daylight hours, it’s noticeably difficult for anyone outside to see clearly into your home. Because it’s brighter outdoors than in, and the black mesh doesn’t reflect, the screen reads as a dark surface from the street while you still see out perfectly. You keep your view; passers-by don’t get theirs.
The one honest caveat: this effect reverses at night. Once it’s dark outside and your interior lights are on, the balance flips and it becomes easier to see in – exactly as it would with an ordinary flyscreen or an open window. The simple fix is the one you’d reach for anyway: blinds, curtains or shutters drawn in the evening. It’s worth planning your window furnishings and security screens together so daytime openness and night-time privacy are both covered, something we can help you think through in a single visit.
Views, airflow and security — the Sunshine Coast way
The whole point of a Crimsafe screen is that you don’t have to choose between feeling safe and living with your doors and windows open. That fine stainless-steel mesh lets the coastal breeze move through the house, keeps mozzies, sandflies and midges out (cutting the smaller biters by around 80%), and stands up to serious impact – all while you keep the view that made you buy the place. It’s security you can see straight through, which is rather the point.
See the difference for yourself
The best way to settle the “will it close my house in?” question is to look through a panel with your own eyes. As a licensed Crimsafe manufacturer fabricating right here in Kunda Park, North Coast Blinds & Security can show you exactly how Crimsafe performs on your own windows and doors and pair it with the right blinds or shutters for evening privacy.
Book your free measure and quote today: call (07) 5456 2199. We’ll help you keep the view, the light and the breeze, and add the security.