Screen Repair: How to Fix a Window Screen

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

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Time

An hour or less

Complexity

Beginner

Cost

Less than $20

Introduction

Window screens can get punctured or torn, but as long as the frame is in good shape window screen repairs are easy and tin can exist done in a few minutes. Hither's how to brand your screen door or window expect good as new.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Brick
  • Screen
  • Spline
  • Wood stop block

Select Replacement Window Screens Material

The virtually popular window replacement screens material is fiberglass, the type we're installing. Its flexibility makes information technology the easiest to use. If you make a mistake, you can accept it out of the frame and effort again. Aluminum screen is sturdier, but yous but go ane risk. The grooves you've made with the screen rolling tool are there to stay.

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

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

Know the size of your window when y'all go to the home heart. Information technology will sell pre-measured rolls to fit nearly whatsoever opening size. If your screen frame is taller than 36 inches, it should accept a center support to keep it from bowing in once the cloth is in place. Newer screens usually come up with this back up.

If your long screens don't have a support, you can make one out of aluminum frame stock. It's located near the screening supplies in most stores. The aluminum stock can be cutting with a tin snips and trimmed to fit. Keep reading to learn near a mutual type of screen repair: replacement.

Screens are first-class for problems command. Check out the 10 most icky house bugs and how to get rid of them here.

Projection step-past-step (6)

Step 1

Screen Repair: Pry Out the Spline

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

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

repair window screen spline

Step 2

Secure the Frame

  • Place wooden blocks forth the within of the 2 longest sides of the frame and secure them to the work surface.
  • The blocks go along the frame from bowing inward when you install the new window screen repair textile.

secure frame screen replace

Step three

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

  • Lay the new screen cloth over the frame. It should overlap the frame by about 3/4-in. to 1 inch.
  • Cut each corner at a 45-caste angle simply slightly beyond the spline groove. The cuts go on the screen from bunching in the corners.

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

position new window screen repair

Step 4

Button the New Screen In

  • Begin installing the new spline at a corner.
  • Use the screen rolling tool to push the spline and screen textile into the groove.
  • Keep around the frame. If wrinkles or bulges appear, remove the spline and re-roll.
  • Small wrinkles should tighten upwards as you get back to the starting corner.

Push in new screen repair

Stride five

Trim the Screen

  • Trim excess screen fabric using a utility knife with a new abrupt bract.
  • A dull blade volition pull the material, not cutting it.
  • Cut with the blade on elevation of the spline and pointed toward the outside of the frame.

trim window replacement screen

Step six

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 too tight, particularly on larger door and window screens, the tension can really bow in the aluminum sides. Here'south a simple fashion to go it just right:
    • After rolling in the screen on the first two bordering sides, identify a brick or like heavy object in the centre of the screen to create the proper amount of slack.
    • Then continue installing the fabric along the third 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: Baronial 17, 2020