How to Fix and Replace Window Screens

Pinholes in screening are very simple to fix. But, the type of material used to make the window screen will dictate how you repair the pinholes.

If the screening is metal, use a sharply pointed tool to push the strands of wire back toward the hole; you may be able to close the hole completely. If there's still a hole, apply clear nail polish or household cement over it. Let the sealer dry. Apply additional coats until the opening is filled.

With vinyl or fiberglass screening, move the threads back into place. Otherwise, fill tiny holes with clear nail polish or household cement. Be careful not to let any sealer run down the screen. Nail polish may dissolve some types of screen materials.

To close a large hole, cut a patch from a scrap piece of screening, the same type (vinyl, fiberglass, or metal) as the damaged screening. Don't use metal screening made of a different metal; placing two metals together -- steel to copper, for instance -- can cause corrosion.

A vinyl patch is very easy to install, if you can lay the screen flat. Cut a patch about 1/2 inch bigger all around than the hole, and set it over the hole. Place a sheet of aluminum foil over the patch area, shiny side down, and press the patch firmly with a hot iron, being careful not to touch the screen directly with the iron. The heat will fuse the patch onto the screening. If you can't lay the screen flat, sew the patch into place with a needle and nylon thread using a firm running stitch, but don't pull the thread too tight. Apply clear nail polish over the edges of the patch to keep it from fraying.



To patch metal screening, cut a square or rectangle about 1 inch bigger all around than hole. Pull out the wires on all four sides to make a wire fringe about 1/2 inch deep around the patch. Bend the fringe wires down sharply at a right angle; use a wood block to make a clean bend on each side of the patch. When the fringe wires are evenly bent, set the patch over the hole in the screen, and press to insert the bent fringe wires through the screening around the hole. The patch should be flat against the screen, covering the hole completely. Fold fringe wires down flat toward the patch's center on the other side of the screen. Then stitch around the entire patch with a needle and nylon thread or with fine wire.

Replacing Window Screens

When a screen has many holes or when metal screening becomes bulged and rusted, consider replacing the screening entirely.

What You'll NeedHere are the tools you'll want to have on hand to replace a wood-frame screen: Stiff putty knife Chalk Scissors Tape measure Sawhorses Weights or clamps Rope Scrap boards Staple gun and heavy-duty staples Screening

As long as the screen frame is in good condition, this isn't as difficult as it sounds. You may be able to buy the screening cut to size. If not, use scissors to cut it about 11/2 inches larger all around than the opening. How you replace a screen will depend on whether it has a wood frame or aluminum frame.

Wood-Frame Screen

Step 1: Use stiff putty knife to carefully pry up molding around edges of screen. Pry out tacks or staples that held screening in place, and remove screening. Pull out any staples or tacks left in frame.

Step 2: Lay new screen fabric over frame, and trace outline of opening on it with chalk. Then cut screening to size, 11/2 inches larger all around than traced outline.

Step 3: Bow or arch the frame for easier installation by weighting or clamping the frame. To use the weight method, set frame the long way across two sawhorses, and hang 10-pound weight from rope around center of frame.

To clamp frame into bow, set it on workbench or wide board across two sawhorses. Place C-clamp at center of each long side, holding frame to work surface, and set long piece of scrap wood, such as a 2x4, between frame and work surface at eachend. As you tighten C-clamps, the frame will bow.

©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Use a C-clamp, a table, and two 2X4s to bow a wood-frame screen.

Step 4: Set screening across frame, aligned along one unclamped end. Use staple gun loaded with heavy-duty staples to attach screening to wooden frame, placing staples at right angles to frame, about 2 to 3 inches apart. If you're using fiberglass screening, turn cut edge under about 1 inch before stapling it down. When first end is securely stapled, pull loose screening over clamped frame, and stretch it firmly and evenly across to the opposite end. Holding it firmly as you work, staple second end into place, setting staples 2 to 3 inches apart at right angles to frame. Then unclamp or unweight frame; screening should be pulled very tight as it straightens out. Staple two sides into place; trim off any excess screening.

Step 5: Replace molding to cover stapled edges of the screening.

Aluminum-Frame Screen

As aluminum (and, increasingly, vinyl) screens grow in popularity, it will be helpful for homeowners to know how to handle and replace them when necessary. The task will be slightly different than a wood-frame screen, but not more difficult.

What You'll NeedHere are the tools you'll want to have on hand to replace an aluminum-frame screen: Screwdriver or putty knife Screening Scissors Scrap boards Splining tool

Look over the screen frame to see if it is in good condition. Be aware that the aluminum-frame screen will require plastic splining, a few inches longer than the diameter of the screen, to replace the old spline.

Step 1: With screwdriver or putty knife, pry up plastic spline that holds old screening in place. Remove the old screening.

Step 2: Lay frame flat, and position new screening over it. Trim edges so screening extends just to outside edges of frame. If necessary, set scrap boards the same thickness as frame under screening to help keep them on same level.

Step 3: Position screening so one end and one side are lined up on outside edge of splining groove in frame. Hold screening carefully in place and, with convex roller of splining tool, force edge of screening into splining groove. Secure other two sides the same way, stretching screening taut as you work.

Step 4: When all four sides of screening are in place, cut off any excess screening. Using concave end of splining tool, drive spline into groove to hold screening in place. Start installing spline at one corner, and work around the frame. Cut off excess splining where ends meet.

Window shades receive a lot of use and sometimes snap all the way up too quickly or fall out of the brackets. Instead of repeatedly replacing shades, learn how to tackle these and other common problems in the next section.