Repairing Small Holes
Repairing small holes is quite easy to do. Simply fill small holes in your nylon or fiberglass screens with a few drops of instant adhesive. Metal screens can be filled with epoxy. Patch kits are often available at home supply and hardware stores, so you can simply follow the kit instructions to repair the tear. These small holes are often the easiest to repair as they don’t require a lot of work and are easily patched with the kits.
Patching a Hole
To make your own patch for nylon or fiberglass screens, cut a patch just barely larger than the hole. Apply a thin layer of fast-drying glue along the edges of the patch and press it in place. To avoid your sticking fingers to glue, use low-tack painter’s tape to hold the screen together as it dries. Cut a piece of tape larger than the patch and gently tape it to the patch, then leave it to dry. To make your own patch for a metal screen, cut a patch from a length of screening mesh. Trim the edges of the hole into a neat square opening. Make sure the patch is 1/2 inch larger all around than the hole to be repaired. Bend the frayed edges into right angles. Set the patch over the opening so that the teeth penetrate the screen. Turn the screen over; bend the teeth flat on the other side to hold in place.
Replacing a Molding-Frame Screen
The screening is typically held in place with staples, which are hidden by molding. Pry up the existing molding with a small chisel or screwdriver, and remove the old screening. Cut replacement screening with shears to overlap the frame by half an inch all the way around, and set in place. Use staple gun to fasten the screen, working from the middle of opposite sides to the corners, keeping the tension even. Nail the molding back into place with small nails or brads, and countersink. Trim excess screening with a utility knife. Fill nail holes with a wood filler that will absorb paint, and paint the screen as desired.
