DIY Fix: How To Fix Torn Screens Around Your House!

Any damage to a screen door or window should be fixed up as soon as possible, to prevent bugs and pests from accessing your home. Depending on the extent of the damage, there are different ways in which you can choose to rectify the situation.

The good news here is that fixing metal mesh screens is a relatively simple matter, and one that would only require a few supplies that you can pick up from your local hardware store or supermarket. Let’s get right into it:

Fixing Small Tears

In cases where the damage is minimal, the procedure to take is quite simple. First off, you will need to have a pair of tweezers, some superglue, a piece of fishing line, and a needle. With the tweezers, twist the exposed strands of the mesh into shape and apply a bit of superglue to hold them in place.

Using the needle and fishing line, stitch along the tear to hold the two sides together neatly. Once this is done, apply some more superglue to the whole seam to permanently hold the area together, and you’re done! Be careful, however, to not pull at the two sides too hard, or you might end up with an uneven surface.

Fixing Medium Tears

Should the rip in your screen be in excess of an inch in size, then you might need to take a different approach. This might require the use of a patch. You will first need to remove the screen from the door or window and lay it down on a flat surface, or the floor. You will then take a sharp knife or box-cutter and cut out a neat square around the damaged area.

Now, from a sheet of replacement mesh, cut out a square that is slightly larger than the area you cut out of the damaged screen. This will be your patch. Using your tweezers or by hand, unravel the edges of the patch and interlink them into the mesh of your damaged screen to completely cover the cut-out section. Once this is done, apply superglue to the borders of your patch to make sure it holds.

Fixing Large Tears

Now, should the damage be in excess of a few inches, your best option might be to replace the metal or fiberglass mesh screen in its entirety. This isn’t too difficult to do. You will first need to take the screen off and lay it down on a flat surface.

Next, you will use a knife or flat-head screwdriver to pry open the spline you will see running all around the frame, holding the mesh in place. You can then remove the old screen mesh.

With that done, you will take your replacement mesh and place it on top of the screen frame neatly, making sure to leave a bit of excess mesh hanging all around. Next, place the spline on top of the frame carefully along the groove it fits into, gently but firmly pressing it to make sure it fits snugly, and holds the mesh tight.

Be sure that the mesh screen is aligned correctly. Once you have your spline in place all around the frame, you can then trim off all the excess mesh hanging along the sides. You screen mesh will now be ready for remounting, good as new.

If you need construction equipment such as a scaffold tower, you can hire one here.  If you live in Kingston Upon Hull, you can rent ones here as well.