Hi! I hope you're having a fun and safe Memorial weekend. We're having a stay-cation at home and plan on barbecuing and going to the beach. So how do you like my lovely screen with the huge hole and lint stuck in it? Where in the world did the lint come from? Last week we had a major heat wave in the upper 90's. This sliding door is the only window in our bedroom. The light curtains and glass door have been closed all Winter and Spring and I haven't thought about this screen since last Fall. All of the other screens are in perfect condition. This is the screen that Festus likes to scratch. I love being frugal, and to see how long I can make something last. When I finally saw this though, I knew it was time to re-screen.
Here is the main culprit. He also likes to rub his head on my computer screen. He gets away with a lot of stuff around here!
I went over to our big name brand hardware store to buy some screening material, and discovered this pet screen. They aren't paying me to tell you about them. I don't know how well it works, but it's heavier material and maybe it'll hold up to Festus. Of course, the picture on the label shows a large dog clawing at the screen and they have bigger, duller nails than a cat who has very tiny, sharp, curved nails. But I'm willing to try it. I'll let you know in the future how it works out. All you will need is 1. screening spline 2. A screening wheel tool 3. window screening, enough to fit your frame. plus some to overlap. You'll also need some scissors to trim off the excess screen, when you're finished.
To start, find a spot to lay your screen flat. I find it easier to work with screens on the floor verses a table. The next step is to begin pulling out the screening spline. Sometimes it's very weathered and comes out in pieces. I was surprised to find that mine came out in one piece and was in such good condition that I reused it and returned the new package I bought to the store.
Once the old spline and screen are removed, this might be the best time to shine up the frame. Next, center the new screen over the frame so that there is some over lapping screen on all four sides.
Then working on one side at a time, roll the screening tool into the grove to make a rut for the spline to fit in.
Starting at a corner, lay the spline into the rut and roll the tool over it to push it in. I think that because I used heavier screening, I had to use a little elbow grease to get the spline pushed down nice and tight. This is a pretty easy project, just a little time consuming because you want to get it right and not have to redo it later!
I used a flat head screw driver to push the spline into the corners, taking care not to tear the screen. The corners can be a little stubborn and you want those to be especially pressed in tightly.
And there is the finished product, all ready for warm days ahead! I hope this tutorial has helped you if you're thinking of tackling some screens in the near future. It's pretty simple to do and so worth it!
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