Best motorized screens for patio: pick a zip screen, where the fabric locks into side guides with a zip fastener so wind cannot pull it loose. VITO ZIP is our vertical screen for the open sides of a patio, pergola or veranda, up to 5 000 mm wide and rated for wind up to 140 km/h. DAZZONI is the horizontal version for the roof, mounted under glass or a pergola cover.
What makes the best motorized screens for patio use?
Five things decide it, and all five can be checked on a spec sheet.
- A locked edge. The fabric sits in side guides with a zip fastener. A screen that only hangs in a track can lift and slip out in a gust.
- A wind rating. Ours is up to 140 km/h (about 87 mph) for both systems.
- Fabric that holds its color. Serge Ferrari fabric, micro-perforated, does not fade and blocks 97% of UV.
- A European motor. Somfy, with a wall button, remote, tablet or phone control.
- Made to the opening. Every screen is built to its own opening, so there are no standard sizes to force into place.
What is a zip screen, and how do zip screens outdoors work?
A zip screen is a roller shade with side guides. A zip fastener along the fabric edge runs inside the guides and holds the surface flat across the opening.
In Europe it is simply called a zip screen. The same screen is also sold as retractable patio screens. The zip screen system has four parts: the cassette at the top, the guides at the sides, the fabric, and the motor. Cassettes come in two sizes, 125 mm or 150 mm, which is the difference between the Premium and Standard versions of each system.
Lowered fully with a window open behind it, the zip lock and side seals also keep insects out.
VITO ZIP vs DAZZONI: which motorized patio screens do you need?
They solve different problems, and many projects use both.
| Feature | VITO ZIP (vertical) | DAZZONI (horizontal) |
|---|---|---|
| Where it goes | Open sides of a pergola, veranda or terrace | Overhead, under a glass roof, pergola roof or winter garden roof |
| Best at | Low sun, glare, wind from the side | Overhead sun and heat through glass |
| Max size | 575 to 5 000 mm wide (1.9 to 16 ft), 500 to 7 500 mm high (1.6 to 24.6 ft) | 6 000 mm wide (19.7 ft), 6 000 mm projection, up to 36 m² (388 sq ft) |
| Wind | Up to 140 km/h | Up to 140 km/h |
| Fabric | Serge Ferrari, 97% UV blocked, 5-year warranty | Serge Ferrari, 97% UV blocked, 5-year warranty |
| Motor and control | Somfy; button, remote, tablet, phone | Somfy motor and remote; button, tablet, phone |
| Versions | Q80 Premium, Q81 Standard (cassette 125 or 150 mm) | Q70 Premium, Q71 Standard (cassette 125 or 150 mm) |
| Frame | Aluminum, any RAL color, wood grain finish | Aluminum, any RAL color, wood-effect finish |
| Options | Sun, rain and wind sensors | Sun, rain and wind sensors, LED lighting |
Read the details on the VITO ZIP page and the DAZZONI page.
Are wind resistant patio screens really wind resistant?
Both systems are rated for wind up to 140 km/h (about 87 mph). The rating comes from the zip lock.
The fabric edge is locked in the side guides, so it stays tensioned across the opening instead of billowing. A wind resistant screen porch needs that lock on every open side. Sun, rain and wind sensors are available as options if you want the system to respond to weather. For a project in a hurricane zone or a high-rise, send us the site conditions and we'll check them against the specification.
Retractable patio screens cost: what do motorized patio screens cost?
