How to install the rigid screen spline

Casey from SWISCO

Apr 27, 2009 10:30 am

Thanks for writing in. Install the replacement rigid screen spline with the flat side down; slide the side with the innermost protrusion in first and then the other side will snap in with a standard screening tool such our 75-019. Let us know if you have further questions.

29 Replies

Quick Learner from Massachusetts

Apr 27, 2009 12:44 pm

Is there a special tool used to install the 55-109 spline?

Home Owner from Indiana

May 7, 2009 3:51 pm

I need to re-screen an EMCO storm door screen Serial No. A-971456. The spline on the current door measures 5/8" do you carry flat spline that will work for this?

Dave Sr. from SWISCO

May 20, 2009 7:23 am

Our 55-109 Spline that measures a heavy 3/8" wide; we've used this for EMCO storm door screen repairs in the past. Recheck your measurements, and let us know if the 3/8" in fact matches what you need.

Home Owner from collegeville, PA

Jun 9, 2010 9:24 am

Just re-screened my front door after 18 years. Took me 20 minutes. This has to be the best design in spline ever. The sline drew the screening tight as I as I installed it. It made it much easier to get a taut screen as compared to conventional round spline. And I only do this onece every 4 years or so.

Home Owner from Michigan

Oct 1, 2010 1:09 pm

Wow. Emco doesn't make it easy for the do it yourselfers out there do they? I do appreciate Swisco having this very hard to find product and shipping it quickly. First off, aluminum screening or anything of thickness just isn't going to work. Must use fiberglass! I also found that you absolutely need a screening tool. I can't imagine not having it after debating if I needed it. Insert the lip first and then use the screening tool and push inward on the opposite edge at about a 60 degree angle. Don't try to do too much at once or it will pop out. Good luck and thanks again to swisco.

Paul from SWISCO

Nov 10, 2010 11:45 am

Unfortunately the ridgid spline can not be reused. We have been repairing these screens with the ridgid spline for years and we have tried all different ways of reusing the spline without any satisfactory results.

Contractor from Chicagoland area

Nov 10, 2010 12:08 pm

Can the existing ridgid screen spline be removed and reused? If so are there any tricks to a safe removal?

Quick Learner from Rochester, NY

Apr 3, 2011 5:10 pm

My Emco Forever View door needs re-screening. Are there tricks/instructions to using the flat spline to actually stretch the screen tight as naturally happens with other systems where the spline stretches the screen as it is pressed into the channel? Thanks

Tom from SWISCO

Apr 8, 2011 10:08 am

I created a video tutorial on how to install the 55-109 rigid screen spline into a Forever Storm Door insert. I thought it would be a lot easier to explain the installation process on a video. Let me know if you have any further questions or comments after you watch the video.

Quick Learner from Rochester, NY

Apr 10, 2011 10:51 am

Wow - you make it look very easy. Thanks for creating the video. I'm off to order the spline.

Thanks.

Sincerely,

Tom

Tom from SWISCO

Apr 11, 2011 3:03 pm

You're welcome! Good luck with your project.

Quick Learner from denville, nj

Apr 12, 2011 11:44 am

i watched mikes video on youtube about installing the forver door spline, he makes it look so easy, but when i go and try it the roller keeps slipping off or i cant the spline to stay in place.

Tom from SWISCO

Apr 12, 2011 3:05 pm

Make sure you are placing the spline into the inner lip of the screen frame before you start pressing it in with the roller. You can see this step around the 40 second mark of the video.

Image displaying how to lay the 55-109 spline into the inner lip of the screen frame.

Handy Person from Saugerties NY

Apr 12, 2011 3:57 pm

Hi. Can you use Replace the Fiberglas screening with Pet screening on Forever door screens?

Casey from SWISCO

Apr 12, 2011 6:34 pm

Hello,

The Pet Screen Mesh is too thick for this type of screen spline; the 55-109 will not snap in the screen frame with thick screen mesh. The Forever Door storm door screens that use this type of spline are designed to hold standard fiberglass screen mesh.

