Q–I have to replace a torn screen panel in my aluminum screen door. The screening is made of fiberglass mesh and is held in place around the edges with a plastic strip that fits into a recessed groove. I assume this strip must be pulled out to install the new screening. How can I do this without destroying the strip, and what other pointers can you give me that will help ensure a neat job of installing the new screen mesh?
A–Don’t worry about saving the old plastic strip. Called a spline, this inexpensive material is sold where the screening is sold and normally is replaced when new mesh is installed. To remove it pry one end up with a screwdriver, then pull out the whole strip.
After pulling out all the splines, peel off the old screening and cut a new piece of fiberglass screening a couple of inches wider and longer than needed (this will allow for excess material that you can pull on when stretching the mesh tight). Lay the mesh in place and align it to overhang evenly on all four sides. Trim off each corner at a 45-degree angle so that the mesh just cuts across each corner where the grooves meet. Then force a length of spline into the groove along one of the longer sides. Start in one corner and use either a screwdriver or special spline roller (which you can buy in any hardware store) to force the spline into the groove on top of the mesh. Pull the mesh across the screen frame, then do the same on the other long side while pulling the mesh tight with one hand. Finish the remaining two sides, then trim off excess mesh with a sharp knife.
Q–Our glass sliding doors slide on an aluminum track at the bottom and are gradually shaving off bits of the track, making them hard to slide. Lubrication helps only a little. One door slides and the other is fixed with flanges on the inside that prevent removal of the door. How can I repair the door?
A–Sliding doors have sheaves or narrow rollers recessed into the bottom of the door, and it sounds as though one or more of the sheaves is broken or the ball bearings on the inside are worn out. The door must be lifted out of its track to get at the bottom and replace the sheaves. Usually the door can be removed by lifting it straight up (when partially open) and then swinging the bottom end inward (or outward) until it clears the track. If there are flanges or brackets that prevent this, they will have to be unscrewed and removed first so the door can be moved.
Q–A few years ago, I had a marble floor installed in my entrance hall. This marble has lost its luster and doesn’t shine like it did when new. Is there anything I can use to restore the luster?
A–After washing and drying the marble thoroughly, apply a neutral white wax and buff it vigorously by hand or buffer. Apply the wax sparingly and buff it well if you don’t want to make the floor very slippery. You might also check with local marble dealers about using a sealer instead of a wax. This will not be as slippery.
Q–I have a small burn mark in the finish on one of my kitchen cabinets. How can I repair this damage?
A–The charred finish should all be scraped off first, using the edge of a small, sharp knife. Hold the blade so its cutting edge is vertical to the surface–as though you were slicing down into the wood–and scrape back and forth carefully until all of the scorched material is gone. If necessary, you can restore the original color by using a little touch-up stain or one of those touch-up pencils that come in various wood tones (you will probably have to experiment with various shades to get the closest match). When the color looks right, let the touch-up stain dry, then use a small artist’s brush to apply two or three coats of clear varnish over that area to restore the gloss.
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Have a question about home repair problems? Write to Bernard Gladstone in care of Your Place, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611. Questions of general interest will be answered in future columns. Sorry, letters cannot be answered personally.
