Springtime is coming! We are less than a month away from the first day of spring, and with it come all of the amazing smells of budding trees and flowers. Your sliding screen door or screen patio door is a great way to be able to enjoy the upcoming weather, but not if it has a hole. Holes are common in screen doors, but they tend to let in bugs and other critters.
Luckily for you, fixing a hole in a screen is not too difficult – it is definitely something you can do yourself with a quick trip to the hardware store.
What to Buy
Most hardware stores have rescreening supplies and door hardware for you to use, but you need to be aware of manufacturer specific parts. Anderson only sells parts through Home Depot due to an agreement. But, if your door is not Anderson, generic parts will probably work just fine.
Buy enough screen so that you can overlap the frame of the door by at least 2 inches on each edge. You will also need a new spline, which is the rubber tubing that holds the screen in a groove surrounding the frame. Spline tends to become brittle and break over time, so replacing that can be a good thing.
How to Install
- Pry out the spline undamaged, if possible. Use a flat head screwdriver or awl.
- If the old spline is not salvageable then use scissors to cut it the new spline to length. Make sure that the new spline has the correct diameter.
- Align the new screen to the frame. Lay the replacement screen over the door frame. Align one edge of the screen with the outside edge to be sure that the screen pattern is square with the door. This is where you ensure the 2″ overlap on each edge as well.
- Use the convex roller. Use the convex roller on the spline-tool to press the screen into the groove.
- Use the concave roller. Use the concave roller to press the spline into the groove. Apply pressure and angle the tool to avoid tearing the screen as the spline is seated.
- Pull tight & trim excess. After installing the spline, use a razor to trim the excess screen away.
With your screen door repaired, you now have unfettered access to all of the spring sights and sounds with the protection against pests.