We don't publish a price for a zip screen alone, because every screen is made to its opening. What we publish is the price of finished projects with screens in them.
| Project | Size | Systems | Project price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceiling shade under a glass roof inside a house | 4 500 × 5 000 mm (15 × 16 ft) | DAZZONI | $7,500 |
| Retractable fabric roof with zip screens around the perimeter | 6 000 × 4 000 mm (20 × 13 ft) | VISTA + VITO ZIP | $10,800 |
| Louvered pergola, frameless sliding glass and zip screens | 6 000 × 4 000 mm (20 × 13 ft) | ACURA + ORIZZONTE + VITO ZIP | $26,000 |
| Louvered pergola with 4 zip screens | 6 000 × 4 000 mm (20 × 13 ft) | ACURA + VITO ZIP | $29,000 |
| Outdoor dining area with 8 zip screens of 3 × 3 m | 7 000 × 12 000 mm (23 × 39 ft) | VISTA + VITO ZIP | $29,000 |
| Rooftop glass room with sliding doors and ceiling shades | 6 000 × 3 000 mm (20 × 10 ft) | PRADA + AGIO + DAZZONI | $30,000 |
| Rooftop terrace, two pergolas, 6 guillotine windows and 6 zip screens of 3 × 3 m | 2 modules of 6 000 × 6 000 mm | ACURA + SKYLINE + VITO ZIP | $43,900 |
Those are project prices, not screen prices. The $7,500 row is the one that is mostly shade. Each project has photos on our Projects page, and your patio will have a different size and options, so the real figure comes from your drawings.
What moves the number: how many openings you close, the width and height of each, the version (Premium or Standard), the finish, and options such as sensors or LED lighting. Automatic patio screens and electric patio screens are the same thing as these motorized screens, so the same factors apply.
What are the best motorized screens for porch openings?
Size each opening separately and choose the system for it. VITO ZIP closes a porch side up to 5 000 mm wide and 7 500 mm high, and two or more screens can sit side by side to cover a longer wall.
On one project, eight 3 × 3 m screens closed the sides of a 7 × 12 m dining area. You can also mix systems on one side: a zip screen, sliding glass, or both. See how glass and screens work together in our frameless glass patio enclosure cost guide, and what to look for in the pergola itself in Best Louvered Pergola: 6 Things to Check Before You Buy.
Which screens fit your project
Private villa or house terrace
VITO ZIP on the sun side of an ACURA or VISTA pergola, matched to the facade with a RAL color or wood grain finish. If the terrace has a glass roof, add DAZZONI inside to control the heat from above.
Restaurant or hotel terrace
Screens on every open side, lowered when the sun drops or the wind rises, raised when guests want the view.
Contractor or architect on a multi-unit project
One supplier for the roof, the glass and the screens. The parts are designed together and ship as one package, so there is nothing to fit between three vendors on site. We calculate from your drawings or specs.
Have a project? Send drawings or specs, we'll calculate it.
WhatsApp: +90 539 574 18 23 · Email: tr@aluminante.com
Why Aluminante
- We develop and manufacture the screens, the pergolas and the glazing systems, so they fit each other.
- Somfy motors and Serge Ferrari fabric with a 5-year fabric warranty.
- 10-year warranty on all Aluminante systems.
- Production takes 10 to 14 days, then 28 to 32 days by sea container to the US or Canada.
- Every screen made to your opening and calculated from your drawings.
FAQ
Can I control motorized patio screens from my phone?
Yes. VITO ZIP and DAZZONI both run on a Somfy motor and can be operated with a wall button, a remote, a tablet or a phone. Sun, rain and wind sensors are available as options.
Do you ship retractable patio screens to Canada and the US?
Yes. Production takes 10 to 14 days, and a sea container to the US or Canada takes 28 to 32 days. We ship ready-made systems, or profiles only if you assemble locally.
Does the screen fabric fade in strong sun?
The Serge Ferrari fabric does not fade and blocks 97% of UV radiation through its micro-perforated composite structure. It carries a 5-year warranty.
Can screens and glass share the same side of a pergola?
Yes. Each side is chosen separately: a VITO ZIP screen, ORIZZONTE sliding glass, or both on one side. The screen usually goes on the outside of the glass, and it can also be fitted inside.
How long is the warranty?
10 years on all Aluminante systems. The screen fabric has its own 5-year warranty.