How to Repair the Screens of a Screened-In Porch

Screened-in porches are useful because they keep out pesky insects.

Screened-in porches provide a bug-free area for you, your family and friends to gather. You can enjoy fresh air and an attractive view without being bothered by pesky insects. During pleasant weather, screened-in porches are useful in creating extra bedrooms for out-of-town guests or for children to entertain friends at sleepovers. The large screened areas sometimes get holes or tears in them, allowing mosquitoes, flies and other insects into the room, but it is important to keep this area bug-free for the comfort of your friends and family. It is not difficult to patch the screen yourself.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Piece of screen -- large enough to cover the tear plus 1/2 to 1 inch extra around all the edges
• Heavy-duty scissors
• Pliers
• Household cement (optional)
• Old pair of pantyhose (optional)
• Quick setting super glue (optional)

Instructions

1. Measure the size of the tear or hole in your screen. If it is larger than 3 inches in diameter, it may be best to replace the entire screen.

2. Cut the piece of replacement screening with the heavy-duty scissors. You need the replacement screen patch to extend 1/2 to 1 inch larger than the diameter of the tear or hole. If the hole is large, make the patch 1 inch larger.

3. Remove a few threads from around the diameter of the patch. This will leave loose strands that resemble fringe on a rug.

4. Bend the loose strands so that they are at a 90-degree angle all around the patch. If it is a heavy-duty piece of metal screen, you may need to use pliers to bend them.

5. Insert this patch over the tear or hole area on the inside of the screen. Ask someone to press the loose strands down flat onto the exterior side of the screen. The patch effectively covers the hole or tear area.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a small amount of household cement to patch a tiny hole in the screens -- 1/4 to 3/8 inch. It will be almost invisible once it dries.

• You can buy all the materials necessary to repair screens at hardware or home supply stores. Ready-made, snap-on or self-adhesive screen patches are available at these stores as well.

• Cut a square out of old pantyhose and use a quick-setting glue around the edges to make an inexpensive and effective patch for your screens.

References

• Popular Mechanics: 7 Quick Fixes for Broken and Stuck Windows