| Save yourself a lot of money and time by hopping | | | | an awl or needle-nose pliers to remove the old spline |
| on the home improvement bandwagon. With just a | | | | from the frame groove. Once this has been |
| little instructional help, there are plenty of DIY | | | | removed, the old screen should be easy to pull out. |
| projects within the realm of capabilities of even the | | | | Next, meticulously clean out the small channel where |
| barely handy. One area where you, as a home | | | | you removed the spline. Now, lay the new screen |
| owner, can save yourself in the repair expense | | | | over the frame, making sure that each screen side |
| department is with damaged screens on your doors | | | | extends about ΒΌ-inch beyond the frame sides. |
| and windows. | | | | Then, snip off the screen corners at a 45-degree |
| The occasional damaged screen is par for the course | | | | angle just inside the spline channel. |
| as a home owner. But there is no reason why you | | | | Then, use the convex side of the spline tool to work |
| have to put up with the loose aluminum screen flap, | | | | the screen into the channel, making certain to hold |
| while waiting for the repairman to find time to come | | | | the rest of the screen fairly tightly to ensure that no |
| out and over charge you for a fairly simple task. | | | | wrinkles are formed during installation. Once this is |
| Sheets of screens are readily available at home | | | | done, you can use the same tool to install the spline. |
| improvement centers and hardware stores. There | | | | This time, use the concave end of the installation |
| are a number of precut dimensions that are sold in | | | | tool. Install the spline in one strip without cutting it at |
| packs. You can also buy lengths from rolls, much as | | | | any of the corners. Cut the end piece of the spline |
| you would with fabric. You might also consider screen | | | | with a sharp knife by pressing the knife against the |
| material that is designed to filter or block out the sun. | | | | edge of the channel. |
| Whatever the case may be, measure your windows | | | | That should do the trick. Clean up should be minimal. |
| and doors ahead of time and buy accordingly, making | | | | It's probably best to make your first screen repair |
| sure that you purchase material that slightly exceeds | | | | attempt on a small window to perfect the process. |
| the dimensions of the doors and windows. | | | | Once you have installed a screen or two, the entire |
| You'll need a few tools for your project. To hold the | | | | process shouldn't take more than a few minutes per |
| screen in place in its frame, you will be using a spline - | | | | window, slightly longer for screen doors. Keep one |
| a spaghetti-like rubber cord. Get a splining tool for this | | | | step ahead of the home improvement game and |
| part of the job. | | | | save a nice chunk of change in the process by |
| Start off by taking the damaged screen out of the | | | | tackling simple DIY jobs like this one on your own. |
| frame. Next, lay the frame on a work surface. Use | | | | |