Replacing V-spline

by Steve Oros
(Homosassa,FL)

First I'd like to thank you for being here, your a wonderful source of information. I am replacing the screens in sliding panels of my pool enclosure. They are held in with v-spline. I have been told that I can just use round spline to replace, another company has told me that round would not hold. I have pictures of the channel, and a cross section of the spline. the sides of the channels have fine grooves. I guess my question is, do you think round spline will hold well?

Hi Steve;

The fact that the channel has grooves means that if you used round foam spline, it would have something to bite into.

Even ribbed vinyl spline would work because the ribs would catch the grooves in the channel. The key is getting the right size.

Foam spline needs to be purchased about 20 percent larger than the groove to fit properly. Your groove is about 3/16 inches or .1875 so I would use .200 diameter foam spline.

Foam spline is more forgiving so long as you buy it larger than the groove. Vinyl and rubber splines dont compress as easily so they have to be exactly the right size.

I use foam spline to replace old aluminum spline in doors with 1/4 inch spline channel. Works fine and those channels have no ribs to grab the spline. Just have to get the size right so its tight enough.

You shouldnt be able pull the screen out easily but it should bnot e too difficult to roll the spline in

Best thing is to make a test

Hope this helps