Building and Fixing Fly Screens

To protect homes from the entry of disease-carrying insects, your homes must be equipped with fly screens for windows and doors. If you are not a handyman or a person with no carpentry skills whatsoever, it is best to seek the help of professional installers to do these for you. But if you have enough know how in doing small things when it comes to home repairs, then this article can help you know more on how to install screen meshes for windows and doors.

Most wooden window frames have small rebates in their design of the molding for the purpose of installation of screens. But if they are flat, then you can just install them flat on the outer surface of your windows. However, if you have a sash, sliding, or inward window openings, you will definitely find these rebates on the outside portion of the frames. If your windows open outwards, like casement or awning windows, the screen should be installed on the inside. These types of screen are more complicated to construct since you have to install mechanical winders to gain access to the windows without removing the screens. For sliding aluminum window types, screens are usually fitted into the outer track.

For making DIY screen doors, you will need a tape measure, aluminum fly screen frame, corner connectors, fiberglass screen mesh, plastic fly screen, hacksaw, utility knife, and the cordless drill.

Grab a tape measure and make a careful note of the space between the inside edges of the rebates, then allow a couple of millimeters clearance all round to determine your screen size. If the screens are to fit into aluminum tracks, the vertical measurement starts on the upper inside surface of the top track but stops on the top edge of the lower track. Subtract a further 3 mm from this measurement for tolerance and you'll have a screen size that that can be fitted by lifting it into the top track and pushing it past the edge of the lower track before dropping it into place.

After measuring all your windows, you must make a sketch of each screen to make prior to heading down the hardware store to buy supplies. You must setup a sturdy and flat working surface for measuring, marking and cutting the aluminum frame to size with the use of the hacksaw and miter box. Small miter boxes do this job are available for a few dollars. They can be found in the hardware area as the location of the fly screen materials. This is the part that you should locate if you are in need of fly screen mesh.

Using the corner joiners, it is time to assemble the fly screen. By using a piece of wood or a mallet, tap the corners to put in position. When they are already assembled, test it one the windows to ensure if they fit well. If the window is slightly out of square, try pushing it on the corner of your frame to adjust it. After clamping the screen into the frame, it is good to go. Do the same with the other windows. You don't have to undergo skill builder training to learn all of these. If you do not have the time, better hire professional to do the work for you.

Frances Coleman    Contact the author of the petition