RoTak Pro S Tile Precut Mesh vs Continuous Roll Mesh for Solar Panel Protection
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
Updated: 20 hours ago
Precut solar panel bird mesh looks convenient. The pieces are already shaped for Spanish tile roofs, there is less cutting on the roof, and installation can be faster.
We have used the RoTak Pro S Tile precut system, and we understand why installers like it. But after working with it in the field, we still prefer cutting continuous roll mesh on the roof for most solar panel pigeon proofing jobs.
Our biggest concern is not whether RoTak mesh is strong enough to block a pigeon. It is the number of individual sections, the number of overlaps, and what can happen if even one small section is not secured properly.
What Is the RoTak Pro S Tile Precut Mesh System?
RoTak markets its Pro Critter Guard S Tile kit as a professional grade system designed to eliminate much of the cutting and modifying normally required on Spanish tile roofs.
According to RoTak, the kit provides:
100 feet of coverage
50 individual precut pieces
An 8 inch mesh height
Compatibility with several common Spanish tile sizes
Included solar panel clips
Galvanized steel mesh
Black PVC coating
RoTak also says its Pro mesh is thicker than its standard mesh and is designed to be more resistant to rust.
One important detail is the number of pieces.
100 feet of coverage divided into 50 pieces means each section is roughly 2 feet long.
That means a 100 foot solar array perimeter could have dozens of individual pieces rather than one long continuous section.
That is the part we do not love.
Is RoTak Pro Mesh Bad?
No.
We are not saying the RoTak Pro system cannot keep pigeons out.
The mesh itself is PVC coated galvanized steel, which is the type of material we generally like for solar panel pigeon proofing.
RoTak also recommends overlapping the pieces, which helps prevent an obvious opening between two sections.
Our concern is more about the overall installation design.
Every individual piece is another piece that has to stay properly secured.
RoTak Says Its Pro Mesh Is Much Stronger
RoTak advertises its Pro version as being significantly thicker and stronger than other mesh products.
From our own experience handling and installing it, we have not found the Pro version to be dramatically stronger in a way that changes our opinion about the precut system.
That is our field experience, not a laboratory strength test.
The mesh can be thicker and still have the same fundamental issue we care about.
You still have many individual pieces around the solar array.
A stronger 2 foot section is still a separate 2 foot section.
Our Biggest Concern Is the Number of Individual Sections
This is the easiest way to understand why we prefer continuous roll mesh.
Suppose a solar array needs approximately 100 feet of bird mesh.
With the RoTak precut kit, that could mean 50 individual pieces.
Each piece needs to:
Be positioned correctly
Overlap the next piece correctly
Have its clips installed properly
Stay tightly against the solar panels
Remain in place over time
If one section develops a problem, the other 49 sections can still look perfect.
Unfortunately, a pigeon does not need all 50 sections to fail.
It only needs one usable opening.
What Happens if One Precut Section Comes Loose?
This is our main concern.
If one small section is not fastened properly or a fastener comes loose, that individual piece can begin separating from the array.
Because it is a short independent section, the fasteners farther down the solar array are not directly helping hold that same piece in position.
If the opening becomes large enough, pigeons may be able to get underneath.
And depending on where that section is located, the homeowner may have a hard time noticing it from the ground.
The rest of the installation may still look completely normal.
Continuous Roll Mesh Works Differently
With continuous roll mesh, we bring a long roll onto the roof and cut it to match the actual solar array.
Whenever the layout allows us to, our goal is to create one continuous barrier around the array with as few separate pieces as possible.
That changes how the attachment points work together.
If one fastener comes loose, the fasteners directly beside it are still holding the same continuous piece of mesh.
For a large opening to develop, multiple nearby attachment points generally have to become compromised or the mesh itself has to be significantly displaced.
That gives us more redundancy.
Fewer Seams Means Fewer Places for Problems to Develop
Every place where one piece ends and another begins is another transition that has to be installed correctly.
RoTak specifically instructs installers to overlap its precut pieces for extra protection.
That is better than simply placing two pieces edge to edge.
But it still means there are many overlaps around the array.
With continuous mesh, we can dramatically reduce the number of those transitions.
