Patio screen repair covers a multitude of topics and there are many areas of knowledge needed to assist in repairing screens. Additionally, screen doors are often accompanied by locks, latches, and other types of hardware which may also require repair or replacement. For both door and window patio screens, the screening material might be damaged or loose. This can be fixed with a few simple repair steps and save the cost of a new patio screen. First, it is necessary to assess the damage of the screen.
If the patio screen is simply loose, one can replace it with the black rubber, called the spline, that holds it in the frame. Remove the spline, replace the screen material into its original position and replace the spline using either a flat head screwdriver or spline roller, which can be purchased at most hardware stores.
If the screening itself is damaged, it is possible to buy small patch repair kits. However, if it looks like the damage will cause some major screen door repair, mesh screening material is sold in large rolls at most home improvement stores. One must first remove all old spline and screen. Then the new patio screen can be placed in and secured with the spline as described in the above screen door repair section. After the spline has been replaced, the extra screening can be cut away with a utility knife or razor blade.
For a sliding patio screen door, often the rollers upon which it slides are damaged. After removing the screen door from its track, the old rollers can be removed simply with a screwdriver. Old rollers should be taken to the hardware store, matched up, and replaced in the same way they were removed.
If a sliding patio screen door seems too short to fit the frame upon which it rolls, it can be extended using some handy screen door repair secrets. Most sliding screen doors can be extended by as much as four centimeters by simply readjusting the top and bottom rails of the door, which are attached with screws in one-inch (2.5 cm) slots. One can simply locate the slots at the top and bottom of the door, loosen the screws, slide the slots along the screws, and retighten.
Another important element of screen door repair is the damage to locks and latches. Most manufacturers have individual screen door latches available for purchase on the internet. Additionally, an old or damaged latch can be removed with a screwdriver and taken to a hardware store to match and replace.
