If you have a damaged screen door, here are a few quick fixes you can do yourself
Screen doors are often damaged with regular wear and tear over time. Sometimes all a door needs is an easy repair, while other times, the door is old and could use a replacement. But if your door has a broken roller, track, or torn screen, there are simple door repairs that you can do on your own.
DIRTY OR WORN-DOWN ROLLERS
If your screen door isn’t sliding smoothly, it may be in need a cleaning or a roller replacement. Often, dirt and debris get stuck in the rollers, preventing them from working properly. To clean or replace the rollers:
- Remove the door by releasing the tension on the rollers and lowering the door;
- Loosen the adjustment screws at the bottom of the screen frame;
- Lift one wheel out of the track;
- Pull the frame corner out of the track from the same side;
- Repeat on the other side of the frame;
- Lift the door out once the frame is free;
- Remove the adjustment screw;
- Remove the wheel assembly;
- If the roller is dirty, clean it out and vacuum the tracks;
- If the roller is broken or worn down, replace it—bring the old wheel assembly to the hardware store to determine which replacement part to buy.
WARPED TRACKS
If you notice that your door won’t open properly and the tracks have been warped, you can either:
- Use a hammer to reshape the tracks/hit them back into place; or,
- Purchase and install new tracks if they are in bad shape.
TORN SCREEN
You can easily patch a hole or tear in your door’s screen instead of replacing the entire screen. Visit your local hardware store to find a patch kit that matches your screen colour. You can then cut the replacement screen piece to size and use an adhesive to keep it in place. But if you would prefer to replace the entire screen, follow these steps:
- Remove the door and handle;
- While the door is off, inspect all parts to see if anything else needs replacing—such as the handle, track, or spline;
- Carefully remove the spline using an awl so you don’t damage the spline—the rubber tubing around the frame that holds the screen in place;
- If the spline is worn down, crumbling, or coming off in pieces, also replace it when replacing the screen;
- Lay new screening over the door—use enough screen to overlap door frame by a minimum of two inches;
- Use the convex roller on a spline tool to push the screen into the groove;
- Place the spline on top of the groove;
- Pull the screen tight while installing the spline—use clamps to hold the screen taught;
- Use the concave roller to push the spline into the groove on top of the screen; and lastly,
- Remove the excess screen with a knife or razor blade.
For more help with door repairs, or to invest in a new patio door, contact your local door experts.