How To Create An Inexpensive Bug Free Party Garage

September 22, 2020

My wife and I were watching opening weekend of the NFL in our garage using a projector and a pop up screen. We had a guests join us, some wanted and some not. Some close friends were there, but so were an endless stream of bees. We love spending time in our garage, as it is decorated in a tropical theme, but my wife wanted to find a way to keep the fun and fresh air in but the bugs out. Together we came up with a solution to make a bug free party garage.

The Screen

To maintain an open garage feel but keep the bugs out, we needed some sort of mesh barrier. I measured my garage door and headed to Jo-Ann Fabrics. They had black toole that was 108 inches wide. I purchased 6 yards of it (18 feet in length) which was long enough to cover my entire double stall garage with a little extra on each side.

Making it Stick

Toole isn’t the strongest material to work with, so I had to be careful to fasten it to the door frame in such a way that it wouldn’t easily tear. I also purchased a roll of duct tape, and clear push pins. Every couple of feet I put a strip of duct tape on the toole and then pushed the pin through the tape and toole into the wood of the garage door frame. The duct tape adds a little extra support for the pin so that an inadvertent touch of the screen or the wind wouldn’t just tear the toole right off the frame.

The Result

It isn’t the most professional or strong solution, but it worked perfectly. Not a single bee, mosquito, or fly was encountered in the garage. Also, it was fairly breeze out yet the duct tape and push pin solution held.

Cost

Toole

I purchased 6 yards of toole with a regular price of $2.99 a yard. Except I didn’t pay regular price. Jo-Ann fabrics seems to always have coupons available online, in their print ad, or in store. An employee that helped me find the material I was looking for said she could get me a coupon for half off one regular price item. My 6 yards of toole cost $8.97.

Duct Tape

My next stop was Walmart, where I picked up a roll of duct tape for $3.97.

Clear Push Pins

I found a package of 100 clear push pins also at Walmart for $1.47.

Total cost of our DIY garage bug screen: $14.41

It’s fun to spend time outside when the weather is good, but bugs can instantly ruin your fun. With a little effort and less than $15 you can create a bug free party garage.

How about you, Clever Friends, do you have a party garage? Have you ever wished you could find an easy, inexpensive way to keep the bugs out?

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Brock Kernin

Brock is a software engineer by day and personal finance blogger at night. He is a fitness junkie and enjoys grilling and smoking meat. Married with two children, Brock strives to improve his skills as a husband and father, and is always on the lookout to stretch his family’s budget as far as he can.