Summertime means cookouts, swimming, and spending time outdoors. But it also means dealing with mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can make outdoor activities frustrating and even dangerous.
Thankfully, there’s a simple solution: patio mosquito netting. Outdoor patio umbrella netting is the perfect way to keep mosquitoes away while enjoying your yard or deck. Not only does it protect you from bites, but it also helps protect against West Nile virus, dengue, Zika, and other viruses carried by mosquitoes.
So if you’re looking for a way to enjoy the summer without the bugs, consider using mosquito netting on your patio or deck.
What is Mosquito Netting for the Patio?
Patio mosquito netting is basically a type of mesh that’s made to be used outside, on patios, porches, decks, or other outdoor areas where you might sit for extended periods.
The mesh is big enough for air to flow through but small enough that mosquitos can’t fit through it. The result – you’ll be able to sit down to dinner or enjoy a cold one on the deck without fear of getting bit by mosquitos. The mosquito netting creates an unpassable barrier between you and the mosquito.
Types of Mosquito Netting
Mosquito nets are available for many different uses and come in various designs.
There are mosquito nets for inside the house; bed nets, which are predominantly used, where mosquitoes are vectors of diseases, such as malaria.
Others are for outdoors, where mosquitoes are more of a problem. The nets for outdoor use are often employed to protect an area under an umbrella where you might eat or sit outside. It’s these nets we’re covering in this post. There are also gazebos with mosquito netting or mosquito netting for hammocks.
The mosquito nets for outdoor use often hang from a central point; this could be the top of an umbrella. Some are self-supporting or pop-up, and the gazebo with mosquito netting comes with its own frame.
What are the Benefits of Outdoor Mosquito Netting?
The advantages of using mosquito nets are obvious. First, you don’t have to worry about getting bitten in your backyard or on your patio. You can sit outside in the evening and enjoy yourself without having to reapply bug spray every 5 minutes.
They protect your guests too! No more people thinking twice about coming over for dinner because of mosquitoes. These nets help ensure that everyone who hangs out on your patio is safe from these biters.
They are also eco-friendly; you won’t have to spray chemicals that may cause odors and kill beneficial insects.
So if you want to enjoy your patio or deck without having to worry about getting bit, then invest in a mosquito net. You’ll have no regrets after that!
Why an Umbrella Mosquito Net?
They are relatively cheap, fairly easy to install and keep out insects. But as with all products they come with certain advantages and disadvantages. As they all share a similar design, most models’ negative and positive points are very much alike.
Advantages
- Not expensive and no recurring costs that you might have with other mosquito repelling or trapping systems
- Easy to set up – fits over your umbrella no frame to construct
- Evironment friendly – no sprays or chemicals and beneficial insects are not harmed
- Keeps out all insects if correctly positioned and not damaged
Disadvantages
- Needs to be taking down in bad (windy) weather to avoid damage
- Provides protection in a very limited area
- Can easily be damaged by pets or children
- Nets need to be weighted at the bottom. Some nets are designed to use water for this and can easily puncture. This is one of the most common complaints about umbrella nets.
- Having to unzip the door to enter and exit the net can be bothersome
- Umbrella nets fall off if you close your umbrella
These nets are fragile, and you should treat them with care, or they can easily be damaged. They do need to be protected from windy or stormy conditions.
Weighting the net at the bottom is necessary, but the systems used in umbrella nets are not very good. They either come with a weighted hem that is too light or have a tube that needs to be filled with water that very often leaks. But the netting will still provide protection on calm days when mosquitoes are the biggest problem, as they are not strong fliers.
There are a few solutions to the problem you could try. Fill the tube with sand instead of water, a hose around the bottom with stoppers at both ends, use a chain or simply weigh the bottom with a few round stones or other weights that won’t rip the mesh.
To stop the net from slipping off when the umbrella is collapsed, you can attach the net to the umbrella with pegs or safety pins. Another solution is to attach a cord in a few places on the top of the net to the knob in the umbrella’s center.
