May Fix It by Emma Ray Garrett In this month's, Fix It! I'm going to talk about a couple of things I seem to have to do every year! And without fail, one of my girlfriend's will need a hand with as well. Sometimes, I swear, when men smell the first hint of spring their brain turns firmly to fishing, NASCAR, and getting out of the house, LOL!

First things first, repairing screens. Now this isn't stressful, really, but it can be time consuming. If you can get the fellow, or handy woman, in your life to help you out, more the better. However, one person can do it and I think it's good to know how to do it, so here are some simple guidelines:

1. If you are doing this alone, get a few clamps to help you out during certain parts. You can get them cheap just about anywhere. Smaller clamps are more suited to this, but if all you have are a few huge clamps, they will work fine.

2. Tools:
A. Putty knife or flat head screwdriver (Though I'm sure you guys know this, the flat-head screwdriver is the one that is flat at its tip, not shaped like an 'x')
B. Screen spline- you can get this at any home improvement store, as well as your local discount store. This stuff goes into the channels that run around the screen in the window. It's what holds the screen in place. Spline looks like a small-gauge rubber cord. It's inexpensive and if you can't find it on the shelf, just ask. If you can't find it, a passing hottie will probably be able to find it, no problem, LOL!
C. Screening tool- this looks like a double-ended pizza cutter, though the wheels are much smaller.
D. Utility knife- also known as an exacto knife or a box cutter.
E. Clamps, if needed.

3. Getting rid of the old screen- First, make sure the screen isn't in a window or a door. Replacing a screen is much easier if you lay the frame on the floor or large flat surface. Next, take your putty knife or flat-head screwdriver and pop the old spline out of the channel. Once you have a bit of spline free, grab it with your fingers and pull it free. Takes no time at all. With that done, you can get the old screen out of the frame, no problem.

4. Next step is to cut your new screen out. You can buy screen in rolls, and sometimes in sheets. If you get the sheets, you need to make certain that the sheet of screen is two inches longer and wider than the screen frame. Place your new screen evenly over the frame.

5. Now, you'll need your screening tool. The pizza cutter-like thingy, LOL. One end of this should round outward, in other words be convex, and the other should cut in, or be concave. With the convex end, and press it into the channel of the frame, pushing the new screen into it as well. Do this one side at a time, the entire way around the screen.

6. Now it's time to put in fresh spline. Cut the spline six inches longer than you need. Here is where the clamps come in. Put the clamps on the opposite side from where you are working on the screen, to hold it in place while you work. Using the concave end of the screening tool, press the new spline into place in the channel. If you stretch the spline slightly, it will be much easier to get it into the channel and it'll help you avoid a loose, or wrinkly, screen when you're done.

7. Now, cut away any excess screen or spline, and voila! You're done!

The other easy project is dealing with a sticky, wooden door. Especially if you live in an older house, you probably have at least one door that doesn't open or close as smoothly as it should. This is a beginner project, so anyone can easily do it.

First, you need to figure out where the door is sticking. You can use carbon paper for this, or just your hand. If you use the carbon paper, place it inky side down on the door and rub it around the edges of it. Anywhere where the carbon sticks is a place where the door needs attention. You can either take the door off its hinges, or get a stepladder or what not to address these spots.

Next, get yourself some sandpaper and sand the door where the carbon is. Sand a much larger area and make sure you get the surface smooth. You can use a belt sander or an electric hand sander (like a Dremmel tool) if you'd like. Once that's done, apply a few coats of varnish, sealant, or paint to match the door and let it dry. The paint/sealer will stop the rough part of the door from swelling in summer humidity and thus keep the door moving, as it should.

So there, you have it. Two easy spring projects that will not only make your house look nicer on the outside, but make it more comfortable on the inside as well! If you'd like more information on easy, do-it-yourself spring projects, check out:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=topicSelect&topic=buyGuide

Credit for the inset image to the above site.