Window Screen Repair vs. Replacement: When to Patch and When to Toss

The Toolkit

Go to Home Depot or Canadian Tire. You need:

1. Spline Roller: A pizza cutter looking tool with a concave wheel.
2. Spline: The rubber cord. (Bring a sample of your old one—diameters vary!).
3. Mesh: Rolls of Fiberglass screen.
4. Utility Knife.

Step-by-Step DIY

1. Remove Old Mesh: Find the end of the rubber spline and pull. The mesh falls out.
2. Lay New Mesh: Lay the roll over the frame. Leave 2 inches of overhang on all sides.
3. The Tape Trick: Tape the mesh to the table so it stays taut (not tight, just flat).
4. Roll it In: Use the roller to push the mesh and the new spline into the groove. Do one side, then the opposite.
5. Trim: Run your knife along the outside edge of the spline groove.

"Pet Screen" Upgrade

If your cat shreds your screens, ask for Pet Screen. It is a thick, vinyl-coated polyester mesh.

• Pros: Claws can't cut it.
• Cons: It's thicker/darker (blocks more light). It is harder to install (spline is tight).

When to Call a Pro

• Missing Frames: If the screen is gone, we have to build a frame from scratch.
• High Rise: If the screen is on the 20th floor, do not try to pop it out yourself.
• Patio Doors: Sliding screen doors are tricky. The wheels and corners are under high tension.

Summary

Saturday morning project. Buy the tool. Don't pay someone $50 per screen unless you have 20 of them to do.