How to Rescreen a Wooden Screen Door
The screen in a wooden screen door can be pushed out over time from use. It can also rip from sharp objects and need to be replaced. Holes and loose edges allow bugs, such as flies and mosquitoes, to fly into the house and annoy people and potentially transmit disease. You can rescreen a wooden screen door in less time and for a lot less money than hiring a contractor to do this easy home maintenance project.
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Open the wooden screen door and locate the hinges. Use a screwdriver to remove the door from the hinges. Remove the door from the bottom hinge first.
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Place the wooden screen door on a stable work surface with the side of the screen with the gasket facing up.
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Use a small screwdriver to pry the end of the spline, which looks like a narrow rubber gasket, out of the groove. Gently pull the entire spline out of the groove and pull off the old screen.
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Roll out the new screen on top of the opening. Trim the screen but allow 3 inches of excess around the perimeter of the opening. Use a tape measure if needed to determine this measurement.
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Position the new screen spline on top of the screen over a corner. Press the screen spline into the groove with a small screwdriver which will press the screen into the groove behind the spline.
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Hold the screen straight and press the screen spline into the screen with a spline roller. The roller will apply the appropriate pressure while pressing the spline into the groove without stretching the spline. Continue rolling the spline until you reach the corner.
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Position the screen so the mesh is straight and use a small screwdriver to press the spline into the groove after the corner. Keep the spline slightly tight to prevent the spline from buckling. Repeat for each corner.
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Use the roller to press the spline and screen into the groove on the wooden screen door until the screen is secured with the spline on the entire frame.
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Cut off excess spline with a utility knife.
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Hold the utility knife on an angle on the outside of the spline and trim the excess screen from the wooden screen door frame.
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Move the door back to the door frame and reattach to the hinges.
Tips
- Clean or paint the wooden screen door if needed while it is off the hinges.
Writer Bio
Emily Patterson has been creating content for websites since 1996. She specializes in home improvement, natural body care and natural cleaning articles. Patterson holds a computing certificate from Penn State University.
Photo Credits
- home sweet home image by David Dorner from Fotolia.com
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