Thoughts on 'securing' the screen within the bottom track?

by Megan
(California)


I have retractable screen doors and they are awesome - except for one thing that didn't even occur to me until the issue presented itself....because the bottom of the screen simply slides into the track, my cat can pull the screen out of the track and get out.

I've been trying to imagine a way to keep the retractables and the cat in simultaneously...

On some retractable door site I read a sentence that sparked my imagination - but that has no further reference that I've been able to find: they used the phrase "screen button" when talking about keeping the screen in its track - but I can't find any further mention of screen buttons.

This sounds like a genius way to deter my little hoodlum - is there any way to improve the retractables i already have with something like buttons (or even a flexible spline-like strip, or flexible tubing that is juuuuust a bit thicker than the bottom channel)...or should I expect to find that screen manufacturer again and just buy new screens from them with this feature? (Note, I'm not super handy but I am determined - and my landlord is pretty handy...)

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Jan 02, 2016
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Could be...
by: Megan

Charlie, thanks for posting - it could be that the doors were missing the spline when we got them (I'm pretty sure they aren't from a major manufacturer), or the splines were considered "extra" parts & got 86'd. It's good to know that it's likely that my issue is isolated and any future doors I purchase will have them, although I've not seen any mention of them as I've researched, other than the one mention of screen buttons. Would you be willing to include a link (or a name) to a retractable screen door that does have a spline for the bottom track, so I know what to look for?

Nov 23, 2015
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Missing spline, maybe?
by: Charlie

Megan,
I'm no screen expert, but have never heard of a screen that "just slides into the track". It almost sounds like you have a piece of spline missing. Could this be your problem?

Charlie

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