Window and Door Screen Repair and Replacement

Patching Small Tears

For tears smaller than about 2 inches, a self-adhesive screen patch works well. Clean the area around the tear, center the patch over the hole, and press it down firmly. These patches come in fiberglass and aluminum to match common screen materials. They're visible up close but unnoticeable from a normal viewing distance.

For slightly larger tears where the screen material is intact around the edges, you can close the hole by realigning the torn fibers with a toothpick or needle and applying a thin bead of clear silicone over the repair. This works best on fiberglass screen where the fibers are flexible enough to reposition. Aluminum screen tears are sharper and don't reposition as easily.

Full Rescreen: Materials

Fiberglass screen is the standard for most residential windows. It's inexpensive, easy to work with, and doesn't crease or dent. It stretches slightly during installation, which makes achieving a flat, wrinkle-free result easier. Aluminum screen is more durable and provides slightly better visibility. It's harder to work with because it creases if you're not careful during installation.

Specialty screens include pet-resistant screen (vinyl-coated polyester that resists claw damage), solar screen (reduces heat gain by blocking a percentage of sunlight), and fine-mesh no-see-um screen (blocks tiny insects). All install the same way — they just use different materials. Spline (the rubber cord that holds the screen in the frame channel) comes in diameters from about .140 to .220 inches. Bring a piece of your old spline to the store to match the size.

Full Rescreen: Process

Remove the screen from the window or door frame. Lay it flat on a work surface. Pull out the old spline from the channel around the perimeter — a flat-head screwdriver or an awl starts the pull, then it comes out by hand. Remove the old screen material.

Lay new screen over the frame, leaving at least an inch of excess on all sides. Starting on one long side, press new spline into the channel over the screen using a spline roller (a small wheel on a handle). Roll firmly and steadily — the spline pushes the screen into the channel and locks it in place. Do the opposite long side next, pulling the screen slightly taut before rolling the spline. Then do both short sides. Trim the excess screen outside the spline channel with a utility knife.

Frame Repair

Bent aluminum screen frames straighten by hand for minor bends. For sharper bends, remove the screen and spline, clamp the frame to a flat surface, and straighten it with steady pressure. If a corner joint has separated, push it back together and secure it with a corner key (a small L-shaped insert that fits inside the frame extrusion). Most frames use these corner keys, and replacements are available at hardware stores.

Broken frame sections need replacement. Measure the broken piece, buy the matching aluminum frame extrusion (sold by the foot), and cut it to length with a hacksaw. Assemble with corner keys. If you're replacing a full frame, bring the old one to the store to match the profile — there are several standard extrusion sizes, and the screen channel width and depth must match for the spline to seat properly.

Screen Door Adjustment

Sliding screen doors ride on rollers at the bottom. If the door drags or won't slide smoothly, adjust the roller height with a Phillips screwdriver through the access holes at the bottom of the door. Turning the adjustment screw raises or lowers the roller. Raise it just enough to clear the track without lifting the door out of the top channel.

Clean the track with a stiff brush and vacuum. Debris in the track causes more sliding problems than roller wear. A light coat of silicone spray on the track reduces friction. If the rollers are worn flat (you'll see flat spots instead of round wheels when you remove the door), replace them. Roller assemblies pop out of the door frame and replacements snap in. Bring the old assembly to match the style — there are dozens of variations.

Frequently Asked Questions