A modern mosquito net is simple and elegant, and copes well with its main purpose - to prevent mosquitoes and other small flying creatures from entering the living space. But, despite the correctness of the well-known axiom of techies: “the simpler, the more reliable,” sometimes there is still a need to repair this product that is needed in the house. Let's look at an example of how to repair a mosquito net with your own hands without resorting to the help of manufacturers.
The mosquito net is based on four specially shaped aluminum profiles connected by plastic inserts in the form of corners. When assembled, the grooves of the profiles form a recess along the inner perimeter of the frame, into which the mesh is secured using a special cord.
Frame assembly diagram. In the center of the picture are images of the connecting corner and profile.
In my case, two mosquito nets required repairs at once. One of them had the mesh fabric pecked at by impudent sparrows. It looked like there was something edible stuck in the net, in their opinion, maybe a spider or a seed, and they only had to break a couple of threads. And then the hole widened so much that mosquitoes began to enter the room. The second grid needed to be reduced in overall dimensions - height and width (the neighbors asked).
Possible damage
Most often, “injuries” to mosquito nets occur from contact with various animals. From the outside, small bugs often get stuck into the mesh, and birds try to catch them, thereby tearing the material. To prevent the problem, you can spray the mesh with repellent in advance so that its smell repels insects. Otherwise, the risk of damage will continue.
In addition, the net is often damaged by pets - cats, dogs, parrots. Cats love to sharpen their claws on it, especially when their owners are not at home. If a puppy gets to the canvas, there will be minor damage. To prevent such situations, replace the usual mesh with a metal or durable fiberglass mesh. It is much more difficult to damage such products.
Quick repair with tape and hot glue
When any hole appears on the mesh, decisive action must be taken immediately. Waiting will definitely not bring any benefit: insects will begin to fly into the house, and the hole may expand. As an emergency measure, they usually seal the hole with electrical tape, tape (regular or masking tape), or adhesive tape. You need to cut a suitable piece of adhesive tape, seal the hole, and then repeat the procedure on the back side of the mesh.
Of course, this is only a temporary solution. When exposed to sunlight, the adhesive will melt and the patch will fall off. Such “repairs” give a very unsightly result, so tape and other tapes are only suitable for the initial elimination of the problem.
A “patch” made of hot-melt adhesive will be much more reliable. If you have a glue stick and a heat gun, proceed as follows:
- Without removing the mesh from the window, clean the damaged area from dust, dirt, and wipe it with a solvent;
- after drying, melt the glue in a gun, apply the mixture to the edges of the hole and stretch the product over the hole;
- After hardening, the hole will be completely sealed with glue.
Liquid patch
The paste-like mass, which is sold under the “Liquid Patch” brand, contains molten PVC, or polyvinyl chloride. The substance has a high degree of strength and moisture resistance, so even boats and awnings can be sealed with it. To repair a mosquito net, you need to buy a patch of a suitable size and then proceed as follows:
- remove the screen from the window, place it on the table or floor;
- degrease the area around the damaged area using any solvent on both sides, allow the material to dry;
- take a piece of paper tape and temporarily glue the hole on the wrong side with it for the convenience of further work;
- apply a liquid patch of the selected shade to the area of “injury”, firmly grasping the edges, leave the glue to dry for 24 hours;
- then remove the adhesive tape and leave the mesh for another 7-10 days before installing it on the window (this is how long is required for the final polymerization of the product).
If necessary, the anti-mosquito cloth can be placed in its proper place immediately, but it is important to shade it so that the service life of the liquid patch remains maximum. The glue perfectly seals holes up to 3 cm in diameter. Larger damage should first be tightened with thread.
Self-adhesive mesh
Some materials for repairing mosquito nets are sold in a very convenient form - on a self-adhesive basis. On one side there is an adhesive layer covered with a protective film or paper. Such nets are sold in the form of tape or cut plastic sheet in a roll; they can have different shades (usually white, gray or black).
Self-adhesive patch for mosquito net
Before repair, damaged material is removed, washed and dried. Cut out a suitable piece of self-adhesive and remove the protective layer from the back side. Place the piece against the hole with the adhesive part, press well and iron it to prevent air from entering. To improve the adhesion of the glue, blow the surface with a hairdryer. It is important that the cut out self-adhesive completely covers the hole or cut, since it is not glued end-to-end. The material can withstand precipitation well, including slanting rain.
Common breakdowns
Pets and netting
Generally speaking, mosquito nets become unusable for three reasons:
- Time.
- External factors.
- Internal "aggressors".
There is another reason - poor quality components and improper installation. For example, if you do not live on the first floor, then if it is installed incorrectly, the risk of the mesh falling from a great height increases. As a result, plastic elements may be damaged and the frame profile may bend. It will also not be possible without breaking the grid. In a word, after a fall, the mosquito net will definitely need repairs, but in the worst case, a complete replacement.
So how can you tell if your mesh needs to be repaired?
- If curvature of the frame frame is observed.
- Waves appeared on the mesh.
- The fastenings have failed.
- The canvas broke.
- The product does not have its original appearance.
The most common failure is a tear in the canvas. Especially if you have pets at home. Claws, teeth, beaks and the like can easily damage the mesh. As a result, uninvited guests in the form of mosquitoes and midges will fly into the apartment through the breakouts.
Also, the cause of failure may be careless use of the mesh, sudden temperature changes and wear of fittings, as well as due to exposure to precipitation. In most cases, the problem can be solved with one call to a suitable company from which you can buy a new mosquito net. However, in order to save money, you can fix the breakdowns yourself.
