How to Attach a Screen to a Porch
A screened-in porch is highly appreciated in areas of the country where evening comes with an onslaught of insects. The protection of screening can make all the difference between enjoying a pleasant dinner on an outside porch or being driven inside by mosquitoes or hornets. Installing screening is much easier today than it used to be. All you need are a few simple tools to enjoy your porch this summer. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 2-by-4-inch framing
- Tape measure
- Screen base (2 sizes)
- Screws
- Power screwdriver
- Screen base cap (2 sizes)
- Screen spline
- Screening wheel tool
- Scissors
- Utility knife
Instructions
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1
Add 2-by-4-inch framing to your porch to mount the screen to. Each screen area should not exceed 40 square feet. Divide larger areas with additional framing. Fiberglass screen comes in standard sizes of 24-, 30- and 36-inch widths. Keep your framing symmetrical and within standard widths for best appearance and cost effectiveness.
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2
Measure and mount screen base to your framing. Use a 3-1/2-inch-wide base for your 4-by-4-inch posts and a 1-1/2-inch-wide base for your 2-by 4-inch framing. Mount your vertical base first at your posts. Then your vertical divider framing. Last, mount your horizontal base. The horizontal base butts up to the spline area on the vertical base.
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3
Cut 2 pieces of vertical spline material. Center the screen at the bottom of your opening. Allow 2 inches of screen material to hang over the horizontal base. Press your spline material and screen into the vertical base for the first inch. Use your concave wheel on the screening tool to press the spline into the channel for the first foot. Use the convex wheel for installing the rest of the screen. Keep your screen taut as you work from side to side.
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Cut 2 splines the width of your horizontal channel. Fold the spline loosely in half and find the center of your horizontal channel. Press one inch of the spline into the channel. Use the concave wheel and roll from side to side, using your fingers to pull the screen taut as you work. When 1 foot has been installed, switch to the convex wheel and stretch and press the spline into the channel evenly to finish.
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5
Run the convex wheel over the entire spline on all sides to make sure that the entire spline is well seated. Use your utility knife to carefully trim off any excess screen. Cut and apply appropriate end caps to cover the exposed splines.
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Tips & Warnings
The screen base makes screening your porch much easier. If you prefer metal screen, the product is also available for aluminum screen, but a different spline is used.
