Making new window screens

[milkmansdaughter]

I hope I'm not double posting this, but I didn't find it searching...

Our house has NO screens on any of the windows. The windows are the kind that angle out when you turn a gear. We are making our own screens. We're not professionals, but I'm really proud of my crew! Comments welcome.
(Please keep in mind that many of our 1x2's are warped, but end product works.)

These are old windows and many won't open at all. We even found one screwed shut. But wd40 is a marvelous thing! (Some people just DESERVE to be rich!)
So M&K measured the windows and cut the wood (1x2's). They cut the corners with a miter saw and the furrow for the spline with the table saw. Then they put the frame together.

Next the frames are double checked to make sure they fit the window, and are brought to me.
I found spline at a thrift store ($100 feet marked at $5 and we got a 50%off that) It was just waiting...
We got a roll of screen at Lowe's for under $18 ( with a further 10% discount). We had a splining tool but they can also be found at Lowe's for very little.

Our screen is 48" wide and our windows are 49 1/4" wide so there's not much wiggle room. So I laid the screen down, and put the frame on it to measure. Cut the screen, put on top of frame...

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Once the screen is on top, I tape one end and one side to make sure I don't pull it too far when I spline the other side. I put the screen over the furrow, measure and cut my spline, and push the spline in one corner. Holding the screen, I work my way down one side at a time. (I did the two ends first, then the sides.) Work your way around the frame, keeping the screen tight. Put in window. (Ta-dah!!)

So far we've done 3 big windows for less than $25, and we have the screen for several more. You can do it too!

 

[sumi]

Well done!

 

[Mini Horses]

Great job!! screens are so expensive when you have to get one made or "repaired".

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Yes! We went to a local business that is like a habitat for humanity restore to see if they had old screens that would fit, but they were closed for renovations. We got three big windows done today. 10 to go, but for now if I can open 1 window in each room I'll be happy. It's supposed to be in the 60's tonight, and I can finally open the windows and not worry about anything biting me during the night. Almost makes me want to crawl in bed early.

 

[baymule]

That is awesome! Those old crank out louver windows can be a pain. I like the way ya'll take old windows and make them something you can use better because you can open them! Way to go!

When I was a single mom, years ago, I rented an old run down house for $150. It had no screens and no air conditioner. So I had to open the windows. One night after I turned off the light and was almost asleep, when something started crawling up my leg. In the dark, under the covers, some stickery creepy crawlie was crawling up my leg! I threw off the covers, turned on the light and found a June bug. Harmless, but it sure weirded me out. LOL

You enjoy those wonderful window screens!

 

[tortoise]

ewwww! June bugs give me creepy crawlies!!!

 

[milkmansdaughter]

@baymule, we had a house further south in Alabama once, and it also had no AC. It had screens but several were missing or ripped. Twice I found snakes in the house. I'm not a big AC fan. I'd rather just get used to the temp, but I'd rather have AC than snakes! But a nice cool evening, with screened windows are better than both, and oh-so-much-cheaper!!!

 

[baymule]

My ex's grand parents were old-time country people. For most of her life, Granny had no screens on the windows. When she got her hands on screen, she cut it and nailed it on the outside wall of the house. She was real happy about that.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

When she got her hands on screen, she cut it and nailed it on the outside wall of the house. She was real happy about that.

That's awesome! Worked for her.