Screen Repair: How to Fix a Window Screen

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

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Fourth dimension

An hour or less

Complication

Beginner

Cost

Less than $20

Introduction

Window screens can get punctured or torn, only every bit long equally the frame is in good shape window screen repairs are easy and can exist done in a few minutes. Here's how to make your screen door or window look good as new.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Brick
  • Screen
  • Spline
  • Wood finish block

Select Replacement Window Screens Textile

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

The third type of replacement window screens repair material that'southward popular is lord's day-shading fabric. It blocks more than sun, which means less load on your ac organisation and less fading of your carpet, draperies and furniture. Information technology's besides stronger than fiberglass and aluminum screening, and so information technology's groovy for pet owners.

All three materials come up in gray or blackness to match your other window screens. You can also go shiny aluminum too as lord's day-shading fabrics in bronze and brown tones.

Know the size of your window when y'all get to the dwelling middle. Information technology volition sell pre-measured rolls to fit well-nigh any opening size. If your screen frame is taller than 36 inches, it should accept a center back up to keep it from bowing in once the material is in identify. Newer screens usually come with this support.

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

Screens are excellent for bug command. Check out the x virtually disgusting house bugs and how to become rid of them hither.

Projection step-by-step (6)

Step ane

Screen Repair: Pry Out the Spline

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

If you have but a small tear, you'll want to run into 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 go along the frame from bowing inward when you install the new window screen repair material.

secure frame screen replace

Footstep iii

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

  • Lay the new screen textile over the frame. It should overlap the frame by virtually 3/4-in. to i inch.
  • Cut each corner at a 45-degree angle but slightly beyond the spline groove. The cuts keep the screen from bunching in the corners.

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

position new window screen repair

Pace 4

Push button the New Screen In

  • Begin installing the new spline at a corner.
  • Apply the screen rolling tool to push the spline and screen textile into the groove.
  • Continue around the frame. If wrinkles or bulges announced, remove the spline and re-gyre.
  • Small wrinkles should tighten up as y'all get back to the starting corner.

Push in new screen repair

Pace 5

Trim the Screen

  • Trim excess screen material using a utility knife with a new precipitous blade.
  • A deadening blade will pull the material, non cut information technology.
  • Cutting with the blade on top of the spline and pointed toward the outside of the frame.

trim window replacement screen

Step 6

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, especially on larger door and window screens, the tension can actually bow in the aluminum sides. Hither'southward a simple way to go it merely right:
    • After rolling in the screen on the beginning two bordering sides, place a brick or similar heavy object in the eye of the screen to create the proper amount of slack.
    • Then continue installing the fabric forth the 3rd and quaternary sides of the screen frame. Remove the brick.

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

proper screen tension

Originally Published: August 17, 2022