New Use for an Old Screen

I just couldn't resist it. This old wooden screen frame was just $10 at a barn sale. So with ideas already dancing in my head, I strapped it to the roof of my Rav4 and brought it home.

A few years back, my sister forced asked me to help her re-screen the slider on her back door, so I was familiar with the process. But I didn't really need a screen door. Instead, I was imagining it as more of a room divider or decoration, so I wondered if I could use the rubber stripping to secure something else besides screening material. The tools cost just a few bucks at your local hardware store. Since I wasn't sure the size of the channel in my wood screen, I bought this handy 3-sizes-in-one kit.

Then I found some fun chevron fabric and a decorative knob and number plate. As for the screen frame, I decided to try something different. If you know me, you know I usually paint every piece of wood I can get my hands on, but this time around I just rubbed some dark wax on it. It was quick and easy and very forgiving. Not that some creamy off-white paint wouldn't have been fun, too.

Attaching the fabric was pretty easy. I just laid the screen down and then draped the fabric over it, face down. I then laid the rubber stripping on top of the fabric covered channel in the wood and used the roller tool to push it into the channel. I worked my way around, pulling the fabric taut as I went. Then I trimmed the excess fabric. Simple as a pimple, as my Grandma Ruby used to say!

Here's the final result:

 

 And a close-up of the hardware:

 

Now it's in my booth at Tennessee Antique Mall, ready to find a new home!