Full Screen or Half Screen on Replacement Windows
The window quote has a line that says half screen and you are not sure if you want it.
Reply within one business day. Or call / text 763-250-3621.
Full screen vs half screen replacement windows comes down to one question: do you open the top sash? A half screen covers only the bottom sash of a double-hung or single-hung and leaves the upper glass clear. A full screen covers both so the top can vent. JMB Builders orders either with your windows and installs them across the Twin Cities metro, priced per window. Send photos and we reply within one business day, or book a free in-home estimate.
- Half screen: bottom sash only, clear glass above
- Full screen: both sashes, top sash can vent
- Chosen per window on the order
Every operating replacement window comes with a screen. On double-hung and single-hung windows there are two kinds. A half screen sits in the lower half of the frame, covers the bottom sash when it is raised, and leaves the top sash as clear glass. A full screen covers the whole opening from sill to head, so you can lower the top sash for ventilation and still keep bugs out.
Most lines ship a half screen as the default on a double-hung because it keeps the view clear and is lighter to pop out for cleaning. A full screen is the better pick where you actually use the top sash: a bedroom where you want air without a gap a child can reach, a bathroom where you vent from the top, or a window over a kitchen sink where the bottom sash is awkward to reach. Sliders and casements have their own screen types and are not part of this choice.
The screen is picked per window when the order goes in, so you can mix them around the house. We walk it room by room at the measure.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-250-3621.
What you supply
- Which windows you open from the top, if any, and which you never open
- Photos of the windows from inside so we can see sash heights and anything in the way
- Your window style, color and grille choices for the rest of the order
What JMB supplies
- A room-by-room screen list written on the quote: half, full or none for a fixed window
- The windows and screens, ordered together through ABC Supply so frame colors match
- Install of each window with sill pan, flashing, foam and sealant, then trim inside and out
- Screens fitted and checked in every window at the walkthrough
- Photos of the finished windows in your job folder
How it is priced: per window
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Half screen vs. full screen is a small line on each window; the window itself sets the price
- Screen mesh: standard fiberglass vs. a finer or better-view mesh
- Screen frame color when the window is a dark or two-tone color
- Window style, size and install method, which set most of the cost
- Retractable screens on casements, quoted as their own line
List the rooms where you open the top sash. Everything else gets a half screen unless you tell us otherwise.
How long it takes
Screens arrive with the windows and add no time. One window takes about half a day; several run a few windows per day.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Half screen on most windows
The usual default: a clear top sash for the view and a screen only where the bottom sash opens. Lighter, cheaper and easy to pull for cleaning.
Full screen where you vent from the top
Bedrooms, bathrooms and the window over the sink. The top sash comes down a few inches for air and the full screen keeps the opening covered.
Mixed around the house
Full screens on the upstairs bedrooms and half screens on the main floor, or any mix you want. Each window is its own line on the order.
Full Screen or Half Screen on Replacement Windows: questions, answered
What is a half screen on a window?
A half screen is a screen that covers only the bottom half of a double-hung or single-hung window. It sits in a track in the lower part of the frame and keeps bugs out when the bottom sash is raised. The top sash is clear glass with nothing in front of it.
Is a full screen better than a half screen?
Only if you open the top sash. A full screen covers both sashes, so you can lower the top for air and still be screened. If you only ever raise the bottom sash, a half screen gives you a clearer view and a lighter screen to pull out. Pick per room.
Can I get a full screen on a single-hung window?
Yes, most lines offer both on a single-hung even though the top sash is fixed. A full screen on a single-hung mostly changes the look from outside, since there is nothing to vent above. Most people take the half screen on a single-hung.
Can I switch from half screens to full screens later?
Usually yes. The screen tracks on most double-hung lines take either size, so a full screen can be ordered later in the same frame color. It is simpler to decide at the order so the screens arrive with the windows.
Does a half screen fall out when I open the top sash?
No. The half screen sits in its own track at the bottom of the frame and stays put whether the sashes move or not. Opening the top sash with a half screen simply leaves that part of the opening unscreened.
Do casement and slider windows come with full or half screens?
Neither in the same sense. A casement has a full-height screen on the room side of the sash, and a slider has a screen that covers the sash that moves, which is about half the window. Those screens come with the window and are not a choice on the order the way they are on a double-hung.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and the builders we work with. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
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Read morePage reviewed October 27, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All windows pages
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