Patch a Torn Window Screen Instead of Replacing It
· Mark Mendenhall
A torn screen lets in exactly the bugs Florida is famous for. A full rescreen is cheap too, but a tiny tear doesn't need it — patch it.
How to do it
- For a hole under an inch: cut a patch from an old screen (or a patch kit) about half an inch bigger than the hole all around.
- Unravel a few strands on each edge of the patch and bend them into tiny hooks.
- Push the patch over the hole so the hooks catch the screen, or fix it in place with a thin line of clear waterproof glue around the edges.
Trim any frayed wires around the tear first so the patch lies flat. If the tear is in the bottom corner where kids and dogs push, that section is telling you it wants a full rescreen.