Screen Repair: How to Set up a Window Screen

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

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Time

An hour or less

Complexity

Beginner

Cost

Less than $twenty

Introduction

Window screens can get punctured or torn, but as long as 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
  • Woods terminate block

Select Replacement Window Screens Textile

The most popular window replacement screens cloth is fiberglass, the type we're installing. Its flexibility makes it the easiest to employ. If you make a error, y'all can take information technology out of the frame and attempt again. Aluminum screen is sturdier, but you only get 1 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'due south popular is sunday-shading fabric. It blocks more sun, which ways less load on your air-conditioning arrangement and less fading of your carpet, draperies and furniture. Information technology's also stronger than fiberglass and aluminum screening, and so information technology's neat for pet owners.

All 3 materials come in grey or black to lucifer your other window screens. You lot tin can also go shiny aluminum equally well as sun-shading fabrics in statuary and brown tones.

Know the size of your window when yous go to the home center. It will sell pre-measured rolls to fit virtually whatsoever opening size. If your screen frame is taller than 36 inches, it should have a heart support to continue it from bowing in in one case the fabric is in place. Newer screens commonly come 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 about a common type of screen repair: replacement.

Screens are excellent for bug control. Cheque out the 10 nigh icky house bugs and how to get rid of them here.

Projection step-by-step (6)

Step 1

Screen Repair: Pry Out the Spline

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

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

repair window screen spline

Footstep ii

Secure the Frame

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

secure frame screen replace

Stride 3

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

  • Lay the new screen cloth over the frame. Information technology should overlap the frame past about three/4-in. to one inch.
  • Cut each corner at a 45-degree angle just slightly across the spline groove. The cuts go along the screen from bunching in the corners.

If you think you 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 the spline and screen material into the groove.
  • Go along effectually the frame. If wrinkles or bulges appear, remove the spline and re-roll.
  • Small wrinkles should tighten up as you lot go back to the starting corner.

Push in new screen repair

Step 5

Trim the Screen

  • Trim excess screen material using a utility pocketknife with a new sharp bract.
  • A boring blade will pull the material, non cut it.
  • Cutting with the bract on elevation of the spline and pointed toward the outside of the frame.

trim window replacement screen

Stride 6

Pro Trick for Proper Screen Tension

  • During window screen replacement, if the screen tension is too loose the screen will sag. Just if you pull it too tight, especially on larger door and window screens, the tension tin can actually bow in the aluminum sides. Here's a simple way to get it only correct:
    • Later on rolling in the screen on the get-go two adjoining sides, place a brick or like heavy object in the centre of the screen to create the proper corporeality of slack.
    • Then continue installing the fabric forth the third and fourth 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