Replacing door screen with Lexan -- what a view!

[Valerie]

After four years of owning our Escape and having done a variety of other mods, we decided to get rid of the screen in the door -- I hear that "gasp!" from those of you who camp with your windows open! We live in the southeast and mostly camp between south Florida and North Carolina, with an every other year trip to Montana. It seems we always have either air conditioning on, or heat, or have the windows closed because of humidity or no-see-ums. Anyway, we almost always have the door closed. So I'm thinking this mod to the door will really improve the view from inside! We took the door off of the Escape 19 (2020) and took it to a local glass shop. They removed the screen and slid gray Lexan in the door grooves. I'm thinking we're really going to like it.... (cost $165 US)

[Donna D.]

Your trailer, your mod and if you like it

I think it's a great idea!

[HABBERDABBER]

Not from your change to Lexan, but from the cost.
Enjoy!

[Drives1937]

I installed a drilled aluminum screen in the bottom of the door to prevent my dogs from damaging the screen. Careful with the Lexan it can stop a 357 bullet but it will scratch easily. Use a micro cloth for cleaning, a good polish, and make the cloth move in straight lines always in the same direction. Circular motion while cleaning can make it looked fogged. I have delt with aircraft windshields for decades
Ken in AZ

[Valerie]

Originally Posted by Drives1937

I installed a drilled aluminum screen in the bottom of the door to prevent my dogs from damaging the screen. Careful with the Lexan it can stop a 357 bullet but it will scratch easily. Use a micro cloth for cleaning, a good polish, and make the cloth move in straight lines always in the same direction. Circular motion while cleaning can make it looked fogged. I have delt with aircraft windshields for decades
Ken in AZ

Thanks for that advice. It came from the glass shop uncleaned (grrr) but they did tell me to buy plastic cleaner and not use glass cleaner so I've ordered that from Amazon (somehow neither Home Depot nor Lowes had it). They also said to use a microfiber cloth. BUT they didn't say anything about cleaning in straight lines in one direction -- would never have thought to do that!

[CharlesinGA]

I worked for 30 years for an airline and we used Permatex Plastic cleaner.

Charles

[Drives1937]

I am glad I was able to let you know about that. I had a Lexan Hatch on my sailboat, and it looked like new 15 years later. You just need to take care of it.
Keh in Az

[Valerie]

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

I worked for 30 years for an airline and we used Permatex Plastic cleaner.

Charles

Hi Charles! I searched online and it seems that the Permatex went from the can like you have to a spray bottle to being discontinued. I couldn't find it in stock although I'll admit to not searching super thoroughly after reading it was discontinued.

Here is the spray I had already ordered from Amazon -- I'll use it initially but maybe there's a quality replacement for the Permatex that's available.

Thanks for the recommendation!

[Drives1937]

Meguiar's Plexiglas cleaner. It can be used with 50% water to remove dirt and bugs. Dry and polish with clean microfiber cloth. I have used this in the aviation industry with great results. I never trusted anyone else to clean my aircraft windshields then myself.

Ken in AZ

[dcgrout]

It is a fairly easy procedure to replace the Escape window screen material with No Seeum screen, available on Amazon. It does take some time, but pretty much any one can do it. I;ve been really happy with my results. Live and camp in the northwest, and those pesky little bugs can be very annoying. So far, none are getting through after two years.

[Valerie]

Originally Posted by Drives1937

Meguiar's Plexiglas cleaner. It can be used with 50% water to remove dirt and bugs. Dry and polish with clean microfiber cloth. I have used this in the aviation industry with great results. I never trusted anyone else to clean my aircraft windshields then myself.

Ken in AZ

Well I do use Meguiar's to wax the trailer but didn't know they made a Plexiglass cleaner. We've sure been happy with their wax! I'll look for the cleaner you suggest!

[Valerie]

Originally Posted by dcgrout

It is a fairly easy procedure to replace the Escape window screen material with No Seeum screen, available on Amazon. It does take some time, but pretty much any one can do it. I;ve been really happy with my results. Live and camp in the northwest, and those pesky little bugs can be very annoying. So far, none are getting through after two years.

We did replace the window screens with no-see-um mesh! I can definitely see that putting it in the door, would be an improvement if you want outside air coming in. We're just fighting so much heat and humidity that more often than not we've got the camper closed up with a/c on. So this will be a way to keep the humidity out but bring more light in, as well as a view. Luckily it's a mod that can easily be reversed by switching it back out to screen if someone wanted that.

[bnorman53]

Very nice.