Screen Door Repair

A screen door works wonders for a home. From keeping it safe from pests, to still allowing the cool breeze to find its way into the house; it performs this dual function beautifully. But what when the door is stuck, or the screen gets ripped? That's when you have to step in and repair it.

If the problem is minor, and you can identify it yourself, repairing is the next step. Take a look at the problems you may face and the instructions on how to take care of them.

Sometimes small pebbles, twigs, and a lot of dust can settle in the door tracks, which may cause a problem in smooth sliding. All you need to do is, clear the tracks of all these infestations, either manually with a duster, or with an air blower. It would further help, if you could lubricate the tracks with some oil to ensure its smoothness.

Sometimes, there may be a problem with the frame. A little bend may not allow the door to fit properly within the frame. Ideally, a door is supposed to be flushed in line with the frame, leaving no room for any spaces above or below. You will have to check the length as well as the angle of the door to ensure it is perfectly perpendicular to the floor.

For the alignment issues, it is better to seek the help of a professional as you may end up damaging your door in an endeavor to repair it. To lengthen it, screws are used along its upper and lower edge. Just adjust the screws as per the desired length.

If there is a hole in the screen, you can even patch those up easily. However, if the diameter of the hole exceeds 3 inches, then you may have to replace the screen. This may take a long time, depending on the kind of mesh you are working with. Also, if it is a fiberglass, you may need to replace it, as it is tough to repair. Here are some instruction.

• If the screen is torn, you can sew it with heavy duty thread, that matches the color of the mesh. The thread will have to be sewn on tightly, but in a manner that does not distort the appearance of the screen. You can use some household cement to seal the stitches, which will make them hardly visible.

• If it is a visible hole, first trim its edges to give it an even and square shape using a tin snip. Depending on the size, ready-made patches are also available. In other cases, you can even cut a patch from a new screen roll. The size of the patch should be half an inch longer than the existing hole from all sides.

• Remove two strands of mesh from all sides of the patch, and manually weave it into the existing mesh to seal it. This may be a little time-consuming. To strengthen the weave you may either use household cement, or clear nail polish.

• As mentioned earlier, for larger holes or tears, it is wiser to replace the screen entirely. To do so, you will have to first unhinge the screen door from the frame or track. Then remove the splines on either side, that hold the screen in place.

Replace it with a piece of screen larger than the frame of the door, push it in thoroughly, and place the splines back. Ensure that the screen has fit well and tight.