In the warm months, window screens are lifesavers, letting fresh air in and keeping pesky bugs out. But natural wear and tear after months (or if you’re lucky, years) of use will require you to repair those aluminum or fiberglass barriers. You have two options: Either patch the holes (if they’re no larger than a couple of inches) or replace the entire mesh screen. That might sound like a lot of work, but learning how to fix a window screen is no sweat.
“Replacing a window screen is an easy project and should take a novice one hour or less for the first window and even less as they move on to other screens,” says Robert Robillard, a Concord, NH, carpenter and contractor who makes DIY videos. Here’s what you need to know.
Mesh screen materials
- Aluminum: It’s strong and durable, and it takes a determined cat to tear through one of those babies. Aluminum screening comes in charcoal or black, which reduces glare and makes it all but invisible. Cost: $7.50 for a 36-by-84-inch roll.
- Fiberglass: Economical and flexible, it doesn’t crease or dent. It’s a favorite material for new construction. Charcoal and silver are the most popular colors. Cost: $4.70 for a 36-by-84-inch roll.
- Pet-resistant: It has a thicker grid that stands up to pet claws, but lets less light in. Cost: $13.50 for a 36-by-84-inch roll.
How to patch a screen
Patching a screen is quick and simple, but the patch will show. In a pinch, it’ll reinforce a small tear and keep out bugs until you have an hour to replace the entire screen.
- Use a utility knife to square off the hole or tear, making sure you keep about a half-inch of old screen between the tear and the metal frame.
- If you’re patching an aluminum frame, buy a patch kit that has several small patches. You can get one at Home Depot for $2.24. You might have to pull off some horizontal fibers to uncover the grippers along the edges. Cover the hole with a patch, and bend down the edges so they grip the old screen and keep the patch in place.
- If you’re patching fiberglass screens, buy some adhesive-backed patches for about $4. Peel the backing and stick the patch over the hole.
How to replace a window screen
Replacing ripped screens looks so much tidier than patching. So, jump in! Here are the tools you’ll need:
- Flathead screwdriver
- Screen
- Utility knife
- Spline
- Spline rolling tool
- Scissors
Follow these steps to replace a window screen:
- Remove the screen window from the frame, and place it on a flat surface with the grooves facing up. Use a pair of clamps or tape to hold the screen frame flat and secure while working.
- With a flathead screwdriver, pry up the spline, the flexible vinyl cord that keeps the screen in place.
- Cut a piece of screen that’s about an inch larger than the frame on all four sides, and align it with the frame grooves.
- Starting in one corner, push the screen into the channels using the convex end of the spline tool.
- Push the spline material—spring for some new spline if the old is brittle or cracked—into the channels using the concave side of the spline tool. Roll it from one corner to the next to lock the screen in place. Repeat on all four corners. Hold the screen taught as you work.
- Push down the spline in the four corners with a flathead screwdriver.
- Remove the excess screen by running a utility knife as close to the spline as possible.
Is the cost worth it?
It depends on what your time is worth, because the material costs are minimal. Robillard says once you purchase the spline roller for $7, you can plan on doing these repairs yourself for about $10 per window screen.
Of course, you can buy a new standard-size window screen for about $34. But would you pick up $17 you found on the floor? We would. That’s why we think that doing this easy repair is good for your pocketbook and conscience.
For more information, watch the video below courtesy of A Concord Carpenter.
