[Logic_BomB]

I'm curious if anyone has used this DIY tutorial over at seymourav's website: http://www.seymourav.com/articles/DI...FrameGallo.pdf


My concern is that after going to HD the 1x4's there seem MUCH thinner than the wood pictures in the tutorial. I just don't see how a screen track and biscuit fit in the 1x4's I've been seeing.


I think the issue I'm having is that the aluminium screen channel sold at my local HD is almost the width of the 1x4 by itself. Do they sell the screen channels in different widths and I'm just not lucking out?


Any advice, tips, and "watch out's" would be appreciated by anyone who's tried this tutorial first-hand.

 

[Jim McC]

The wood in the pictures look like 1X4's to me. That appears to be a rather expensive screen to build for DIY.

 

[petew]

The instructions state that the wood is maple. I think pine 1x4's from HD may not work too well since they'll have fairly high moisture content and be likely to warp/split/twist. The screen channel they show is the type used on a window screen. You're probably finding porch enclosure channel at HD which is sized to go on the porch framing. Check with your local window repair company for appropriate channel and spline. Take your screen sample with you so you can get the right spline. I'd also go to your local hardwood dealer and get good dry wood. Poplar is a good choice - easy to machine and not too expensive. HD has edge glued, dry oak boards that would work well. They're kinda expensive though. The main thing to keep in mind is to use dry hardwood instead of not-dry softwood.

 

[Logic_BomB]

Just my 2 cents on a follow-up:


After trying this tutorial to the letter, I found it EXTREMELY difficult to get the spline to work with the screen material. I could never get it pulled tight and secured in the spline. It always drooped. Now, I'm no screening expert but after stapling it and it coming out just dandy, I would ignore the splining method entirely.