Hoping Someone Here Can School Me on Porch Screen

[hailwood1965]

I need to re-screen the three-season porch on a 1920s house. It sits in full sun. It has not been re-screened in a decade.

What are the upsides and downsides to each roll screen materials? Also, do any of the home stores sell narrow, white PVC trim so we won't have to repaint the old wood stuff that holds the screen on?

I have a small MKE nailer I intend to use to fasten the trim/screen to the porch.

 

[larry4406]

15 years ago I did it using off the shelf parts from I think Lowe’s or Home Depot.

There was a black vinyl/plastic track that was 3.5” wide. It attached to the upright 4x4 posts of our porch on the exterior side.

The track has two screen bead edges, on each side.

The screen was plastic and in a roll. I think it was 48-54” wide something like that. The screen bead came in a roll of several hundred feet. Bead roller looked like a mini pizza cutter but with a concaved perimeter.

Cut screen to ~ 2-3” larger on height and width. Start one side and apply the screen bead to hold the screen captive. Carefully look at screen to ensure threads are vertical and horizontal. Apply opposite side after pulling taught. Then top and bottom. Tweak as needed.

Then they had white plastic trim caps that snapped over everything.

I think they might also have had a 1.5” width kit.

We sold that house. I might have pics. Will need to check my desktop.

 

[Ohio Andy]

I need to re-screen the three-season porch on a 1920s house. It sits in full sun. It has not been re-screened in a decade.

What are the upsides and downsides to each roll screen materials? Also, do any of the home stores sell narrow, white PVC trim so we won't have to repaint the old wood stuff that holds the screen on?

I have a small MKE nailer I intend to use to fasten the trim/screen to the porch.

Last I looked I was leaning towards super screen... It should hold up well from UV and pets. I don't do screen porches very often, but a couple years ago (probably five) I did one for a friend and they have squirrels climbing all over it and after 5 years there are A couple tears. I think super screen would hold up better for the tears. At least something to look at.

All of the screens I have ever done I had to roll into place with a screen tool.

Well, I'm curious to see what you choose

 

[Toold_up]

Pictures would help. Is there an aluminum track the screen is held in? There should be a rubber rope in a trough that holds the screen tight by friction if so. You will need a roller and a utility blade as far as tools go... Maybe a pick or flat blade screw driver to remove the old rope.

 

[RTM]

Don't make the screen "as tight as possible". Did that once, the screen quickly tore itself apart in a wind storm. I've learned to leave it just Taut, not super tight.

I like the black shade cloth myself, not the metal screening. I live close to the ocean, so rust is a constant concern.

 

[Toold_up]

Don't make the screen "as tight as possible". Did that once, the screen quickly tore itself apart in a wind storm. I've learned to leave it just Taut, not super tight.

I like the black shade cloth myself, not the metal screening. I live close to the ocean, so rust is a constant concern.

I agree, the aluminum screen is a waste of money.

What I found matters the most is the size of the squares. Smaller squares keep out more bugs than the larger squares, but they also restrict air flow (your porch will be a few degrees warmer) and when wet you cannot see through them. The larger squares work best for me.

 

[larry4406]

15 years ago I did it using off the shelf parts from I think Lowe’s or Home Depot.

There was a black vinyl/plastic track that was 3.5” wide. It attached to the upright 4x4 posts of our porch on the exterior side.

The track has two screen bead edges, on each side.

The screen was plastic and in a roll. I think it was 48-54” wide something like that. The screen bead came in a roll of several hundred feet. Bead roller looked like a mini pizza cutter but with a concaved perimeter.

Cut screen to ~ 2-3” larger on height and width. Start one side and apply the screen bead to hold the screen captive. Carefully look at screen to ensure threads are vertical and horizontal. Apply opposite side after pulling taught. Then top and bottom. Tweak as needed.

Then they had white plastic trim caps that snapped over everything.

I think they might also have had a 1.5” width kit.

We sold that house. I might have pics. Will need to check my desktop.

The system I used is still sold by Lowes - Screen Tight Porch Screening System

The Original Screen Porch System from Screen Tight - DIY Screen Porch

The original staple-free way to screen a porch. The simple, cost-effective Screen Tight system is available in several colors and is easy to install.

www.screentight.com

Here is the installation I did with it.

 

[bassJAM]

Don't direct nail/staple. I fought the screened in porch on my house for almost a decade, re-nailing or stapling the screen in place and fixing warped wood trim before I ripped it all off and started over. I used the Screen Tight system I got at lowes and it was well worth it. Did this in 2021 and I haven't had to touch the screens since then. I used heavy duty polyester screen since I had young kids and pets. .

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Screen-Tight-1-5-in-White-porch-Screening-System-Cap/3024713?store=1664&cm_mmc=shp-_-b-_-prd-_-tah-_-ggl-_-LIA_TAH_000_PRO-_-3024713-_-local-_-21008693006-_-&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21008693006&gbraid=0AAAAAD2B2W9OcaaOfRFtfs5Cgf_g8Epnp&gclid=CjwKCAjw5ZXQBhBdEiwAI5XVWQiEdUO-BDAWS1a4jV6YWSnuN6W-bKtYMOuHtl19PiUnz5PD5gXHPRoCoi0QAvD_BwE

 

[Toold_up]

You guys have some beautiful property!

