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If you're researching security screens on the Gold Coast, Amplimesh® SupaScreen® and Invisi-Gard come up often. Both are Australian-made. Both are built around 316 marine grade stainless steel. Both pass the relevant Australian Standards. So the question becomes: where do they genuinely differ, and which one suits your home?
This comparison is built on published manufacturer documentation. No marketing fluff, no opinions dressed up as facts. Just the specs side by side, so you can have a more informed conversation with any installer, including us.
Amplimesh® SupaScreen® is the flagship product from Amplimesh®, a brand backed by Capral Aluminium. Capral is Australia's largest aluminium extruder with over 85 years in the industry. The mesh is Meshtec high tensile 316 Marine Grade Stainless Steel, held in place by a patented Pressure Fit system that uses no screws, rivets or snap-ins. Amplimesh® has been securing Australian homes for more than 60 years.
Invisi-Gard is manufactured by Alspec, a wholly Australian owned company established in 1974 with over 45 years in the industry. They operate across eight national locations and supply Invisi-Gard through a network of more than 400 licensed dealers. The product uses the same 316 marine grade stainless steel mesh as SupaScreen®, retained in an aluminium frame using their patented EGP (Extreme Grip Protection) system.
Both products are Australian made. Both are sold through licensed dealer networks. Both pass the testing required for genuine security screens.
The table below will help you see the product and technical differences between Amplimesh® SupaScreen® and Invisi-Gard at a glance.
This is the most common point of confusion when comparing these two products, so it's worth being clear.
Both SupaScreen® and Invisi-Gard use 316 Marine Grade Stainless Steel mesh in 0.8mm wire, with a 900 MPa tensile strength rating. The mesh material itself, at the spec level, is very similar.
The retention method is also conceptually similar. SupaScreen® uses a patented Pressure Fit system. Invisi-Gard uses a patented EGP (Extreme Grip Protection) system. Both designs avoid screws and mechanical fixings through the mesh, and both isolate the stainless steel from the aluminium frame to prevent galvanic corrosion. Galvanic corrosion is the issue that arises when dissimilar metals are in contact, and both retention systems are engineered around eliminating it.
Where the two products differ slightly is on open area. SupaScreen® publishes 41% open area. Invisi-Gard's published figure on its window spec sheet is 44%. On airflow alone, Invisi-Gard's mesh allows marginally more air through. Whether that's a practical difference in your home depends on orientation, room use and how you cross-ventilate.
Both products pass the relevant Australian Standard testing for security screens, which requires dynamic impact, jemmy, knife shear, pull and probe tests.
There is a notable difference in the version of the standard each product cites.
SupaScreen® is tested to AS 5039.1-2023 and AS 5039.3-2023, the current versions of the Australian Standard. SupaScreen®'s published dynamic impact testing meets the 5 × 200-joule threshold required for Security Level 200 (SL200) under the current standard.
Invisi-Gard's published documentation cites AS 5039 / 5041-2008, the prior version of the standard. The 2008 standard has since been superseded.
Both versions of the standard test the same fundamental attack scenarios, and both products demonstrably pass rigorous testing. If you want assurance that your screen has been retested and certified against the most current version of AS 5039, SupaScreen® is the clearer choice on paper.
SupaScreen® carries a 16-year warranty from the date of installation, offered through your authorised Amplimesh® dealer. It covers defects in both the frame and the mesh.
Invisi-Gard's warranty is split between the two components. Alspec offers a lifetime warranty on the 316 stainless steel marine grade mesh, plus a separate 15-year warranty on the aluminium framing for structural integrity. The lifetime mesh warranty applies to residential installations; commercial use is assessed on a case-by-case basis and can be covered for up to a lifetime, pending on application.
For Invisi-Gard's warranty to remain valid, the product must be installed by a Licensed Invisi-Gard Dealer and maintained in accordance with Alspec's Care and Maintenance Guide. That includes the recommended cleaning intervals for your environment, which range from every six months in mild zones to every one to two weeks in severe marine zones. Forced entry, intentional damage, alteration outside the licensed dealer network, and failure to maintain the product as specified will void the warranty.
