Screen Cure

The deceptively simple, open look of a screened porch gives little evidence of the tedious, time-consuming job of stretching, stapling, and tacking screen into panel or the royal pain of screen maintenance and repair. The worst aspects of the job are removed when using the Screen Tight system. Attach the 1 ½-inch or 3 1/2 -inch vinyl base strip to conventional 2-by woodframing, then apply and tension the nylon screening in one step, using a roller and screen spine. A vinyl finish cap, available in white, grey, beige, or brown, snaps onto the base strip to complete the installation. System cost averages $1 per square foot.

Conventional wood screen doors have also been given a major overhaul by ScreenTight. Closed-cell solid structural vinyl, assembled with mortise and tenon joinery, incorporates splined screening in a rot-, sag-, and peel-free door system that can be cut and fitted using common woodworking tools, and accepts standard hardware. Introduced in 1999, the basic door should retail for about $58, and a raised-panel wide-stile version for about $130.

Contact: Screen Tight, One Better Way, Georgetown, SC 29440; 800/768-7325; www.screentight.com

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