Screen Repair: How to Fix a Window Screen

Get your window screens in shape for summer with this simple screen repair projection. Nosotros'll walk you through information technology.

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Fourth dimension

An hour or less

Complexity

Beginner

Cost

Less than $20

Introduction

Window screens can become punctured or torn, but as long as the frame is in skilful shape window screen repairs are easy and can exist washed in a few minutes. Here'south how to make your screen door or window wait good as new.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Brick
  • Screen
  • Spline
  • Woods terminate cake

Select Replacement Window Screens Material

The most pop window replacement screens material is fiberglass, the type we're installing. Its flexibility makes information technology the easiest to use. If yous brand a mistake, yous tin take it out of the frame and try once more. Aluminum screen is sturdier, but you only get i 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's popular is dominicus-shading fabric. It blocks more dominicus, which means less load on your ac system and less fading of your carpet, draperies and furniture. It's also stronger than fiberglass and aluminum screening, so it's slap-up for pet owners.

All iii materials come in grey or black to match your other window screens. You can likewise get shiny aluminum every bit well as sunday-shading fabrics in bronze and brown tones.

Know the size of your window when you become to the home center. It will sell pre-measured rolls to fit most whatever opening size. If your screen frame is taller than 36 inches, information technology should accept a center support to go along it from bowing in one time the material is in place. Newer screens usually come with this back up.

If your long screens don't have a support, y'all tin can make one out of aluminum frame stock. It's located near the screening supplies in most stores. The aluminum stock can exist cut with a can snips and trimmed to fit. Keep reading to larn about a common blazon of screen repair: replacement.

Screens are excellent for bug command. Bank check out the x most disgusting house bugs and how to become rid of them here.

Project step-by-step (6)

Step i

Screen Repair: Pry Out the Spline

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

If you have but a modest tear, you'll want to see our tips on how to patch a torn window screen.

repair window screen spline

Footstep two

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 keep the frame from bowing in when yous install the new window screen repair material.

secure frame screen replace

Step 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 near three/4-in. to one inch.
  • Cut each corner at a 45-degree angle just slightly beyond the spline groove. The cuts keep the screen from bunching in the corners.

If yous 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

Push the New Screen In

  • Begin installing the new spline at a corner.
  • Use the screen rolling tool to push button 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 upward as y'all get back to the starting corner.

Push in new screen repair

Pace 5

Trim the Screen

  • Trim excess screen textile using a utility knife with a new sharp blade.
  • A dull bract volition pull the fabric, not cut information technology.
  • Cut with the bract on summit of the spline and pointed toward the outside of the frame.

trim window replacement screen

Footstep half dozen

Pro Fob for Proper Screen Tension

  • During window screen replacement, if the screen tension is too loose the screen will sag. But if you lot pull it besides tight, especially on larger door and window screens, the tension tin actually bow in the aluminum sides. Here'due south a simple mode to get it just correct:
    • After rolling in the screen on the first two bordering sides, place a brick or like heavy object in the center of the screen to create the proper corporeality of slack.
    • Then continue installing the fabric along the third and quaternary sides of the screen frame. Remove the brick.

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

proper screen tension

Originally Published: August 17, 2022