“Sparky” Bug Screen Mod July 20, 2015
Our last camping trip was plagued by biting bugs and our DEET must have expired as we went home with lots of itchy welts. It was time to make bug screens for “Sparky.” On our prior Ford SMB AKA “Sporty,” we fashioned window screens held up with magnets for the barn doors. However, the magnets were so strong, they tore through the screening and loved to stick to each other and everything else. Velcro, of course, is another option but we find the glue loses its adhesive stick in the heat and then pulls off of the metal. This time around, we tried a different tactic. Lowe’s had some nice, outdoor mesh curtains with weighted bottoms that worked well after shortening the length a bit. Copying Sportsmobile’s use of the screw-in snaps for many things, we hung the curtains using lengths of nylon strapping as curtain rods snapped onto the ceiling for the side door and onto the cabinet for the back doors. They are easily removed by unsnapping or can just be pushed along the strap and out of the way if not needed.
Photo of “Sparky’s” Side Door
Photo of “Sparky’s” Back Doors
Photo of “screw-in” snap on cabinet and corresponding snap on nylon strap
The curtains come with a rod pocket at the top to slide a curtain rod through. It can also be hung via the multiple loops with plastic snaps that can fasten over a rod or rope without the need to thread through the rod pocket. We could have hung a single curtain sidewise and sewed it to the strap but liked the drape and increased privacy provided by sliding them over the strap.
Photo of curtain top