Outdoor Patio Mosquito Netting Fabric
Most umbrella nets are made with 100% polyester, and the color is very often black. You may be worried about the black color affecting your view out, but it doesn’t really; it’s similar to looking through a dark tinted car window. This can be quite pleasant on a bright sunny day, and you can see out of your net enclosure better than looking through white netting.
The thickness of the fabric is also something to consider. Most mosquito umbrella nets are 75 dernier (D) or 100D; the higher the D value, the thicker the individual fibers used to fabricate the netting. But unfortunately, not all manufacturers mention the D value in their product descriptions.
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Outdoor Patio Umbrella Netting for Mosquitoes Reviews
One thing to note, the prices are for the umbrella nets only, the table, chairs, and umbrellas in the photos are not included.
Top Pick
Dinhand Outdoor Patio Table Umbrella Netting
This umbrella netting is suitable for nearly all different designs – tilting cantilever, offset cantilever, or the ordinary table umbrella. They have an extra zip that is upside down to allow the passage of the tilting bar you find in some tilting cantilever umbrellas.
The mesh is black, 100% polyester with 75D single filament thickness. The net can fit an umbrella from 7.5ft- 11ft diameter and has a string at the top of the net that adjusts to fit the umbrella. The entrance has a double zipper that can be used from inside or outside the net.
They don’t use the troublesome water-filled tube to weigh down the net but use lead inside the bottom ring. Some people complain that this isn’t heavy enough, but you can add weights around the base of the net in windy weather.
Reviewers generally find this mosquito netting good quality. As mentioned above, the main problem is the weight at the bottom—rating 4.3 out of 5 stars.
This is my choice as the best mosquito umbrella netting as it can fit many different sizes and designs of umbrella, even a tilting cantilever. Although the weighted base is not perfect, they don’t have the troublesome water-filled hose to keep the netting in place.
Most Popular
CYTBP Universal Canopy Umbrella Net
This netting is for umbrellas with a diameter of 8.2-9.8ft, and the maximum height is 7.5ft. The net’s top can be adjusted to fit the umbrella with the drawstring. The 100% polyester netting is black and has a mesh size of less than 1mm (0.039 inches), which will keep out unwanted flying pests.
This zipper has heads on both sides to open from both sides. The bottom of the net is kept in place with a tube filled with water.
The purchasers of this net are mainly pleased, giving an overall score of 4.3 stars out of 5 with more than 1,000 ratings on Amazon. The most common complaints are the tube that leaks and difficulty putting in place as there are no instructions. The other point often mentioned is that the netting slides off when you collapse the umbrella. But this is common with all umbrella nets.
LooDro Round Patio Umbrella Mosquito Nets
The LooDro netting can fit umbrellas 8ft – 10 ft diameter and has an adjustable rope at the top to adapt to your umbrella. There is a double zipper for easy entry and exit, although, as with all mosquito netting, you must be careful when using it to avoid damage.
The netting is black polyester with a mesh size of less than 1mm that will keep most insects outside but allow good airflow. The base of the net is held in place with a tube that is filled with water. It folds up for easy storage at the end of the season or when there is windy weather.
LooDro also has a square patio mosquito net for 10ft x 10ft umbrellas.
To date, there are not many reviews on Amazon; the rating is 4.2 out of 5 stars.
HomeRoots Adjustable Patio Umbrella Bug Net
Strong black 100% polyester mesh with a 75 Denier mono filament thickness. This netting will keep the insects out without obstructing your view. The bug netting can be used on umbrellas up to 9 feet in diameter and has a drawstring that you adjust to fit your sunshade. For larger umbrellas, the mesh will hang from near the edge of the umbrella so it can touch the ground.
There is a tube on the base that can be filled with water, but as usual, there are problems with leaks. Some people repair the tube while others fill the tube with sand which is a good alternative.
The netting can be folded up to take up very little space when not in use.
Although most purchasers seem happy (except for the leaks that seem to be an inherent problem with most umbrella nets), there are several complaints about the zip quality. Of nearly 1000 reviews on Amazon, there are more than 75% 4 or 5-star reviews.
