where to find an obscure item....

[anne]

This is hot tub related is a vague way......as I work on my yard and new patio, I'm irritated by a project I never finished for my screen room.  My problem: this screen room was built a long time ago (1960ish). The screen material is held in the grooves by that rubbery- cord- lake material, called spline, I think. When I moved in three years ago, I painted the inside of the screen room, and to do this, i had to pull out a lot of the screen material. It was old, and I planned to replace it all, anyway. I threw out the spline as it was old and dried, and I figured I could easily get more. Not so easy.

I have looked everywhere I can think of, I have asked hardware stores if they can special order, but I CANNOT find the right size spline. The closest out there is 0.185 (4.6mm) and it is enough too small that it will not work.

So now I have a screen room with about 1/2 the screens missing.....anyone know where to buy archaic sized spline? or have other ideas? I tried doubling the screen material over in the groove to create a tighter fit- way too cumbersome. I tried to find different thicknesses of screen- No go.

thanks!!!!

[drewstar]

This is hot tub related is a vague way......as I work on my yard and new patio, I'm irritated by a project I never finished for my screen room.  My problem: this screen room was built a long time ago (1960ish). The screen material is held in the grooves by that rubbery- cord- lake material, called spline, I think. When I moved in three years ago, I painted the inside of the screen room, and to do this, i had to pull out a lot of the screen material. It was old, and I planned to replace it all, anyway. I threw out the spline as it was old and dried, and I figured I could easily get more. Not so easy.

I have looked everywhere I can think of, I have asked hardware stores if they can special order, but I CANNOT find the right size spline. The closest out there is 0.185 (4.6mm) and it is enough too small that it will not work.

So now I have a screen room with about 1/2 the screens missing.....anyone know where to buy archaic sized spline? or have other ideas? I tried doubling the screen material over in the groove to create a tighter fit- way too cumbersome. I tried to find different thicknesses of screen- No go.

thanks!!!!

What size do you need?

for example, here's a place that sells .225

Is it larger than a quarter of an inch?

http://remodelist.com/product.php?productid=40596

[anne]

I dont know exactly what size it is, but it is bigger than .185 and smaller than .225. Thanks, though!

[drewstar]

I dont know exactly what size it is, but it is bigger than .185 and smaller than .225. Thanks, though!

Have you ever replaced screens before? The spline is usually very tight and you need the pizza wheel roller to get it going.

(I'm not trying to be a smart a$$ or insult you, it's just that this is so odd, I've never heard of this).  

The other idea is go to a place that repairs screens (Small hardware store) bring in one screen and see what the do or have to say.

[drewstar]

 The other part of the equation is screen material.   I wonder aloud if you must use metal screening and the larger size spline (.185).  Would the thickness of the screen material be enough to make a significant dif? Have you tried a small piece of Al screen with the larger spline?

[Brewman]

Your suggesting to get thee to the local hardware store was a really good one.  If it can be done, those guys should be able to help.  Assuming you still have a store like that around.  We do, and it's amazing what they can do.

[anne]

thanks for your help, everyone:

Drew: no offense taken, and youre right- it is a tight fit when it is in there right, but I dont think my technique is the problem, since I was able to resurrect SOME of the panles using old spline that I did not thow away. (Once I figured out that no more seemed available, I saved the old nasty stuff.)

Aluminum screen in a thought. I had looked at a number of different plastic/synthetic types, but not aluminum. I may do that. I cannot take a screen into anyone, as the windows dont come out- the groove that the spline fits into is part of the structure.

Brewman- my local hardware store people just looked at me funny. I may try to find another store.  

I'm going to try a piece of the 0.225 again, and see what happens. It has been a year since I last thought about his project, so maybe it just requires a new approach. :-/

[autoplay]

Our screening around our pool requires a flat spline,which comes in two different sizes. Possibly you have the same setup.....and you're trying the round spline...which will NOT work?

[Tatooed_Lady]

anne, can you use the smaller spline and just double the screening material over on itself to fill the gap? (doesn't seem like it would LOOK too pretty, though. )

[Vinny]

I just installed a screen room and it had a large spline (didn't measure diameter).

One thing to remember is that the rubber may have shrunk a little from the original diameter. I know that over years building "standards" have changed.

Here's a few on-line places:

hardware.hardwarestore.com/31-156-screen-spline/ ribbed-screen-spline-682468.aspx

doityourself.com/store/6443402.htm

www.sillikerglass.com/screening_and_accessories.htm

These might give you a place to start.

I did a google search, maybe try dogpile.

Good Luck!

[tootsie]

RV's and mobile homes had aluminum screens for a long time if you have a place that sells these close to you they may be able to get it for you.  

[Brewman]

Lotsa spline here:

http://hardware.hardwarestore.com/31-156-screen-spline.aspx

Choose wisely, Grasshopper.

[Wisoki]

ANNE, .....you gott a lot a splININ' to do...

Say it like Ricky Ricardo, it's much funnier.

[anne]

Thanks all, for your help! I still have not tried the 0.225 again- started storming yesterday afternoon, and the significant other needed a lift to the doctor for a new cast......but I'll tackle it soon, and let you know!

[Tman122]

Make sure your groove is clean and paint free before you try the .225 And make sure you are using a spline tool. If it's still to big get  a router bit maybe and enlarge the groove? Just throwin stuff out there.