How to Change the Mesh on a Retractable Screen Door

Wooden Door Frames

• 1

  Remove the door from its tracks. Screen doors are typically mounted in two narrow tracks located on the outside of the door’s threshold. One track is located just above the top of the screen door and the other is located underneath the bottom of the door. Spring-mounted rollers attached to the door fit within these tracks. Grasp both sides of the door and lift the door up to compress the rollers at the top of the door. Angle the bottom of the door outward while compressing the rollers at the top of the door and lift the door out of the threshold.

• 2

  Position the door on a flat surface with the interior side of the door facing up.

• 3

  Remove the wooden molding pieces that secure the edges of the mesh to the edges of the door. The molding is secured to the door with small nails. Pry the molding away from the door by inserting the tip of a small pry bar between the molding and the door and prying the molding away from the door.

• 4

  Pull the staples that secure the mesh to the door with pliers to release the mesh.

• 5

  Lay the new mesh onto the door. Align the top of the mesh with the top of the door so that the mesh is straight.

• 6

  Staple one side of the mesh to the edge of the door to ensure that the position of the mesh is not disturbed.

• 7

  Pull the mesh towards the opposite side of the door until the mesh is taut. Staple this side of the mesh to the edge of the door.

• 8

  Staple the mesh to the door frame. Work outward from the center of the frame.

• 9

  Trim away the excess mesh with a utility knife.

• 10

  Remove the staples used to secure the sides of the mesh to the edges of the door with pliers.

• 11

  Position the molding pieces over the edges of the mesh. Drive finishing nails through the molding pieces and into the door with a hammer.

• 12

  Insert the top of the door into the track at the top of the threshold. Push the door into the track to compress the spring-mounted rollers and guide the bottom of the door into the bottom tract.

Metal Door Frames

• 13

  Remove the door from its tracks jus like the wooden door frame.

• 14

  Position the door on a flat surface with the interior-side of the door facing up.

• 15

  Remove the rubber spline from the grooves along the interior edges of the door. The spline is the strip of rubber that holds the mesh within the grooves located along the edges of the door. Pull the spline out of the grooves with needle-nose pliers to release the mesh.

• 16

  Cut a new length of spline that matches the length of the old spline with a utility knife.

• 17

  Lay the new mesh onto the door. Align the top of the mesh with the top of the door to ensure that the mesh is straight.

• 18

  Press the new spline over the mesh and into the edges of the door with a spline roller tool. A spline roller closely resembles a miniature pizza cutter and is used similarly. Position the roller’s wheel onto the end of the spline and press the spline into the groove within the door. Roll the wheel along the length of the groove while applying downward pressure.

• 19

  Trim away the excess mesh with a utility knife.

• 20

  Insert the top of the door into the track at the top of the threshold. Push the door into the track to compress the spring-mounted rollers and guide the bottom of the door into the bottom tract.