On a simple array, there may ultimately be only one main location where the beginning of the continuous mesh meets the end.
We prefer that.
The Clips Also Have to Be Installed Correctly
There is another detail homeowners would probably never know to look for.
How the fastener is installed matters.
With the clip style used for these systems, we have found that simply putting the clip in place and leaving it straight can allow it to work its way loose or pop back out more easily.
When we use this type of fastener, we do not just leave it straight.
We push the black portion fully into position and bend the remaining part of the fastener so it cannot simply slide back out.
That small extra step makes a meaningful difference in how securely the clip stays in place.
This is exactly why we think homeowners should look beyond whether a company says it uses "professional grade" materials.
The same mesh and the same clips can perform very differently depending on how they are installed.
A Professional Product Can Still Be Installed Poorly
RoTak calls this a professional grade system.
That does not mean every installation using it will automatically be professional.
A contractor could use good PVC coated galvanized steel mesh and still:
Leave fasteners straight
Use too few fasteners
Leave a corner open
Fail to overlap pieces properly
Leave a short section loose
Fail to clean underneath the panels first
The product is only one part of the job.
Installation technique matters just as much.
Why Installers Like Precut S Tile Mesh
There are real advantages to the precut system.
We understand why another company might choose it.
The pieces are already shaped for Spanish tile applications, so there can be:
Less cutting on the roof
Faster installation
Easier training for technicians
More standardized pieces
Less time spent shaping long sections of mesh
For a company doing a lot of installations, those efficiencies can be valuable.
We simply prioritize the redundancy of continuous mesh over the convenience of installing many precut pieces.
Why We Prefer Cutting the Mesh on the Roof
Cutting continuous mesh on the roof takes more work.
We have to measure the actual array, shape the mesh around the roof and panels, and make adjustments as we go.
But that also lets us fit the material to the specific home rather than building the perimeter out of dozens of standardized pieces.
Our preferred system combines:
Black PVC coated galvanized steel mesh
Continuous rolls whenever practical
Metal fasteners
Properly bent and secured clips
Closely spaced attachment points
As few separate mesh sections as practical
The goal is not to finish the job with the fewest cuts.
The goal is to create a barrier that gives pigeons as few opportunities as possible to get underneath the panels.
Is Continuous Roll Mesh Impossible to Fail?
No.
A bad continuous roll installation can still fail.
If an installer leaves a corner open, spaces the fasteners too far apart, installs the clips incorrectly, or does not properly shape the mesh, pigeons may still find an opening.
There is no substitute for proper installation.
We just think starting with one long continuous barrier gives us a better foundation than starting with dozens of independent sections.
How Can You Tell Which System a Company Uses?
Ask.
A homeowner can simply say:
"Do you use precut sections of bird mesh or do you cut continuous rolls on the roof?"
Then ask:
"How many individual pieces will be around my solar array?"
"What happens if one fastener comes loose?"
"How do you keep your clips from slipping back out?"
"Can you show me close up photos of the finished installation?"
These questions get much deeper than asking whether the company installs "critter guard."
Two companies can both advertise PVC coated galvanized steel solar panel mesh while using very different installation methods.
RoTak Precut Mesh vs Continuous Roll Mesh: Which Do We Recommend?
For Cheetah, continuous roll mesh is our preferred method.
We do not think the RoTak Pro S Tile system is a bad product.
Its PVC coated galvanized steel mesh is much closer to the type of material we recommend than basic exposed hardware cloth.
Our disagreement is primarily with the segmented installation method.
A 100 foot RoTak kit contains 50 individual pieces. That means many individual sections, overlaps, and attachment points that each need to remain properly installed.
With continuous roll mesh, we can make the perimeter one connected system with far fewer seams.
If one fastener ever comes loose, the fasteners immediately beside it are still holding the same continuous section.
And when clips are installed, we make sure they are properly seated and bent rather than simply leaving them straight where they can more easily work their way back out.
For us, fewer sections, fewer seams, properly secured fasteners, and more redundancy make continuous roll mesh the better choice for long term solar panel pigeon proofing.
If you are comparing pigeon proofing companies, do not just ask what kind of mesh they use.
Ask how they install it.
That is where some of the biggest differences can be found.
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