Need Advice--Window Screen Issue

[Greg Narozniak]

Hello all,

Not sure this is the right section of forums for this but I will try. End of last year we had our cedar plank sided house painted. Before the painting crew came on I had a local general contractor come in and replace quite a few damaged planks along with a bunch of window sills that were rotted.

These sills are roughly 1 1/4 thick and angled away from the window. I removed all the screens before anyone started. Well with it being late august by the time all was said and done and I decided to replace all the screen material in the frames (Not a fun job) over the winter. Well I started putting them back in and most of the ones that have sills that he replaced the screens do not fit anymore. It looks like the angle might be off or maybe the material is thicker but they don't fit.

My question is this, it does not make sense to rip out the sills and start over. Can I use a Non Ferrous metal blade on my table saw and if I "clamp" the screen between some plywood strips can I run the aluminium frame through the TS and trim some off the screen frame and make it fit? I am really trying to avoid having to make or order new screens for these windows. I did not fully count but there is probably at least 8 to 10 screens.

Any other Ideas? I will post pics tonight as my wife had the camera with her yesterday and I could not take any.

Thanks in advance as always

Greg

[Lee Schierer]

Probably not.....Most aluminum screen frames are extrusions and are hollow. Trying to taper the bottom edge would open up the side wall and render the frame useless. However, most are also put together with slip fit corner pieces. You can remove the screen bead along the bottom and part way up the sides and carefully tap on the bottom frame near the corners. A gap will open up at the miter. Once the corners are separated, use a hack saw to shorthen the two side pieces by the amount needed, tap the bottom bar back in place and install the screen. It will be much easier than trying the cut you proposed to do.

[Bill Houghton]

Look at the frames. Most frames are as Lee describes, but a few are held together with screws through the corner pieces.

[David G Baker]

If you plan on replacing the screen material, why not buy the DIY framing material and start over. The frames are held together by plastic corners that slide into the frame material. You can get the framing material is different colors. No angles to cut and the aluminum cuts easily with a hack saw and a plastic miter box or with a band saw with a fine tooth blade. Been doing it for years.

[Greg Narozniak]

Thanks for the advise. I will keep you posted

[Neal Clayton]

how did the contractor replace the sills?

did he cut the entire frame out and build a new one (highly unlikely from your description)? or just lay another board on top of the rotted board after removing the window?