How to fix the screen in your storm door

by Adrian Dunevein

If you are getting tired of seeing the ugly hole in the screen of your aluminum screen door perhaps its time you tried to fix it yourself.

The big problem with aluminum screen doors is sometimes people paint them and the screen frame just wont come out of the door easily without damaging the paint job or damaging the screen frame.

No problem, you can fix it without removing it from the door. You still have to get the glass out from the door frame. Usually that involves lifting it up all the way, pulling out the bottom edge of the glass slightly then pulling it all the way down and out.

If you have got that far you should have complete access to the screen from the inside of the storm door. Pull out the old plastic spline that holds the screen it, saving it if possible. Pull out the screen material.

Cut a new piece of screen cloth three inches larger than the opening all around and take four two-inch pieces of spline. Use a flat blade screwdriver to poke the spline into the screen frame to hold the cloth in at each of the four corners of the frame. Be careful if you are using aluminum screen cloth, push in the spline gently so as not to rip the cloth.

Once you have the cloth secured you will need to purchase a cheap screen roller from the hardware store. One that has a metal wheel is best. Gently start rolling the cloth into the screen frame at one of the vertical sides and use the use the roller to push in the spline all the way up the screen channel.

When you come to a corner you will have to remove the small piece of spline used to hold the cloth in. and re roll the new spline in and around the corner using the screwdriver blade to push into the corner. Go slowly and carefully !, if you rip the screen you will have to start from the beginnning again !

As you continue rolling in the spline across the top of the frame, have someone support the back of the frame with their hand, to prevent pressure on the glass window above. Continue rolling in the spline and then just cut away the excess screen with a utility knife. You are done !

Many screens can be repaired in place in this manner, and it saves a trip to the glass shop and all the fuss of trying to get the screen in and out. You wont have to put up with that unsightly hole in the screen in the front door of your house any longer !

Adrian Dunevein has been repairing window and screens since 1992 and now runs an on-line screen repair self help website at www.all-about-screen-doors.com.

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