I was skeptical about those mesh screens too—figured they'd rust out or just be annoying to deal with. But honestly, after a few close calls with sparks landing near my patio furniture cushions, I gave one a shot. It's held up surprisingly well...worth considering at least.
I get the appeal of mesh screens, but honestly, they're not a silver bullet. A few things I've noticed from personal experience:
- Mesh screens do help with sparks, no argument there, but they can be a pain to handle when hot. Had to grab oven mitts more than once just to toss another log in.
- Rusting isn't always immediate, but it does happen eventually—especially if you leave it out in the rain or snow. Mine lasted about two seasons before showing noticeable rust spots. Not terrible, but still annoying.
- Also, depending on your fire pit's size and shape, some screens don't fit snugly enough. Sparks can still sneak out around the edges if it's windy.
For what it's worth, I ended up ditching my mesh screen altogether and rearranging my patio furniture instead. Just moved everything back a couple feet and haven't had any issues since. Might not work for everyone, especially if you're tight on space, but it's a simpler solution that doesn't involve extra gear.
Bottom line: mesh screens aren't bad, but they're not perfect either. If you're careful about placement and mindful of weather conditions, you might not even need one.
I've had similar experiences with mesh screens. Mine fit pretty well, but the rust issue was definitely annoying—after about a year and a half, it started looking pretty rough. One thing I wonder about though: have you considered the type of wood you're burning? I noticed when I switched from pine to hardwoods like oak or maple, sparks became way less of an issue. Pine tends to pop and spark a lot more because of the resin content.
Also, placement really does matter. I moved my pit slightly away from the main seating area and haven't worried much since. But yeah, mesh screens aren't foolproof...they're just one part of the equation. Maybe combining a better wood choice with careful furniture placement could be enough?
