Tools and Materials
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How to Fix a Window Screen
Damaged window screens don’t happen overnight. Direct exposure to the sun and UV rays can warp window screens and cause them to lose their structural integrity. Before you know it, something as simple as a gust of wind or a wayward tree limb can tear a hole in the screen. Harsh weather is also responsible for damaging window screens, as are birds, small animals and normal wear and tear.
Whatever the reason for tears or holes in a window screen, replacing a window screen is an easy do-it-yourself task. Once you learn how to replace a window screen, you’ll wonder why you ever hesitated to try it before now.
Select a Screen
Screen Materials
- Aluminum screen fabric is durable, long lasting and sag resistant. It works for most screen projects and tends to be less visible than other screen types. You can find aluminum screens in white, charcoal or black finishes.
- Fiberglass screen fabric is easier to install than aluminum and doesn’t crease. Fiberglass works for most screen projects and is available in gray, charcoal and black finishes.
- Polyester screen fabric is heavier and more durable than fiberglass. It’s easy to install, weather-resistant and provides good airflow. Polyester is versatile and can be used in a variety of screen projects like rescreening windows, doors and patios.
Screen Types and Features
- Some lightweight screens are nearly invisible from the outside, helping to improve your home’s curb appeal. These screens offer better visibility and allow more natural light and airflow than standard screens.
- Screens for pools, porches and patios are available in larger widths and designed to be strong enough to enclose large openings.
- Screens designed to block heat and glare from the sun are more energy efficient and protect your curtains and carpets from fading. They also provide privacy during the daytime.
- You can also find extra-strong screens designed to resist damage from household pets.
- Tightly woven screens keep out tiny insects, such as gnats and sand flies.
Black or charcoal screening helps reduce glare and offers the best outdoor visibility.
Replace the Spline or Screen Frame
If you’re fixing a screen and have an existing frame, you’ll need to replace the spline — the flexible cord that holds the screen in place. If you don’t have an existing screen frame, you’ll need to build a new one. We’ll walk you through both options below.
Use the Existing Frame
The spline holds the screen in place when rolled into the groove or channel of the screen frame with a screen tool. If you have bright aluminum or gray fiberglass, use gray spline. For charcoal-colored fiberglass and aluminum, use black spline. You can determine the diameter of the spline you need based on the size of the grooves in the screen frame. In many cases, the diameter of the spline should match the size of the groove. Some screens made with a thick fabric — such as screens that are resistant to wear and tear caused by pets, extra-strength screens and sun-blocking screens — may require spline that’s one size smaller. If you’re unsure what size spline you need, just match the size of your old spline. You can also find spline multi-packs that include several common sizes.
If you purchase spline with a diameter that’s a little too large, you can stretch it thinner. Simply hold one end and pull gently as you roll it into the channel. Once in place, it’ll return to its original shape for greater holding power.
Step 1: Prepare the New Screen
Lay the frame down with the channel side up. Tape the center of each outside edge of the frame to your work surface to secure it. Lay the screening over the frame.
Step 2: Prepare the Window
Use a flathead screwdriver to remove the old spline and screen.
Build a New Frame
To assemble a new frame, you’ll need four screen corners that slide into the aluminum frame pieces to hold them together.
Hold your screen frame in the window frame with retention hardware, such as top-tension springs, nylon turn buttons, screen frame hangers or wire loop latches. If in doubt, purchase top-tension springs, which are the easiest to install and don’t require drilling into your window frame.
Step 1: Measure the Area
Measure the existing screen or location where the screen will be placed. Subtract 1-1/2 inches from the height and width to allow for screen corners. For example, for a 24-inch-by-36-inch frame, cut two frame pieces that are 22-1/2 inches long and two frame pieces that are 34-1/2 inches long. If you’re using top-tension springs, subtract an additional 1/8 inch from the length of the vertical pieces.
Step 2: Cut the Frame
Mark the screen frame pieces for cutting and carefully square-cut the frame pieces with a hacksaw.
How to Install a Window Screen
Once you’ve built or prepped the window frame, you’re ready to install the screening. The process is simple and only requires a few basic tools. Replacing a window screen takes a few minutes per screen.
Step 1: Position the Screen
Lay the frame down with the channel side up. Tape the center of each outside edge of the frame to your work surface to secure it. Lay the screening over the frame.
Step 2: Cut the Screening Material
Using scissors or a utility knife, cut the screening 1 inch longer and wider than the frame so that the screen material overlaps the channel by 1/2 inch on all sides. Cut the corners of the screen material down the center to create pieces that have 45-degree angles and will overlap at the frame corners for a neat corner. If you’re using pull tabs, insert them into the frame spline channel at the bottom of the frame opposite the tension springs.
Step 3: Install the Spline
Starting at the corner, use the grooved wheel on the screen tool to roll the spline into the channel on top of the screen to hold the screen in place. Keep the screen material straight and taut for a polished appearance.
If you’re installing aluminum, solar or pet screening, use the rounded wheel on the screen tool to roll the screen fabric into the frame channels before installing the spline. This causes the screening to conform to the shape of the channel, making it much easier to roll the spline into place.
Step 4: Trim off the Excess Screening
When you’ve completed all four sides, trim off any excess screening with a utility knife. Use the top of the spline as a cutting guide and the outside of the spline channel as the cutting surface.
How Do You Repair a Window Screen?
If you’re wondering how to rescreen a window, it’s helpful to know that fixing a hole or tear doesn’t have to be an intimidating task. Knowing how to change a window screen lets you handle this relatively simple, and affordable, DIY project. Stop by your local Lowe’s store and a friendly Red Vest associate will help you find the tools and materials you need to get started on this DIY-friendly project today.