No power required
Works at any site, on grid or off. Bunkies, sleeping cabins, small porches, dock-side change rooms — anywhere a 120V line doesn't make sense.
Manual Retractable Patio Screens
Manual hand-crank patio screens, no power needed.
Same Talius hardware, same mesh, same warranty as the motorized version. The hand crank works at any site, including off-grid cottages and bunkies with no 120V at the wall.
- Canadian-made by Talius
- Custom-fit, every install
- Free no-pressure consult
- Across Ontario
- 10-year warranty
- Transparent pricing
What you get
Hand crank, screen down.
A manual retractable patio screen runs on a hand-crank gear assembly inside the headbox. A few turns of the crank pulls the mesh down on the same zip-lock track the motorized version uses, lands at the floor, and seals against the bottom rail. A few turns the other way and it goes back up into the cassette.
No motor, no wiring, no electrician. The install crew bolts the headbox to the soffit or beam, mounts the side rails, and the screen is ready to use the same day. The crank handle is removable so it doesn't sit in the way when the screen is up.
Single-pane Talius Fly Screens run up to about 10 feet wide manually before the crank gets heavy. Multi-panel runs work in manual too, but most buyers move to motorized past 12 feet on the main wall. The mesh, the side rails, the bottom seal, and the 10-year warranty are the same.
What sets manual apart
Four reasons buyers pick manual.
Lower install cost
No motor, no wiring, no electrician trip. The hardware is cheaper and the install line is shorter. Savings show up on both lines of the quote.
Reliable mechanics
Crank shaft and gear set with no electronics, no radio, nothing to pair. The crank works the same way for the lifetime of the screen.
Same mesh and warranty
Talius zip-lock track, same mesh weave options, same 10-year warranty. Bug protection and storm seal match the motorized version exactly.
Where manual earns its place
Bunkies, sleeping cabins, small porches.
The clearest case for manual is the bunkie or sleeping cabin at a cottage. The opening is small, the use is intermittent, the site has no 120V at the wall, and a guest at midnight wants to drop the screen against the bugs without thinking about it. The hand crank does that with no setup, no smart-home pairing, no motor to wake.
Same logic applies to small porches at primary residences: a 6-foot side door, a screened-in entry over a back patio, or a covered porch off the kitchen. The opening doesn't need a motor, the homeowner cranks it down a few times a season, and the savings on hardware and install go to other parts of the project.
- Bunkies and sleeping cabins (any opening size, no power needed)
- Off-grid cottages and out-buildings without 120V at the wall
- Porch openings under 10 feet wide on primary residences
- Boat-access cottages where running power is impractical
- Side-of-house openings where a motor isn't worth the wiring
Where manual fits best
Three scenarios manual is the right call.
Cottage bunkies
Black flies in May, mosquitoes through August, no 120V at the bunkie. Manual handles all three with no electrical work and no motor to winterize.
Side-door porches
Small openings under 8 feet wide where a motor adds cost without adding value. The crank takes 10 seconds and lives in a drawer when the screen is up.
Budget-conscious primary installs
Lowest entry price in the Talius line. Buyers who want the same screen and the same warranty without the motor premium for a small opening.
Our Process
From first call to final install.
Three steps. No surprises. Most installs ship within 3–4 weeks of the consult.
Book a free quote
Tell us your opening size, what you're solving for, and your city. We respond within one business day.
Consult & measure
An installer visits your patio, takes measurements, walks you through mesh and motor options. No-pressure, no charge.
Install
Custom build at our shop, then a half-day install on your patio. You're using it the same evening.
What it costs
Manual is the entry point into the Talius line.
A manual retractable patio screen sits at the entry end of the Talius pricing range. The hardware is less because there's no motor and no remote, and the install line is shorter because there's no electrical work. Most small Ontario manual installs land in the low four figures total, with the price scaling up by opening width, mesh choice, and frame colour. We send a written quote on your specific opening within one business day of the site visit.
- Opening width (single pane up to about 10 feet wide manual)
- Mesh choice (no-see-um, standard insect, or solar)
- Frame colour (5 stock or custom RAL match)
- Install complexity (drive distance, soffit access)
- Single pane vs multi-panel (multi-panel adds linkage cost)
Common Questions
What buyers ask first.
Related reading
Helpful pages for next steps.
- Motorized retractable patio screensSomfy motors, wall remote, smart-home pairing, when motorized makes sense
- Cottage country patio screensMuskoka and Kawartha-specific framing for manual at the bunkie
- Motorized vs manualSide-by-side comparison and the case for each option
- Pillar guide to retractable patio screensMesh, sizing, motors, install, and warranty fundamentals
Other service
Solving for the other half?
Same retractable hardware on a track, different mesh. Bug protection on one side, sun and heat on the other. Bundled installs save on the second unit.
See manual sun shadesGet a Free Quote
Free site visit. Honest quote on the spot.
Tell us your opening size, what you're solving for, and your city. We respond within one business day with available consult times and a starting price range.