Rescreening a Window

Update your screen windows with new screening.

Window screens allow you to enjoy cool breezes in your home without the bother of flying insects. Unfortunately wear and tear eventually means rips and small holes in many window screens. Repair damaged window screens instead of replacing them and you'll save money in the process. A novice can successfully accomplish this basic home repair in an afternoon, using only simple tools.

Things You'll Need

• Flat screwdriver
• Measuring tape
• Screening material
• Box cutter
• Spline
• Spline tool

Instructions

1. Remove the screen frame from the window opening. Most screens are held in by a series of clips or screws that can be loosened by hand. Lay the screen on the ground with the back side facing up.

2. Push a flat screwdriver into the channel at the side of the screen to pry up the existing screen spline. The spline is a long, flexible piece of plastic or rubber that resembles black shoestring licorice. Pull the spline from all four sides of the screen. This will allow the screen to come off.

3. Remove the old, damaged screening from the frame. Measure the inside width and height of the frame opening. Add 2 inches to each measurement.

4. Unroll the new window screening material and cut a piece of screening in the dimensions you figured when measuring the frame opening.

5. Center the screening material over the opening in the frame.

6. Place the end of a strip of new spline on top of the channel at the side of the frame at one corner. Push down on the spline end with the screwdriver to secure it in the channel. This will push the screening down into the channel under the spline, trapping it against the channel material.

7. Hold the spline tool on top of the spline at the point you pushed it into the channel. The spline tool looks like a pizza cutter with a groove in the wheel. Line up the groove on top of the spline material. Push down on the spline tool while rolling it up the channel on one edge of the frame. This will push the spline down into the channel, holding the screening in place.

8. Push the screwdriver down on top of the spline at the first corner of the frame. This will secure the spline in the corner and allow you to turn the spline to fit into the channel on the next edge of the frame.

9. Continue using the spline tool and screwdriver to push the spline on top of the screening and into the channel on the other three sides of the frame opening.Stop when you have reached the corner where you first started.

10. Cut off the end of the strand of spline and push the loose end into the channel. Inspect the spline all around the frame and use the tool again on any spots that aren't completely encased in the channel.

11. Cut off the excess screening material all around the edge of the frame, using a box cutter right outside the channel and spline.

12. Replace the screen in the window frame, keeping the spline side of the window screen inside the house.