Quick Learner from Newburgh, NY

Aug 8, 2011 1:00 pm

Well , Thank God for the video. Was having a hard time till I saw the video. Just have to have flat side on bottom, larger edge into the inner lip and use the roller on other side pressing down. Tried for about a hour before video to no success. After video took me just 10 minutes.Once you know how to do it it's a breeze. Thanks

Quick Learner from Rochester, NY

Aug 12, 2011 9:16 pm

Going to write exactly what Newburgh NY last said. Thank you for the video. Was extremely frustrated on my own trying to tape it down, and line it up etc...then I watched the video. 5 minutes later the screen door was up and I am back inside. Thank you!
Ken

Tom from SWISCO

Aug 15, 2011 10:36 am

You're quite welcome!

I'm glad the tutorial video was able to help you successfully install your spline.

Quick Learner from Colorado

Nov 16, 2011 9:24 pm

I am unable to get the old spline out of the grove. Any tricks on how to get it out? Also, does anyone know if EMCO sells a full replacement screen?

Paul from SWISCO

Nov 17, 2011 12:37 pm

One way to remove the old spline is to get a sharp utility knife and slice the ridged spline down the middle. Then, you should use a pair of needle nose pliers to pull out the old spline.

EMCO has been bought out by Andersen and I don't know if they still sell only their screens. On the inside hinge should be the serial and phone numbers of your door and door manufacturer. Give it a try.

Home Owner

Nov 17, 2011 1:38 pm

Thank you for your prompt response. I just called EMCO and they do have the replacement screen AND the replacement glass (which I never had with this door because it wasn't there when I bought the house). So, I'm thinking I will order the replacement glass through Home Depot (for the winter months) and that gives me time to replace the screen myself.

I'm so glad I found this site, very helpful!

Contractor from New York

Aug 18, 2012 11:06 am

Flat spline is appealing for manufacture, but not truly serviceable for homeowners. I don't see any advantage to using special materials or technique just for this one screen, and I can't use the type of screen material that I want.

I was able to eliminate this problem by attaching normally splined screen rails(parts available from HD) to the Emco frame with screws. New rails can be painted to match the door, and now I can use any type of screen that I please.

Quick Learner from Florida

Feb 17, 2014 5:39 pm

Mike, thanks for the helpful video. I could not figure out how to install flat spline. Your video made it a piece of cake for me to replace two patio screen panels. Thanks again!
Steve

Contractor from Ohio

Jun 16, 2014 3:58 pm

I am amazed at what a terrible product EMCO put out ! Like most others wrote here...it is near impossible to do yourself and good luck finding the spline and you can NOT re-use it. I also had problems with the EMCO doors and the company WOULD NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR WARRANTY. They gave 2 homeowners problems and would NOT replace defective door parts because the homeowner only had the receipt from the contractor and NOT the receipt from the orange big box store. I had to pay out of pocket to buy a different brand door for 2 separate people and then the irate homeowners call me screaming when they TRY to replace a screen in the door and can not and NO LOCAL hardware stores sell the spline. WHAT A TERRIBLE COMPANY AND WORSE PRODUCT....AVOID EMCO AT ALL COST !

Quick Learner from Cleveland,New York

Jun 29, 2016 3:03 pm

I had hoped to replace damaged screen in my forever door, but just read that I can't use the pet screen I prefer. It's too thick. Disappointed! Glad I read info from another quick learner!!

Quick Learner from Pennsylvania

Apr 8, 2017 2:36 pm

Interesting how it seems like the "contractors" are the only ones that truly have issues with this system........

With the exception of the spline not being as readily available there is no doubt that it holds better than round spline in a larger screen, making it a much better option

Home Owner

Mar 11, 2025 5:29 pm

Is there a smaller width of this spline than 3/8"? We are trying to replace the screen on an old storm door and what we peeled out of it (with difficulty) was definitely stiff spline; we believe it is a Forever door, or at the very least the pieces we took to the hardware store matched this product. But we cannot get the new spline back in, for love nor money, even after carefully watching the video & lining up the edges correctly. It takes extreme force on the splining tool to get it to hold for just a few seconds, and it pops right back out. We are using a standard fiberglass screen.

Tom from SWISCO

Mar 13, 2025 10:52 am

I'm sorry to say that they don't make this spline in any alternative sizes. 13/32" is the only size we can provide at this time.

I do sympathize, though; it can be difficult to install. There is unfortunately no trick to it I am aware of outside of the video we show above. It's tough, but it should still be possible as long as the screen mesh isn't too thick. When it comes to pet screen gauge mesh, for example, then installing it using the 55-109 is quite impossible.