Rescreening Porch: A Complete Guide to Refreshing Your Outdoor Space

The weather is warming up across the country, and many people want to spend time outside. However, if your porch screen has worn out or become torn over time, you might want to rescreen the enclosure. There are many professionals that can rescreen your porch, but if you want to try your hand, but if you want to try your hand at replacing patio screens yourself, keep reading.

This guide will lead you through rescreening your porch step-by-step.

Rescreening Your Porch: Step By Step

Rescreening your porch is a relatively easy DIY project. If you’re looking for ways to save money and sharpen your home improvement skills, you may consider giving it a try.

Whether your old porch screen is torn, worn, or needs an upgrade to a more pet-resistant material, a porch screen replacement doesn’t take long to complete.

(Keep in mind that if only a single screen is torn and the tear is relatively small, it’s also worth looking into DIY screen repair rather than replacing the whole screen.)

Before you head to your nearest hardware store to gather supplies, take a moment to count how many screens you need to replace. If each screen is the same size, you’ll just need to multiply the measurements by the number of screens you need. If your screens come in different sizes, you’ll need to measure each and add the measurements.

For example, if you have six screens to replace and they’re all 2’x6′, you’ll need 12 sq ft of screen material for one frame, which is 72 sq ft for all six.

When shopping for material for your screen enclosure, make sure the roll you buy is at least as wide as the narrowest side of the frame. This way, you can make sure the material will fit the frame in one single run.

Materials You’ll Need

Before starting any DIY project, it’s important to make sure you have everything you’re going to need. In most cases, the following products cover all the supplies you should have on hand before rescreening your porch.

You can pick up most of these items at practically any hardware or home improvement store. Try Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware, or even Walmart.

• Screen fabric
  • (decide which type of screen you want to work with, for example, bug screen or sun control screen)
• Tape Measure
• White Pencil
• Screwdriver
• Scissors
• Tape (strong adhesive, like duct tape)
• Spline (check your existing porch screens for sizing information)
• Spline Roller
• Knife (one with a straight edge)
• Cleaning Supplies (if the area you’re working is particularly dusty)

1- Remove the Old Material

Your old porch screen (the one you’re replacing) is likely held in place by thin vinyl tubing called a spline. To start removing your old screen, pry the end of the spline out of the grooves in the screen frame using a screwdriver. Once you have freed enough spline to work with, gently remove the rest and pull the screen out of the frame.

Note: If your screen’s frame is dusty or dirty, use household cleaning products to remove debris before installing the new screen. Pay special attention to the grooves that the spine will need to fill. The cleaner the tracks are, the better the installation will be.

2- Measure and Prepare Your New Screen

If your old screen isn’t completely frayed, you can use it as a template to measure your new screen. Lay the old screen over the new screen and use the white pencil to stencil your measurements.

You can use the frame of your old screen to measure your new screen if the old material is ruined.

Give yourself at least an extra inch around the perimeter of your measurements so that you have room for adjustments.

Once you have the new screen measured (double-check for accuracy), use scissors to cut out your new screen.

3- Mount the New Screen

Hang the new screen over the frame you’ll be mounting it to. Tape the corners of your screen in place so that you don’t have to fumble with it during the fitting process. Check your work to ensure that you have plenty of screen on all four sides of the frame.

4- Roll the Spline

Keeping the screen between the frame and the spline roller, press the roller wheel into the groove of the frame.

Applying moderate pressure, slowly move the roller from your starting point to the opposite corner of the frame. When you reach the corner, gently remove the roller from the groove. Use your screwdriver to press the spline into the track around the corner, then reinsert your spline roller into the next piece of the frame. Continue rolling the spline until you reach the next edge, and repeat the process you followed before.

Repeat these steps until you have installed the spline all the way around the frame of the screen. From there, gently remove the spline roller and use a knife or scissors to cut the spline close to the edge of the screen. Press any exposed spline into the groove.

5- Remove Any Overhang

Test the integrity of your new screen by pressing on it. Don’t apply a lot of pressure; just press enough to verify that your spline was installed correctly. If your screen remains intact and none of the edges loosen, you’ve completed the installation process.

Now, use your knife to trim off any screen that extends beyond the frame. This will make your project look much neater and may prevent your new screen from loosening due to the overhand being pulled.

Once you finish rescreening your porch, you’re free to enjoy the outdoors without having to contend with bugs, harsh sunlight, or escaping pets.

Call Screenmobile

Are you looking to rescreen your porch but concerned about the cost and effort involved? Don’t worry. Screenmobile is here to help! While the blog provides a step-by-step guide for a DIY approach, we believe that entrusting the task to professionals like us is the easier and more efficient route. With Screenmobile services, you can sit back and relax while our experienced team takes care of everything. Rescreening a porch can be a hassle, from measuring and cutting the screen to installing the spline and ensuring a secure fit. By choosing our services, you can save time and avoid the potential pitfalls of a DIY project. We have the expertise and the necessary tools to get the job done right the first time. With a wide range of screen options to choose from, we’ll help you find the perfect solution for your porch, whether you need a pet-resistant material or want to upgrade your existing screens. 

Contact Screenmobile today and let us handle your porch rescreening needs, so you can start enjoying the outdoors without any worries.