3D pen
Holes in a mosquito net can be patched using a children's toy - a 3D pen. You also need to prepare sharp scissors, a heavy ruler, a piece of paper and a piece of mesh suitable in size for sealing the hole. First, cut out the patch, apply it on top of the removed fabric, and place a sheet of paper underneath. The entire structure is placed on the table. Then press the patch with a metal ruler and process the contour of the patch with a 3D pen (select plastic of the desired color).
Next, turn the mesh over and pass it with a handle on the reverse side in the same way. As a result, the plastic and the patch are literally soldered together tightly to form a monolithic seam. In this way, you can seal all the holes in the mesh, after which it will last another 1-2 seasons.
How to seal small holes and cuts
Small holes are sealed:
How to repair a hole or crack in an old iron barrel without welding
- Warm wax or paraffin. Warm up the candle, drop the material onto a saucer, cool the wax slightly, knead it with your fingers, and seal the hole.
- Toothpaste. Cover the hole and let it dry.
- Stationery liquid glue or PVA. The drop is applied so that it completely covers the hole and dries.
The cuts are closed like this:
- sealed with tape;
- sew up with nylon thread, threading a needle through the holes in the mesh;
- sealed with adhesive tape.
Other repair methods
As an alternative to glue methods for repairing mosquito nets, other methods and technologies are used.
Patch
Liquid patches, hot melt glue and other adhesive methods require the purchase of suitable products. If they are missing, you can restore the mosquito net using a simple patch, like regular fabric. It is only important to choose similar material so that it does not stand out too much from the general background. You will also need a curved needle like a surgical one, thin fishing line or nylon thread of the same color as the mesh itself. The order of work will be as follows:
- remove the canvas from the window and place it conveniently on the table;
- straighten the hole by cutting it in the shape of a square or rectangle;
- cut the patch so that on each side it is 0.5 cm larger than the hole;
- overlap the cut on the mesh;
- Sew the patch with fishing line or thread, grabbing both layers and not pulling the edges too tightly.
Sewn patch
If the patch is sewn well, it holds tightly, but does not wrinkle the mesh. At the end of the work, the thread is secured to 2 knots so that it does not come undone. This method is well suited in situations where the aesthetic side of the issue is not too important.
Average prices for professional services
Mosquito tag repair services are offered by many commercial companies throughout the country. Due to the high level of competition, the average prices for these services are approximately the same:
Canvas repair – from 250 rubles.- Replacing the canvas - from 400 - 500 rubles.
- Replacement of attachment points - from 100 - 200 rubles. for each element.
- Replacement or repair of handles – from 150 rubles. for every detail.
- Size adjustment – from 250 – 350 rubles.
- Adjusting the fittings of the movable frames of the mosquito net - from 150 - 250 rubles. for each hinge element.
- Cleaning sliding runners or hinges from dirt and grease - from 200 rubles.
- Lubricating fittings with preliminary cleaning of rust – from 200 rubles.
It should be noted that the vast majority of companies do not go to the site to carry out repairs if the total cost of the work is lower than the established minimum to achieve profitability. As a rule, this amount varies from 1.5 to 3.0 thousand rubles.
Embroidery, artistic darning
Those who know how to embroider will immediately note that mosquito repellent fabric is similar to embroidery fabric - stitching. If you have the skills, the embroidery technique can be used to eliminate a mesh defect. The result will please you: the updated canvas will look beautiful and elegant.
Working with the mesh can be quite difficult, because you won’t be able to stretch it onto the hoop without removing it from the frame. You need to secure the frame vertically, and then start embroidering. Minor damage is the easiest to fix. They act this way:
- prepare threads of the desired color;
- transfer the drawing directly to the canvas, marking its contours with a pencil;
- stitch all the elements of the pattern.
Embroidery on mosquito net
After completing the embroidery, it is recommended to spray the decor with hairspray. This will repel birds who may be interested in the bright design. You can also use the artistic darning technique and simply carefully sew up the hole using parallel stitches.
Complete mesh replacement
If the damage to the mosquito net is serious, you will have to replace it completely. For this purpose, buy any mesh material (fiberglass, nylon, polyester) or use available raw materials, for example, tulle, organza.
You can also buy a ready-made repair kit, which includes a piece of mesh and a sealing cord. Carefully remove the old seal, cut out the mesh to fit the window, apply it and secure it with a new cord. By choosing the appropriate method for repairing mosquito nets, you can save on purchasing a new design and protect yourself from flying pests.
We select tools, purchase materials
Having studied the damage on the mesh, a repair project is drawn up. You can keep it in your mind, but it is better to write down all operations, dimensions, as well as parts and tools required for repair on a separate sheet. Such a project will allow you to better understand what needs to be done and in what sequence.
You can purchase all the necessary materials in specialized stores. Typically, the sale of components is carried out by companies that specialize in the manufacture of plastic windows and nets for them.
From the same company you can order a technician to come to your home to repair the mesh. But in fact, there is nothing complicated in the repair, and anyone with minimal skill in working with a tool can handle it.
The composition of the repair kit will vary slightly depending on the damage. Here is an example of a list of components required to repair a mesh with dimensions of 0.7 m by 1.5 m:
- Mesh fabric. It is selected with a margin of 10 cm for each dimension (i.e. 0.8 m by 1.6 m). The reserve will allow you to secure the canvas to the frame.
- 5 m of rubber cord for sealing (its diameter is 5 mm, color is gray).
- Two plastic handles.
- Four plastic corners (two right and two left).
Related article: Curtains for skylights with a sloping top
The tools for the job are also very common:
- screwdrivers (phillips and straight);
- mallet;
- scissors.
The only tool that is not found in any home is a plastic roller for rolling the sealing cord into the grooves. But the roller can be easily replaced with any blunt object that is suitable in size (this could be a wooden ruler or the handle of a construction knife).
