Screen pline and flat screen spline
Very often when you repair a screen you can reuse the old spline. Sometimes you cant because the old stuff is in such bad shape, or you might want to make your own whole new screen frame with everything new.
Spline is a available in quite a variety of shapes and sizes. The average hardware store stocks only a couple of sizes. Most likely the frame you have to work on requires the size they dont have.
Your local glass shop may well sell you the right size you need, just rememeber to bring a sample of the old that you removed so you can be sure to get the size right. If you still cant find the right size, check the link at the end of this page.
Spline comes in rolls that look like electrical wire, except it is solid all the way through. Often you will see "Polyfoam" which is like foam rubber except with very small air bubbles. It is available in sizes measured in decimals of an inch. For Example #140 is .140 of an inch.
The most common sizes or diameters in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, where I live are .160, .180, .200 and .250 inches diameter. I believe the above sizes are pretty common across North America too.
The sizes used depend on who the predominant supplier of windows was when most of the houses were built in your area.
The .250 size replaces the 1/4" aluminum spline that was used in houses built in th e fifties and sixties. This size is particularily easy for the do it yourselfer to roll in.
Spline is made in many different materials . There is EPDM which is a kind of hard rubber, there is also hollow core vinyl. Hollow core vinyl can be stretched as you roll it in, which helps if the diameter is just a little too big for the frame you are working on. Polyfoam is best for the beginner though because it can be used in wider variety of frame styles and is easier to roll in.
There is also "T-spline" that is used a lot in the very thin screen frames used in aluminum storm doors. This is usually made of extruded vinyl and its cross section has the shape of a letter "T". It also is available in the same size descriptions as polyfoam. When you roll this in you have to get the flat top of the letter T to lay down in the spline channel. That way it locks the screen material in place much more surely than regular polyfoam spline. With the T stuff however, you have to have exactly the right size, otherwise it just will not work.
Some window manufacturers have used weird and wonderful shapes in their custom screen doors in the past. Some of them have used glazing vinyl to hold the screen cloth in. Your local glass shop can probably help you sort out these situations and get you the right material.
Screen Spline size and usage chart | spline size (inches) | fraction | notes | | .120 round | 1/8" | used in patio screen frames | | .160 round | 11/64" | very popular - used in screen door frames | | .160 T spline | 11/64" | used in window and screen door frames | | .180 round | 3/16" | very popular - use in window and screen door frames | | .180 T spline | 3/16" | very popular in storm door screen frames | | .200 round | 13/64" | use in window and screen door frames | | .250 round | 1/4" | direct replacement for old aluminum spline used in the sixties | | .250 T spline | 1/4" | used in patio screen frames and many storm door screen frames | | | |
 
Spline - .120 Dia. - Black Ribbed Vinyl - 2670 ft. roll
" onClick="window.location.href='/cgi-bin/counter.pl?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tkqlhce.com%2Fgk115lnwtnvACGFCHFFACBFICBDF%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fcj.shop.com%252FP7674_165_500_FT_GRAY_SPLINE_4878575-9252878-14110736-p%2521.shtml%253Fsourceid%253D23%26cjsku%3D14110736%22%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20onmouseover%3D%22window.status%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fcj.shop.com%27%3Breturn%20true%3B%22%20onmouseout%3D%22window.status%3D%27%20%27%3Breturn%20true%3B%22%3E&referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.all-about-screen-doors.com%2Fscreen_spline.html'; return false;">Spline - .165 Dia. - Gray Ribbed Vinyl - 500 ft roll
" onClick="window.location.href='/cgi-bin/counter.pl?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kqzyfj.com%2Fia66efolfn248749772437A4357%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fcj.shop.com%252FSPLINE_175_DIA_SPLINE_300%252527_22422802-36238637-48549005-p%2521.shtml%253Fsourceid%253D23%26cjsku%3D48549005%22%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20onmouseover%3D%22window.status%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fcj.shop.com%27%3Breturn%20true%3B%22%20onmouseout%3D%22window.status%3D%27%20%27%3Breturn%20true%3B%22%3E&referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.all-about-screen-doors.com%2Fscreen_spline.html'; return false;">Spline - .175 Dia. - Gray Ribbed Vinyl - 300 ft. roll
" onClick="window.location.href='/cgi-bin/counter.pl?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tkqlhce.com%2F9a103biroiq57BA7CAA576AD768A%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fcj.shop.com%252FSlide_Co_P_8328_500%252527_190BLK_Scr_Spline-33457239-43752509-p%2521.shtml%253Fsourceid%253D23%26cjsku%3D43752509%22%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20onmouseover%3D%22window.status%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fcj.shop.com%27%3Breturn%20true%3B%22%20onmouseout%3D%22window.status%3D%27%20%27%3Breturn%20true%3B%22%3E&referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.all-about-screen-doors.com%2Fscreen_spline.html'; return false;">Spline - .190 Dia. - Black Polyfoam - 500 ft. roll
" onClick="window.location.href='/cgi-bin/counter.pl?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dpbolvw.net%2Fb766tenkem13763866132693246%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fcj.shop.com%252FSlide_Co_P_7595_250%252527_210_7_32_Spline-33443028-43738295-p%2521.shtml%253Fsourceid%253D23%26cjsku%3D43738295%22%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20onmouseover%3D%22window.status%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fcj.shop.com%27%3Breturn%20true%3B%22%20onmouseout%3D%22window.status%3D%27%20%27%3Breturn%20true%3B%22%3E&referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.all-about-screen-doors.com%2Fscreen_spline.html'; return false;">Spline - .210 Dia. - Blacked Ribbed Vinyl - 250 ft. roll
" onClick="window.location.href='/cgi-bin/counter.pl?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kqzyfj.com%2Fmg101vpyvpxCEIHEJHHCEDHKEDFH%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fcj.shop.com%252FSlide_Co_P_7530_25%252527_250_1_4_Black_Spline-34552067-45114074-p%2521.shtml%253Fsourceid%253D23%26cjsku%3D45114074%22%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20onmouseover%3D%22window.status%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fcj.shop.com%27%3Breturn%20true%3B%22%20onmouseout%3D%22window.status%3D%27%20%27%3Breturn%20true%3B%22%3E&referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.all-about-screen-doors.com%2Fscreen_spline.html'; return false;">Spline - .250 Dia. Black Ribbed Vinyl - 250 ft. roll

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