Screen Repair: How to Ready a Window Screen

Get your window screens in shape for summer with this uncomplicated screen repair project. Nosotros'll walk you through it.

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Fourth dimension

An hour or less

Complexity

Beginner

Cost

Less than $xx

Introduction

Window screens can become punctured or torn, but as long as the frame is in practiced shape window screen repairs are easy and can be washed in a few minutes. Hither's how to brand your screen door or window look practiced every bit new.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Brick
  • Screen
  • Spline
  • Woods stop block

Select Replacement Window Screens Fabric

The most pop window replacement screens material is fiberglass, the type we're installing. Its flexibility makes it the easiest to utilise. If you make a mistake, y'all can have it out of the frame and attempt again. Aluminum screen is sturdier, but you only get one chance. The grooves you've made with the screen rolling tool are there to stay.

The third type of replacement window screens repair material that'south popular is sun-shading fabric. It blocks more than sunday, which ways less load on your air-conditioning organization and less fading of your carpet, draperies and furniture. It's also stronger than fiberglass and aluminum screening, so it's cracking for pet owners.

All three materials come in gray or blackness to match your other window screens. You can also get shiny aluminum as well as sunday-shading fabrics in bronze and brown tones.

Know the size of your window when you go to the abode center. It will sell pre-measured rolls to fit virtually any opening size. If your screen frame is taller than 36 inches, it should have a middle back up to keep it from bowing in once the fabric is in place. Newer screens usually come with this back up.

If your long screens don't accept a support, you lot can brand i out of aluminum frame stock. It'south located well-nigh the screening supplies in near stores. The aluminum stock can be cut with a tin snips and trimmed to fit. Keep reading to learn about a common type of screen repair: replacement.

Screens are splendid for bug control. Check out the 10 most disgusting firm bugs and how to get rid of them here.

Project pace-past-pace (6)

Footstep ane

Screen Repair: Pry Out the Spline

  • Pry out the erstwhile spline with an awl or a narrow-tipped screwdriver.
  • Throw it away — spline gets hard and brittle equally information technology ages and shouldn't be reused.

If you have just a small tear, you'll desire to see our tips on how to patch a torn window screen.

repair window screen spline

Step 2

Secure the Frame

  • Place wooden blocks along the inside of the two longest sides of the frame and secure them to the work surface.
  • The blocks proceed the frame from bowing inward when you install the new window screen repair material.

secure frame screen replace

Stride iii

How to Put a Window Screen Back In and Position the New Screen

  • Lay the new screen material over the frame. It should overlap the frame by about 3/4-in. to one inch.
  • Cut each corner at a 45-degree bending just slightly beyond the spline groove. The cuts go on the screen from bunching in the corners.

If you think yous need a heavy duty screen, here are tips for installing a heavy duty window screen.

position new window screen repair

Step 4

Push button the New Screen In

  • Begin installing the new spline at a corner.
  • Use the screen rolling tool to push button the spline and screen material into the groove.
  • Continue around the frame. If wrinkles or bulges appear, remove the spline and re-whorl.
  • Pocket-sized wrinkles should tighten up as you get back to the starting corner.

Push in new screen repair

Step five

Trim the Screen

  • Trim excess screen fabric using a utility pocketknife with a new sharp blade.
  • A tiresome bract will pull the material, not cutting information technology.
  • Cut with the blade on top of the spline and pointed toward the outside of the frame.

trim window replacement screen

Step vi

Pro Trick for Proper Screen Tension

  • During window screen replacement, if the screen tension is too loose the screen will sag. But if you pull it as well tight, especially on larger door and window screens, the tension tin actually bow in the aluminum sides. Here's a simple way to go it only right:
    • After rolling in the screen on the kickoff two adjoining sides, place a brick or similar heavy object in the center of the screen to create the proper amount of slack.
    • Then keep installing the textile along the tertiary and fourth sides of the screen frame. Remove the brick.

Learn how to replace a door or window screen in our video tutorial.

proper screen tension

Originally Published: August 17, 2020