Outdoor Wind Patio Table Umbrella Netting
The umbrella netting comes in black or beige and can fit umbrellas from 7.5 to 11 feet in diameter. One common complaint about this net was that it had no cord to adjust the mesh to fit the umbrella. The manufacturers have taken action and remedied this fault. The netting now has an adjustable cord at the top of the net.
To keep the bottom of the net in place, the net has 8 pockets that can be filled with stones or sand. This is a novel change from the frequently used water-filled tube, which often leaks, but unfortunately, the pockets don’t seem to be large enough to put sufficient weight to stop the net from moving in the wind.
There is a zipper on both sides of the entrance that helps make your entry and exit easy.
Many of the negative reviews about netting were before it was redesigned to include a drawstring, which has now been remedied. They still need to make a few additional modifications to the weighting of the netting base. But this could be a sound system if it was possible to get more weight into these pockets. Overall rating based on Amazon reviews 3.8 out of 5, but this includes the poor reviews before the drawstring was included.
Best Choice Products Mesh Mosquito Net for Outdoor Patio Umbrella
Mosquito netting that can fit umbrellas from 7.5ft – 11ft in diameter. The drawstring at the top of the mesh can be adjusted to fit your umbrella. The bigger your umbrella, the lower the netting will be to the edge of the umbrella.
The mesh is made of black polyester and has an entrance with a double zipper to give easy access or exit. To add weight to the bottom of the netting, there is a plastic tube you can fill with water.
The majority of reviewers are happy with this mosquito mesh. The most common complaint is about the plastic tubing that leaks, and some say the zipper is low quality. Other purchasers say it’s challenging to install, but this is a problem with all umbrella nets. The overall rating is 4.2 out of 5.
Patio Umbrella Mosquito Netting by Linnai Products
The netting can be used on an umbrella up to 9 feet in diameter and has a drawstring at the top to adjust the net to the correct size and shape. The mesh is 100% polyester, has a 75D monofilament thickness, and comes in black.
The bottom of the net has a tube that can be filled with either air or water. But for breezy conditions, you will need some weight, so water is probably the best option. As with many umbrella nets, many purchasers report small leaks in the tubing.
The entrance has a zipper on both sides, but you will probably need both hands to open or close the zipper to avoid damaging the netting.
Lightweight folds up for easy storage and comes with installation instructions.
Overall most users are happy with this patio mosquito netting; the main complaints are similar with other nets – the tube to weigh down the net leaks, difficult to install, and the zipper is low quality. But this product has nearly 80% of 4 or 5-star reviews, for an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5.
How to Install Your Umbrella Net
Many mosquito umbrella nets don’t come with instructions, and some people have problems installing them, so here are some of the steps you could employ.
- Layout your umbrella net and find the top. Pull the drawstring so it leaves almost no opening.
- Put the net over the shut or partially shut umbrella. You will probably need a step ladder for this. Align the top of the umbrella with the top the net.
- Spread the net out correctly and slowly open the umbrella. As the umbrella opens you slowly release the drawstring and keep the netting aligned at an equal distance from the edge of the umbrella.
- When the umbrella is fully open, make sure the net is in contact with the ground and tighten the drawstring. If the net doesn’t touch the ground open the drawstring some more and slide the netting towards the edge of the umbrella until it’s in contact with the ground.
- Weigh down the base of the net by putting water in the tube or whatever other method is used.
Patio Umbrella Netting Summary
Outdoor mosquito netting is a great solution to avoid annoying or dangerous insects when you’re outside, without using repellent sprays, pesticides, or any product that may be dangerous for you or the environment.
There’s not much to choose between most of the umbrella patio nets reviewed. And there is very little difference in the prices. Most purchasers are pleased with their netting and are happy to use their patio again without the annoying mosquitoes.
They can be an easy, quick and cheap solution to your mosquito problems when you’re on your patio. Make sure to choose netting to fit the size of your umbrella.
However, the different nets seem to have the same problems; the water tube at the bottom often leaks, and the zips may be of poor quality.
One thing that many reviewers, of all the different makes of umbrella nets, didn’t like was the fact that the net comes off when the umbrella is lowered. You can attach the insect net to the umbrella with clothes pegs or safety pins to remedy this.