Both products' warranties exclude powder coat (covered separately by Dulux or Akzo Nobel) and locks and accessories (covered by their own manufacturer warranties). Both require claims to be lodged in writing within 30 days of identifying the fault. Both are non-transferable.
On the mesh, Invisi-Gard's lifetime offer is the longer warranty, subject to the maintenance terms above. On the aluminium framing, SupaScreen® holds a one-year edge (16 vs 15 years). Which structure suits you depends on how confident you are about staying on top of the maintenance schedule for your environment.
Bushfire: SupaScreen® is rated to BAL-40 under AS 3959 and can also be used in BAL-FZ (Flame Zone) areas when installed with a window that has an FRL of at least -/30/-, or in accordance with AS 1530.8.2. Invisi-Gard is rated to BAL-40 under AS 3959-2009.
Most Gold Coast suburbs sit outside designated BAL-FZ areas, so for most homes either product will satisfy bushfire screening requirements at the BAL ratings that apply. If your property has a higher BAL classification, the SupaScreen® BAL-FZ pathway gives you an option that Invisi-Gard does not currently publish documentation for.
Fire attenuation: Both products publish fire attenuation results, which is unusual in this category. SupaScreen® has been tested by CSIRO to AS 1530.4-2014 Appendix B7 and reduces radiant heat by 59% when subjected to a 40kW/m² heat source for 121 minutes. Invisi-Gard publishes up to 55% attenuation at 40kW/m² under the same standard.
That's a 4-percentage-point difference in favour of SupaScreen®. If you're near a boundary wall or in a property where fire attenuation is part of your compliance requirement, both products are credible options. SupaScreen® has the higher published figure.
View the Amplimesh fire attenuation certificate of compliance.
Neither SupaScreen® nor the standard Invisi-Gard is rated for use in cyclone regions C and D as a standalone product.
Both brands offer a separate cyclone-rated product for declared cyclone zones. Amplimesh® offers StormGuard®, tested to debris impact at 44m/s (3,870 joules). Alspec offers Invisi-Maxx, also tested to projectiles at 44m/sec.
Most Gold Coast suburbs sit outside cyclone-designated regions, so this is only a deciding factor for properties in specific areas. If cyclone rating is a requirement for your build, ask your installer about StormGuard® or Invisi-Maxx specifically.
For homes within a few kilometres of the coast, corrosion resistance over decades is the practical performance question.
SupaScreen® has been tested to 3,000 hours of both acetic acid and neutral salt spray on the complete product, with a further 10,000 hour neutral salt spray milestone on the mesh itself. Amplimesh® cites this as equivalent to more than 25 years of coastal exposure.
Invisi-Gard publishes a 2,000 hour salt spray test result with no sign of corrosion, tested to AS 2331.3.1.
Both products will significantly outlast standard flyscreens in a coastal environment, but SupaScreen® has the longer published test result. For Gold Coast homes close to the water, that gap matters more.
Both products are offered in hinged, sliding and fixed window configurations, with a range of frame colours. Invisi-Gard publishes a standard palette of 8 colours through its current window spec sheet, including Pearl White Gloss, Surf Mist, Woodland Grey Matt and Monument Matt, plus a custom black option. Amplimesh® dealers can quote on a comparable range of frame colours.
Both products come standard with 3-point (triple-lock) door locking, which is required for AS 5039 compliance.
SupaScreen® is also compatible with smart locking via the Yale Unity Security Screen Lock, which connects through the Yale Access app and integrates with Google, Samsung, Alexa and Apple HomeKit. If smart-home integration is on your list, ask your dealer about the Yale Unity as an upgrade.
Both are strong products with genuine performance credentials. Either will significantly outperform a standard barrier door or flyscreen for security, durability and corrosion resistance.
If you want a better fire attenuation figure (59% vs 55% heat reduction), longer salt spray performance on the complete product (3,000hr+ vs 2,000hr), or testing against the current version of AS 5039.1, SupaScreen® is the stronger spec-sheet product on each measure. The aluminium framing warranty is also slightly longer (16 vs 15 years).
Invisi-Gard's 316 stainless steel mesh carries a lifetime warranty (residential, subject to the maintenance terms in Alspec's Care and Maintenance Guide), and the published open area figure is slightly higher (44% vs 41% on a fixed window). If the longest possible mesh warranty matters most to you, and you're confident you'll keep up with the cleaning intervals for your environment, that's a real point in Invisi-Gard's favour.
