My Next Diy Project

I purchased a screen house last summer and left it outside all winter. I didn't want to take it down because it was a beast to put up. Well, the metal frame is bent all out of shape from a heavy snowfall that came through a few weeks ago. I assessed the damage and that was the only thing that was wrong. So after my mind got into it's DIY mode my plan is to build a new frame for it. I would be interested @Bob Cole and @Ken Anderson in purchasing a material that can withstand heavy winds and any ideas to alleviate weight from water, leaves (I can use my leaf blower on that) or snow. I don't plan dismantling the screen house unless it is completely ruin and can't be repaired in any way.

In case anyone is curious as to why I fingered Bob and Ken it's because they were afraid I had put them out to the curb. Your ideas are welcomed too.

 

I hope you share your progress with us. I'd love to see some pictures. How large is the screen house, is it possible to cover it during the winters, to prevent similar damage in the future? I don't even have any power tools (only due to lack of money, not interest), but if I did, I'd probably have tackled some DIYs here. I've done a few projects, but it's hard to do more without the tools. What are you going to use the screen house for? Is it an entertainment area, or will you have plants in there or use it for some other purpose?

 

Without taking any measurements and because I threw away all the paperwork I'd say 9-10 feet in length by 7-8 feet in heights and probably the same for the width. I'd be embarrassed to show the screen house in its current state.

I purchased it because of the mosquitoes mostly. I have yet to do anything other than put a set of lawn chairs inside. It's going to play a big part for my grandchildren this summer .

 

They love things like that, don't they? .. I've got a cabana that's enclosed, and the grandkids head in there to play their games, etc.

 

Update on my DIY project - The Collapsed Screen house .

The weather was pretty nice today so I took another look at the screen house and it was as I had thought one of the poles had broken. So it didn't take me long to figure out how I could jimmy rig it with a skinny metal pole which fit perfectly in the broken one and found another pole which was longer to prop up the center. I placed a flat lid to prevent it from slipping on the nylon fabric and a brick (the kind that has the holes) to keep it place. It won't be to hard to put it back in place should it slip. Hopefully there will be no strong gusts of wind when the rain comes that may shake it loose. I plan to purchased some PVC pipes to build a frame for it.

If my Mom and aunt were here they would be laughing after saying, "She's just like Horace." That's my Grandpa.

@Diane Lane. I did find the tote that the screen house came in and it measures 12 ft by 9 ft and 7 ft is the center height. I had a tarp covering it during the winter for protection. It worked well with the exception of the accumulated snow.

 

I don't see many Mosquitos here at all. My problem is black widows and since my grandsons when younger would visit, I got Clark's Pest control. I still have the service but mainly because they keep the stucco on my house looking clean. Before that I had this black stuff always sticking to it and it was impossible to remove easily. Hated it.

 

Uh, dunno .............I am way, way enjoying my unemployment. After my consultations failed so miserably I felt so low I hid under the bed for 2 or 3 days vowing never to come out. Then when the dog chased me out I found respite by playing a couple of funeral dirges by Mozart and tearing up over my unsweetened coolaide on the rocks.
But, after a few visits with a psychologist resembling Timothy Leary and a new prescription I feel much better now! Granted, I keep seeing beautiful swirling colors coming from the ceilings and floors but I am getting used to it.

Now about your problem............Okay, try this one.........Think PVC..................

 

Okay, here are some photos of my screen house resurrection. I still have some tweaking to do but I used all but two pieces of PVC that I purchased yesterday at Lowe's. It seems a lot sturdier now it will prove itself come the next big windstorm. I bought 16 pieces of 5 ft PVC, four connectors, and one 4-way connector (which I didn't use).

All the images are inside support frame I built with the PVC pipes. The longest sides required me to cut two and use connectors. The rest I used to add addition support to the existing metal frames so that the nylon wouldn't be so flimsy. I still have the tarp covering it until I find something lighter and waterproof to keep out the rain that comes through the screens on all four sides.

The sun came out which is why there is a difference in the photos.

I'm just your average jimmy rigger Jane and I take criticism lightly.

 

It looks like you did a great job with it, @Von Jones. What did you use to cut the pipe? Does the screen house have a floor? Mosquitoes are horrible here. I don't spend much time outside one they start, especially because this is a very damp area, being near the water, and with all of the trees and wood nearby, they often get overwhelming.

 

@Diane Lane. A hand saw to cut the pipes. They are 1/2 inch so it was fairly easy and quick to cut. Yes there is a floor that I had built the year before it was then know as my Karaoke stand but after I found the screen house at the flea market I thought it would make a great floor base. If you look closely in some of the pictures you can see part of the white railing. No I forget I deleted those.

It turned out to be such a nice day yesterday that I couldn't resist getting to work on the support frame. After I tweak it some my plans are to dress it up a bit.

When I'm working outside I use smoke rings made by OFF! Yard and Patio Bug Barriers. I don't know if they're still on the shelves in the stores. I found them at an estate sale and have been trying to find them every since.

@Diane Lane. If you look at the fifth and seventh photos you can see part of the railing.

 

Oh good, because the mosquitoes hang close to the ground here. I feed the strays in the driveway, and it tends to stay damp there, because it's usually out of the sun, under the carport. Mosquitoes love sticking nearby, and I've seen them low in the grass here, too. This neighborhood is sprayed every so often for mosquitoes, but I tend to stay indoors as much as I can when they're out, because I have issues with a lot of the chemicals used, they make my asthma worse. If you can't find them in person, you could try online. That's one thing I really appreciate about having the internet around nowadays, it's so much easier to find older products that aren't stocked locally anymore.

 

You might want to use conduit metal pipe to reinforce your broken and bent pipe. It is strong and easily cut with a hacksaw. It comes in different sizes but is pretty cheap in most areas. I use it for lots of different projects around my house. Like cutting it in lengths to hold my raised bed boards in place. That way I can move the beds if I choose too. Another great use is as curtain rods on hooks, instead of expensive wooden rods. They can be spray painted to match colors in a room and they hold heavy curtains without bending in the middle.
Back to your screen house and the mosquitoes. You might want to try using the torch stakes that hold the citronella candles. My brother has backyard parties all the time and he puts out these torch stakes with the citronella candles and they really work to keep his big yard free of mosquitoes. You can buy other candles to put on a table in your screen room. Maybe if you got one of those indoor-outdoor rugs and laid it on the floor of the screen room it might keep the insects from clustering there. Worth trying so you can enjoy your yard.

 

@Sandy Wood. I was thinking of using some kind of metal as a reinforcement the PVC pipes didn't hold up against the strong winds that came through last week.

I have all kinds of things for the mosquitoes even the torch stakes which I found at an estate sale dirt cheap. Still haven't lit them up though.

 

Well what do you know? I love her just the way she is. I'll clean her up, put some wheels on her and she'll be good as new. Love it!