 

[rust in the eye]

I need to re-screen the three-season porch on a 1920s house. It sits in full sun. It has not been re-screened in a decade.

What are the upsides and downsides to each roll screen materials? Also, do any of the home stores sell narrow, white PVC trim so we won't have to repaint the old wood stuff that holds the screen on?

I have a small MKE nailer I intend to use to fasten the trim/screen to the porch.

"Full sun" in Arizona, Minnesota?
Fiberglass screen and PVC attachments may not do well with a lot of UV.
I don't know why the aversion to aluminum as it impervious to most everything. The only downside that comes to mind is it will bear witness to being struck or scratched at by animals or kids.
My own is simply aluminum screen stapled onto 2 x 4 framing with ~3/16 rips from 2x lumber painted and nailed over the attachment areas. simple, cheap, effective. Repairs, if needed are simple too.
I like the idea of the screen tite system but I get ~ same results without all the added bits and expense. Properly stretching a large screen using spline in a channel isn't so easy and if the spline roller manages to cut the edge you start over.
My $.02

 

[aquinob]

I redid our screened in porch using the plastic screen tight system. Previously I had stapled it directly to the wood and used some planed down boards to cover the outside. If you have a choice I would definitely go with the plastic, it is much longer term.

I used a large roll of fiberglass screening and some bulk spline and the typical little spline tool. Once you get all the base black plastic up then it's just a question of cutting the screen to a panel somewhat oversize for the area you are doing. I would get it started on one end, generally the top just by rolling it into the channel without the spline then rolling in some spline to hold it. Then you do the bottom the same way and then either side. Don't worry if it is a bit loose, it will magically tighten up with the last side. After a while you will become really proficient and develop little tricks to speed things up. Putting on the finish color plastic is another technique, I recommend either something like a J roller or maybe a plastic dead blow hammer to help snap it in. Use something like a miter or chop saw to cut the pieces to size.

The screen has held up well to strong winds and birds. The nice thing about this system is that if you have a tear then its a fairly quick fix as all you have to do is replace the bad panel.

 

[Toold_up]

I don't know why the aversion to aluminum as it impervious to most everything. The only downside that comes to mind is it will bear witness to being struck or scratched at by animals or kids.

My experience with aluminum screen wasn't worth the expense. It was harder to install and wasn't "pet proof". A husky puppy paw tore it open within 10 minutes of it being installed... I replaced it with the cheaper stuff and it stretched (and returned to shape) when the dog put paws on it vs tearing.

 

[rust in the eye]

My experience with aluminum screen wasn't worth the expense. It was harder to install and wasn't "pet proof". A husky puppy paw tore it open within 10 minutes of it being installed... I replaced it with the cheaper stuff and it stretched (and returned to shape) when the dog put paws on it vs tearing.

For that fiberglass dog screen would be great. Our dearly departed Italian greyhounds would paw at the screen door(fullview) and tear up the standard fiberglass screen. I changed it out to the dog proof stuff and it stood up, even to the incorrigible female .
Getting tired of being doorman for them I put a dog door into the bottom of that screen and the slider into the house. The dog screening supports the dog doors just fine. Installation of the dog door into screen was no fun but the whole deal worked out great. Our 30# Whippet has taken a few full speed runs through the dog door(including one with the flapper latched shut)and it still survives.

 

[RTM]

I don't know why the aversion to aluminum as it impervious to most everything. The only downside that comes to mind is it will bear witness to being struck or scratched at by animals or kids.

Here near the ocean, it does “rust”. Aluminum oxide forms quickly in the salt air, makes the screen white, brittle, and obscured. Anything blown by the wind is now a potential tearing object.

 

[Toold_up]

Oh yeah, and the ends of the aluminum screen are sharp. If you aren't paying attention while trimming the excess, you look down and have a red dotted line going down your thumb...

 

[Ohio Andy]

I agree, the aluminum screen is a waste of money.

What I found matters the most is the size of the squares. Smaller squares keep out more bugs than the larger squares, but they also restrict air flow (your porch will be a few degrees warmer) and when wet you cannot see through them. The larger squares work best for me.

Last one I did was in Florida and they have these things they call no-see-ums so the gopher screening that'll keep them out

 

[Toold_up]

Last one I did was in Florida and they have these things they call no-see-ums so the gopher screening that'll keep them out

Yes, noseeums ****! The screen that keeps those out also restricts airflow, raises room temperature, and obfuscates visibility during rain, AND noseeums still find a way in...

 

[RTM]

Last one I did was in Florida and they have these things they call no-see-ums so the gopher screening that'll keep them out

"They have two kinds of mosquitoes in [pick your state or region], those so small they fly thru the holes in the screen, and those so big they open the door and let themselves in."

Forget where I first heard that, but I truly believe it when I travel.