Fix A Screen Window Tear

In all my excitement that a) our President was actually in my part of the country and b) that the weather is finally warm again, I accidentally tore a tiny hole in my screen window by rushing to open it this afternoon. Whoops.

I found out exactly how to fix my tiny tear by looking to Martha Stewart. Though she's normally my go-to for dessert recipes rather than DIY, she had some good tips. Here's what Marty had to say.

Fill small holes in nylon or fiberglass screens with a few drops of instant adhesive.

Fill small holes in metal screens with epoxy (which I find smells bad, so it's good there was an open window).

Patch it up! Patch kits are often available at home supply and hardware stores; follow the kit instructions to repair the tear

   

And if you're brave enough to make your own patch, more instructions from Martha:

To make your own patch for nylon or fiberglass screens, cut a patch just barely larger than the hole. Apply a thin layer of fast-drying glue along the edges of the patch, and press it in place.

To avoid sticking fingers to glue, use low-tack painter's tape to hold the screen together as it dries; cut a piece of tape larger than the patch, gently tape it to the patch, and leave until dry.

To make your own patch for a metal screen, cut a patch from a length of screening. Trim edges of the hole into a neat square opening. Make sure the patch is 1/2 inch larger all around than the hole to be repaired; bend edges' teeth into right angles. Set patch over opening so teeth penetrate the screen. Turn screen over; bend teeth flat on other side to hold in place.

Photo: Martha Stewart