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Screen Door Mesh Replacement

What you need

  1. Screen Door Mesh Replacement, Mesh: step 1, image 1 of 1
    • Place the screen door on a completely flat surface. Lay the new screen across the frame.

    • Make sure that the mesh overlaps on all sides of the frame ā€” you want to have a bit of extra material on every side.

    • Use tape or clamps along the bottom edge of the screen to keep it taut against the frame.

    • If the mesh isn't secured properly, it may become uneven or bunched up during the replacement.

  2. Screen Door Mesh Replacement: step 2, image 1 of 1
    • Use the convex (pointy) edge of the screen rolling tool to gently push the mesh into the frame channel along the top of the frame. This will create a crease for the spline to be inserted into.

  3. Screen Door Mesh Replacement: step 3, image 1 of 1
    • Use a pair of scissors to make a diagonal cut at the corner of the frame. This will give the mesh some "relief", and prevent it from bunching up in the corners.

    • Make sure to cut only up until the corner of the channel frame. You do not want to accidentally cut a hole in your new mesh.

  4. Screen Door Mesh Replacement: step 4, image 1 of 1
    • Start the spline in the top corner by pressing it into the frame channel with your fingers. Don't worry about getting it fully inserted ā€” the screen rolling tool will handle the rest.

  5. Screen Door Mesh Replacement: step 5, image 1 of 1
    • Use the convex (grooved) edge of the screen rolling tool to press the spline into the frame channel. Make sure to keep the screen taut while doing this.

    • You may need to roll the tool back and forth over the spline a few times to get the spline properly seated.

  6. Screen Door Mesh Replacement: step 6, image 1 of 2 Screen Door Mesh Replacement: step 6, image 2 of 2
    • When you reach the corner, use your hands to route the spline around the corner.

    • Make sure that the spline doesn't get bunched up at the corner. It's important for the spline to be taut around the entire frame.

  7. Screen Door Mesh Replacement: step 7, image 1 of 1
    • Once you reach the bottom (taped) edge, partially remove the tape to make another diagonal cut in the mesh.

  8. Screen Door Mesh Replacement: step 8, image 1 of 2 Screen Door Mesh Replacement: step 8, image 2 of 2
    • Remove the tape section by section, and continue creasing and pressing the spline into the frame channel.

    • Keep working in the same manner until you reach your starting point.

  9. Screen Door Mesh Replacement: step 9, image 1 of 1
    • Once you reach your starting point, trim the spline so that it will fit snugly up against the beginning edge of the spline without any overlap.

  10. Screen Door Mesh Replacement: step 10, image 1 of 2 Screen Door Mesh Replacement: step 10, image 2 of 2
    • The screen rolling tool does a great job of getting the spline into the frame channel, but it doesn't always get the spline fully inserted. Carefully use a flathead screwdriver to push the spline into the frame channel until it is snug.

    • Take your time with this, because an improperly inserted spline may cause the screen to become slackā€”or a slip with the screwdriver can introduce a hole to your new mesh.

  11. Screen Door Mesh Replacement: step 11, image 1 of 1
    • Carefully use a utility knife to trim the excess mesh around the frame. You can use the outer edge of the channel and spline as a guide to get a straight, clean cut.

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

18 other people completed this guide.

Geoff Wacker

Member since: 09/30/13

89,828 Reputation

89 Guides authored

9 Comments

thank you , amazing

ismail - Reply

really helpful; my problem is i have huge lanai windows that need to be rescreened; its very daunting because you cannot lay them down, you are working in mid air; the basic principles here will apply but how do you get started. Even just tucking the screen back in where its become loose is hard to do without it bagging out or sagging here and there. Thanx, will help when I do the door.

Barbara - Reply

Start with the top side!

nicO -

Really helpful guide, thanks! I made an edit to omit the part about making sure the small squares in the mesh align with the frame because (as I experienced in my case) the mesh wasn't cut perfectly parallel, so there wasn't enough overlap if I aligned them this way. I think the most important part is to just make sure there's enough overlap on all sides.

Kim Arre - Reply

Nice article. Thank you for sharing this. Its really helpful. Step by step instruction on door replacement is good. We expect more from your side

Juliet james - Reply

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