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Replacing Screens
If carried out correctly, replacing your screens can be a snap.
Be careless and you really will have to replace the whole
screen, frame and all.
Most screens come in two basic types: standard window screens
and screen doors.
Screen doors sit on rollers on springs and can typically just
be lifted out with slight pressure. Lift and tilt the bottom
toward your feet a couple of centimeters (an inch) to clear the
bottom frame, then let the screen down. Never force it, don't
tilt too far before dropping it and don't twist. You don't want
to bend the frame or break the rollers.
Window screens are held in by friction and often a set of
bow-shaped springs attached to the frame at the top and/or
sides, also. Use the tabs integrated into the frame to lift up
or sideways, whichever direction you have the most space.
Work at least one corner free, being careful not to twist more
than a centimeter (half an inch). Screens aren't moved often
and tend to stick. Be patient and work them loose a little at a
time.
Lay the screen flat on a large, smooth surface. If you're
concerned about scratching paint off the frame, put down a
sheet or blanket first. Remove any stays or screws inserted
through the mesh.
Screens are held in with a spline (a thin, cylindrical piece of
rubber-like material) inserted into a shallow channel. Find the
point where the spline ends and work it loose with an ice pick,
tweezers or a screwdriver. Pull gently, but firmly, until the
spline is removed. The screen mesh should pull out easily now.
Always take care not to bend the frame.
Rolls of replacement mesh can be purchased at hardware stores
or online in various lengths and widths. Kits typically come
with a length of replacement spline. Measure your screen and
allow for some waste. Pick up a spline roller, too. A small,
wooden-handled tool with a metal roller on one or both ends, a
spline roller looks like a pizza slicer with a dull circular
blade.
Measure the inner frame twice, then the mesh twice. ('Measure
twice, cut once' the old saying goes.) Cut to size, leaving
about half a centimeter extra (2/10ths of an inch) on each
side. You want to avoid having excess to cut off when the mesh
is in place, but still have enough to get in the channel and
around the spline.
Make sure the channel is completely free of any debris (old
spline pieces, screen mesh, tiny gravel, etc). Place the mesh
over the frame and stretch it tight, but not tight enough to
cause ripples. It helps to have a partner at this stage. Work
the spline into the channel, making sure the mesh doesn't twist
or slip from underneath. Stretch the spline slightly as you
go.
You can measure and pre-cut the spline but it isn't necessary.
Leaving it uncut allows you to make adjustments as you work it
into the channel. Place the spline along one edge at a time,
starting in the middle and working toward the corners. Work
your way around the channel, keeping the screen stretched
smooth and taut.
Avoid ending a spline piece at a corner. More tension on the
mesh occurs there and you don't want the corners to work loose.
Try to keep the lines of the screen mesh parallel to the edges
of the frame.
And did I mention you should avoid bending the frame? Ok, last
time for that.
Cut the spline and work the end into the channel. Clean out any
dirt and debris from the window frame where the screen will be
placed. Lift the screen into place and adjust using the tabs
and frame so as not to leave any air gaps. And be careful not
to bend... oh, you know that by now.
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