How to Make Wooden Screens

Make wooden screens for your windows to keep out insects.

When the summer months start approaching and the temperature inside the house rises, opening a window keeps a person from turning on the air conditioner. Open windows provide cool air flowing through the house, but missing screens on windows let bugs into the house. Whether the house windows are old or new, making wooden screens for the windows is easy and cheaper than buying new screens, especially if the house has an odd sized window.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Safety glasses
• Pencil
• Paper
• Skill saw
• 4 slats, 1-inch by 2-inch by the vertical length of the window to make one wooden screen
• Carpenter glue
• 4 1 1/2-inch by 4-inch flat metal straps
• 16 wood screws, 3/4-inch long
• Screwdriver
• Screen material
• Staple gun
• Staples
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Measure the horizontal, top part of the outer part of the window frame. Measure one of the vertical sides of the outer frame of the window. Write these measurements down.

2. Put on safety glasses. Cut two pieces of wood the length of the horizontal measurement. Label these two pieces with the letter A. Cut two pieces of wood minus 2 inches from the vertical measurement. Label these two pieces with the letter B.

3. Lay one of the part A pieces on a flat surface. Pick up one of the part B pieces, and put some wood glue on one of the 2-inch by 1-inch sides. Push the glued edge against the bottom of the left corner of part A, creating a corner. Repeat this procedure on the right side with the other part B piece.

4. Lay one of the flat metal straps across both wood pieces on the left side with half of the strap on top of both pieces. Screw the strap to both pieces of wood. Repeat this procedure on the right side with another strap.

5. Put glue on the bottom edge of the part B pieces, and press the last part A piece into it, so the top edges are flush with each other. Put a strap on top of each side between the part A and B pieces, and screw them in place.

6. Cut the screen material 2 inches wider and longer than the rectangular frame. Lay the screen material on a flat surface, and place the rectangular wooden frame on top of the screen material. Make sure it is centered on the screen material.

7. Fold the left side up onto the wooden frame, and place a staple in the center of the wood. Repeat this procedure on the right side of the wooden frame. Repeat this procedure on the top and bottom of the wooden frame. Only hook the material in the center on each side. Make sure you pull the screen material tightly on each side.

8. Put two staples on the right and left side of the center staple on each side. Start with the left side, then the right, then the top and the bottom. Continue working in this pattern until you staple the screen all the way along the sides.

9. Fold the corner edges onto the part A pieces, and staple them in place. Make sure you keep the corners neat.

10. Trim off the excess screen material from the frame. Cut the material so it is flush with the edge of the screen.

Tips & Warnings

• Paint the frame with a water proofing paint before attaching the screen material if the wood is untreated.

References

• Travel Vice: How To Make A Window Screen With Wooden Frame