Name: The Yardstick
Address: 2033 Gateway Place Suite 500, San Jose, CA, 95110, US
Telephone: 408-214-1300

Protect yourself from the blinding sun or allow the morning dawn to come in at the push of a button. Experiencing the lushness of your yard is just a click away, as is the shade protection and privacy of complete coverage – without sacrificing your view. Featuring an eclectic collection of colors, styles, and opacities, you can create the home you’ve always envisioned.

Whether you’re looking to escape or embrace the outdoors, a new retractable exterior screen can transform your living space. Our exterior screens provide more than privacy; they are a stylized and convenient addition that can transform your hot, unused space into a comfortable part of your daily life.

Let’s discuss the ways a retractable exterior screen can improve your home and business.

Expert Retractable Exterior Screen Installation by The Yardstick

For over 65 years, The Yardstick has been crafting custom window treatments in the greater San Jose and San Francisco Bay Area. From our gallery and showroom in Campbell, we’ve helped thousands of clients add more personality and craftsmanship to their homes – with interior window treatments and exterior shading solutions.

You can come to our showroom, but we’re also happy to bring the showroom to you with our in-home consultations.

Let’s Create Something Extraordinary

Call or email us to schedule
a free in-home estimate:

Email us

408-214-1300

* Some fees and restrictions apply. View Contact Page for more details.

Texton Motorized Zipper Shades

The Yardstick carries exterior screens by Texton.
They’re known for their precise designs and innovative channel system that ensures your columns and structure remain intact during installation and use. Homeowners no longer need to sacrifice the top of their window sills to accommodate a retractable exterior screen thanks to their Z-lock technology, which also protects the screen during heavy winds and rain.

texton exterior screen zip channel Z-lock Technology by Texton.

Texton Screen Products

Every Texton retractable exterior screen features a motor, with different options based on power distribution and cost. Before installation begins, we’ll help you understand the options and choose the configuration option that’s right for you.

Zip Screen

A locked design that further protects the screen from wind and manipulation due to the lack of gaps between the fabric and the rails.

Wire Guide

Features enhanced wind protection and is suitable for unique patios and rooms with different alignments.

Pivot Arm

Provides additional shade and wind protection as the arm pushes the screen up instead of raising it.

Benefits of Retractable Exterior Screens

Provide convenient shade from the hot sun
Privacy at the click of a button
Stylized designs that complement homes and spaces, increasing home value
Provides shade without sacrificing your view
Protect your home and family from harmful UV rays
Helps avoid bugs
Energy efficient – studies show retractable screens will help insulate your home when mounted on window exteriors, saving you $$$ on your energy bills

Elevate your patios and open rooms with a mechanized system that changes your home at the click of a button. From cozy to outdoorsy, the convenience of a retractable exterior screen is just one click away.

The Yardstick Promise & Warranty

Our retractable exterior screens come with a:

1-year Warranty that Begins On Installation
5-year Warranty on Motors

We’re not just an official dealer and installer, we’re window treatment design experts who take you from the showroom to the finished installation and beyond.

Our experts take care of it all with you in-home and in our showroom – design & product consultations, measurements, cutting, customization, installation, and servicing (if required).

Our team is dedicated to helping you create the exact space you’ve always envisioned, whether you already have the perfect retractable exterior screen in mind or are looking for a complete window treatment consultation, our expert team can walk you through every step.

Our retractable exterior screens are just a small part of the many window treatments and coverings we offer to homeowners, businesses, and project partners.

Excellent service, extremely happy with the quality of the Yardstick. We got shades for two office windows, and drapes for our master bedroom. The owner, Jack, was much more knowledgable and friendly than other companies we got quotes from. He took the time to explain how everything worked and what the implications of all of our options/decisions where. The price was also very competitive with the other quotes we got.

They are clearly very knowledgable and take pride in their work. We wanted to get longer rods for our drapes, and so they ordered and installed it free of charge.

thumb Al W.
1/08/2024

Exterior Screen Colors and Designs

Exterior screens manufactured by Texton are made of X-weave fabric, and come in different opacities of 70%, 90%, and 95%. The highest opacity fabric will block 95% of sun and UV rays.

Blackout

Light-Filtering

Screen

Sheer

Fabric Color Selections

White

Onyx

Obsidian

Slate

Mahogany

Sunset

Graphite

Stone Grey

Sand

Black (70%)

Metal Color Selections

White

Paperbark

Bronze

Woodland Grey

Black

Alternative Retractable Screen Manufacturers

We also offer exterior screens from SunPro. Contact us to see which products are the right choice for your home or building improvement projects.

Energy Savings from Solar Screens

You could be saving thousands in cooling costs!

Installing a retractable exterior screen or window treatment adds more than style and convenience, it can help reduce your reliance on that expensive air conditioner or cooling system!

According to this large study done by the Professional Awning Manufacturers Association (PAMA), the average San Francisco resident could reduce cooling energy use by up to 28% when using roller shades. It also states that a South-facing home in San Francisco can see upwards of 71% in cooling cost savings when using single-clear roller shades throughout the year.

The full study was conducted across 50 different cities in the United States and revealed that fabric awnings or exterior shades could reduce air conditioner use and save upwards of $200 or 50% of your annual cooling costs! Yet another PAMA study also revealed that while interior shades could see a 50% reduction in energy use, exterior screens saw an 85% reduction. That same study states that energy costs rose by 10% from 2007 to 2012, and they’ve only risen more since then.

Research by Opinion Dynamics and the California Public Utilities Commission showed that window coverings lowered cooling costs across every California city – from a reduction of 17% in Palm Springs to 36% in Sacramento.

The results are in, no matter where your home is, an exterior solar screen can save you hundreds of dollars every year on increasing energy bills!

Retractable Exterior Screens by The Yardstick

Cool your home. Reclaim the open space in your backyard. Create comfort while retaining your view. All at the push of a button!

Retractable exterior screens are a transformative window treatment that can filter out the sun or bathe your home in sunlight. They also provide convenient shading and wind protection to protect your home from the elements.

Add color, personality, and convenience to your home or business with one of our elegant choices from top exterior shade suppliers. It all starts with a free consultation.

Use the button below, stop by our showroom, or call us at 408.763.8350 for a free quote.

Get a FREE Estimate

What Our Customers are Saying

I had an excellent experience with The Yardstick from start to finish, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the final result. I had always heard good things about The Yardstick, so I decided to call them when I needed new draperies in my formal dining room. Jack, the owner, promptly returned my initial phone call, and we scheduled an in-home consultation. Jack has an amazing artistic eye, and he provided excellent counsel on fabric and hardware selection, as well as the best way to configure the room. I usually agonize over such decisions, but thanks to Jack’s very creative and helpful advice — plus the countless high-quality fabric options to choose from — I actually made all the decisions in the first visit (with no second-guessing myself afterwards!)

The custom installation was done by Mark and Sean, who were fantastic as well. They were highly meticulous, knowledgeable, and professional — and as an added plus, they each have a great sense of humor. They worked hard to ensure that the curtain installation was picture-perfect (and also left the room in pristine condition at the end of the day).

And last but certainly not least, the craftsmanship on the finished draperies, sheers, and hardware was superb! Everything was flawless and beautiful.

I am so happy I chose The Yardstick for this big project, and I’ll be calling them for the other window covering projects on my list. Highly recommended!

thumb Deborah W.
10/27/2023