When window and door screens are torn, they allow bugs into your home. When they’re sagging or rusty, they look terrible and darken rooms. Fortunately, most screens are easy to remove and replace. The frames will be either wood or metal, and the screens will be either metal (typically aluminum) or fiberglass. Chances are the frames themselves will not need attention nearly as often as the screens.

When cutting new metal screen fabric, be sure to wear gloves to protect your hands from sharp edges. Roll the screening out with the curved side down and mark your cutting line with a pencil along a straightedge. Cut metal screening with tin snips; for vinyl screening you can cut with a utility knife or scissors.

1. Use a screwdriver to pry up the spline that runs around the perimeter of the frame. Pull out the spline and remove the old or damaged screen fabric.
2. Lay the new screen fabric over the frame, and, using sharp utility scissors, trim it so that it is just slightly larger than the frame. Then snip off the corners.
3. Using the convex wheel of a screen-spline roller, force the screen into the spline channel. Then push the spline back in, and, using the roller’s concave wheel, force the spline into place, stretching the screen fabric taut. Cut off the excess screen fabric with a utility knife.