For most Gold Coast homes within a few kilometres of the water, the decision comes down to fire performance, salt spray durability on the complete product, and which warranty structure best suits your situation.
Carefree Security Screens & Blinds is an authorised Amplimesh® dealer based in Nerang. We have been supplying and installing security screens on the Gold Coast for over 28 years, and we know the local conditions: coastal salt air, summer storms, and the building requirements that apply here.
We can show you SupaScreen® mesh in person, walk you through how it compares against Invisi-Gard or any other screen you're considering, and give you a free measure and quote for your home.
Both products use 316 marine grade stainless steel mesh in 0.8mm wire, both use a patented no-screw retention system, and both are Australian made. The differences come down to warranty structure (SupaScreen® offers 16 years across the frame and mesh; Invisi-Gard offers a lifetime warranty on the mesh and 15 years on the aluminium framing, subject to maintenance terms), fire attenuation performance (59% vs 55% heat reduction at 40kW/m²), salt spray test duration (3,000hr+ on product, 10,000hr on mesh vs 2,000hr), and the version of AS 5039 each product has been certified against. SupaScreen® is tested under AS 5039.1-2023, the current standard. Invisi-Gard's published certifications cite AS 5039 / 5041-2008, the previous version.
Both products are tested against AS 5039, the Australian Standard for security door and window screens. This includes a dynamic impact test (five 200-joule impacts), jemmy test, knife shear test, pull test and probe test. SupaScreen® is tested under AS 5039.1-2023, with published dynamic impact results meeting the 5 × 200-joule threshold for Security Level 200 (SL200) under the current standard. Invisi-Gard's published certifications cite AS 5039 / 5041-2008.
SupaScreen® carries a 16-year warranty from the date of installation through your authorised Amplimesh® dealer, covering both the frame and the mesh. Invisi-Gard's warranty is split: Alspec offers a lifetime warranty on the 316 stainless steel marine grade mesh, plus a separate 15-year warranty on the aluminium framing. The lifetime mesh warranty applies to residential installations (commercial use is assessed case-by-case and can extend up to a lifetime), and remains valid only when the product is installed by a Licensed Invisi-Gard Dealer and maintained in accordance with Alspec's Care and Maintenance Guide. Both products' warranties exclude powder coat (covered separately by Dulux/Akzo Nobel) and locks and accessories. Both require claims to be lodged in writing within 30 days of identifying a fault. Both are non-transferable.
Both products are rated to BAL-40 under AS 3959. SupaScreen® can also be installed in BAL-FZ (Flame Zone) areas when combined with a window that has an FRL of at least -/30/-, or in accordance with AS 1530.8.2. Invisi-Gard does not publish a BAL-FZ pathway in its current consumer documentation. On fire attenuation, both products publish results: SupaScreen® reduces radiant heat by 59% at 40kW/m² (tested by CSIRO over 121 minutes). Invisi-Gard publishes up to 55% reduction at 40kW/m² under the same standard.
Neither the standard SupaScreen® nor the standard Invisi-Gard is cyclone rated as a standalone product. Both brands offer a separate cyclone-rated product for cyclone regions C and D. Amplimesh® offers StormGuard®, tested to 44m/s debris impact (3,870 joules). Alspec offers Invisi-Maxx, also tested to projectiles at 44m/sec. Most Gold Coast suburbs sit outside declared cyclone zones, so cyclone rating is only a deciding factor for properties in specific areas.
Carefree Security Screens & Blinds is a local family-owned business in Nerang, Gold Coast. We have over 28 years manufacturing, supplying and installing quality security screens for doors and windows, indoor blinds and outdoor awnings. If you're looking for a security screen installer near you, call us now.
We offer FREE measure and quotes, extensive warranties, and we stand by our products and quality workmanship. Serving the entire Gold Coast region, including Coolangatta and Jimboomba.
Located on the Gold Coast, Carefree Security Screens & Blinds have over 28 years of experience in delivering quality security screens, blinds, doors, awnings, and fly screens.
QBCC Licence Number: 68835
Carefree Security Screens & Blinds is a proud member of the National Security Screen Association.
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