SCREENING PROCESS

As final preparations are in full swing for the wedding of one of my former A-list bosses this weekend, I looked around our house at various projects that have inadvertently slipped off my to-do list.  While security teams are busy on the west coast combing over lists upon lists of guests to insure no one sneaks through the cracks and into the posh celebration, on the east coast I discovered how the sneaky flies and mosquitoes were intruding upon our interior spaces...wide open gaps in our screens!!  So, instead of rubbing elbows with some of the worlds biggest stars this weekend, I'm taking steps to make sure no pesky bugs get into our house under the shadow of darkness.  Believe it or not, this is an incredibly easy task, so if your other half refuses to fix it, strap on your I CAN DO IT boots and get ready to impress yourself!  Maybe you won't be dancing under the moonlight with movies stars this weekend, but at least you won't get eaten alive by nasty bugs in your house at night!
SIMPLE TASK:
I've tried screen patches before, but am convinced it would be easier to paint Buckingham Palace with a Q-Tip!  For under $10 and in less than 15 minutes you can have that ratty old screen door looking shiny and new again!  Here's what you do: 1.) Place the screen door or window on a flat surface and remove the old screen by pulling out the spine (you'll see it in the ridge that holds the screen tight against the frame.  2.) At your home improvement store purchase a roll of screen large enough to cover your project, a roll of spine (usually comes in 25' lengths) and the roller tool (often included with spine and/or screen).  3.) Just like wrapping a gift, stretch the new screen over the frame, allowing at least 2" of extra scree all around.  I use a bit more just in case. To keep the screen from moving away from you, tape it to the surface or backside of your frame.  Start with the bottom and top, by placing the spine in the ridge, covering the screen and pressing it in with the roller tool.  Repeat for the sides.  Once you have your screen in place, take a razor blade and cut excess screen AWAY from the screen (I made the mistake of doing it towards the screen and ripped my project in half!).
Now you can sit back, relax and enjoy a lovely evening under the start bug free!