Can I just spray-paint a window screen?

[Chuck]

paint was chipping off one of the screens...the screening itself needed to be replaced, anyway, but I let a little experiment get out of control, and wound up completely stripping all the paint off the frame. Considering all the "issues" involving paint sticking to alluminum, would it be ok to just spray-paint this? should I prime it first? or do I need to do something special?

Chuck, aluminum needs to be etched primed before it's painted or the paint won't stick. An automotive paint store will fix you up.
Jack

[Sneakinup]

I've had good success painting all the aluminum trim and window screen frames in my trailer. I cleaned off any loose dirt and used a good quality spray paint. It is almost 3 years that they have been done, and have held up well in the sweltering Florida heat and humidity.

[tin can luv]

will that not work...Uh OH!!!

Another screening question. I cant' find spline small enough to fit in the Airstream screens.... Is there somewhere special that I can find it?

I've asked previously, but no replies.

Ron

[Chuck]

I saw your question about the spline, and made a note to take out the original spline very carefully...got it out in one piece, so it can be used again. But before I did that, I was in HD the other night, and I took a wild guess at the size, and bought the smallest spline that they had. they had several sizes in stock. comparing it to the original one, they seem to be pretty close in size.

[thenewkid64]

Originally Posted by tin can luv

Another screening question. I cant' find spline small enough to fit in the Airstream screens.... Is there somewhere special that I can find it?

Ron,

The stuff you take out has been compressed for years. The new stuff will be bigger in comparison. I got a bag of 100 feet at the local home center i think it was .100 dia. in a gray color. It is sold by the bag near the screen material.

[Tarheel]

I have painted mine just like Sneakingup said. It worked. Spray paint from walmart mine happened to be an antique white. Fiberglass screening works good and always keep a spline tool in your trailer.

[AYRSTRM2]

Originally Posted by tin can luv

will that not work...Uh OH!!!

Another screening question. I cant' find spline small enough to fit in the Airstream screens.... Is there somewhere special that I can find it?

I've asked previously, but no replies.

Ron

Ron,

I just redid three screens in our '66 safari, and the spline i used was the standard big stuff, the .175 I believe. I bought a bag of the smaller spline and cursed as I realized that it was too small and had to go get more. Since the .175 is what goes on my windows in the house and the rental property, I bought the 100' bucket. You have a '65, correct? The window types are different in the '66's so maybe your screens are different.

Anyone wants to know how to repline those curved screens, ask, cause I now know how!

John

[Chuck]

since this thread has re-activated, I thought I'd post an update: paint job worked out well...although next time, I don't think I'm going to bother stripping the paint entirely. that was a royal PITA. But anyway, regular old primer and off-white spray paint worked nicely. I only did this one screen because the screening broke...popped out of its track. so re-screening was necessary. but since the frame's paint looked generally ratty, I decided that now would be a good time to paint it. so I did.

I used the smallest spline available, which I think was a .125. It worked out fine...but it was rather a challenge to roll it into the grove around the curved corners. they wouldn't be the same as your '66, John; they look just like the picture that "sneakinup" posted. But a curve is a curve so what's your trick?

[AYRSTRM2]

Well, I meant the screens that fit in the windows with the curved Corning windows. I had a piece of wood that was cut from an arch from a porch. You see, if you rescreen these on a flat surface, they bend out of shape. I just put the curved wood arch under the frame as I rolled the spline in.

As for your rounded corners, being a landlord I have redone lots of screens, and here's what I do, I use a straight bladed screw driver to jam the spline in on the corners and tight to fit places.

John