Just like any other part of an RV, screen door slides play an essential role in keeping your Rving experience an ultimate one. Aside from the fact that it makes everything easy and accessible, there is no better feeling than opening your RV doors to keep the fresh air coming without being accompanied by uninvited guests-bugs! Outdoor camping, as exciting as it may seem, may not always be a perfect experience. Mosquito and bugs bites are normal when enjoying the outdoors. Thus, having a solid screen door can eliminate these inconveniences. Since these parts are lightweight, they can easily crack and tear. So routine replacement should be a part of your maintenance check. In this article, we will talk about how to replace RV screen door slides.
Screen doors have different parts that function altogether. The basic ones are:
- Screen door latches – it enables you to lock your RV door from the inside for safety.
- Screen door slide- slides help you access the latch without the need to open the entire slide door.
- Screen door guard – this comes in solid, plastic form and protects your screen door from pets or young children.
- Screen door handle – a great addition to your RV, the door handle allows you to open the door from inside without the need for the plastic slide.
Screen Door Slides
On your screen door, you might find a plastic bit that can slide back and forth. That’s your screen door slide. It keeps bugs out when closed but still giving you access to the latch by sliding it open. Since usually made of plastic, this part is one of the easiest to break. So knowing how to replace RV screen door slides can come in handy.
Replacing RV screen door slides is very easy with no tools necessary! You have to find the plastic slide panel that can fit your door precisely. It comes in a variety of colors, so choose whichever suits your taste.
What You’ll Need
You only need a few things to replace your RV screen door slide. These parts can easily be purchased online.
- Stop – mostly used in 12″ door screen slides, this screen door stop blocks the opening between the slide and the frame of your RV screen door.
- Slide – slide panels are made from plastic and comes in white, clear, frosted, and black colors. The slide allows you to access the latch without opening the entire screen door.
- Stationary piece – usually comes with the slide. This stationery piece keeps the sliding door in place.
How to Measure Your Screen Door Slide
Screen doors come in two standard sizes, so does your screen door slides. So it is vital to know the correct measurements of your slides to make your replacement parts fit perfectly. Doing so is very easy! You can go ahead and measure the height and width of your old panel. However, if unavailable, the first step you can do is to measure the height of your slide opening. The usual slide door measurements are 9 inches and 12 inches high. The next step is to measure the width of the slide opening. It also comes in two standard sizes. Most slides are 11-1/2 inches wide. However, in current RVs, screen doors only measure 8 inches wide.
How to Replace RV Screen Door Slide
A broken screen door slide can be very inconvenient, especially when you prefer to enjoy and stay at the campgrounds. The possibility of having small creatures enter your home on wheels can also be stressful. So in this part, let’s breakdown the different steps on how to replace RV screen door slides. You only need three simple steps to do so:
- Take your durable screen door slide panel. Make sure to have the same measurement as your old panel to avoid installation problems.
- In case the slide does not fit, some brands give you the option to trim the slide using heavy-duty scissors. Just make sure to be careful and precise.
- Unscrew the screen slide stop and pull the old screen panel until you remove it completely from the slide door opening.
Insert the new panel and screw the screen door stop back in place.
Conclusion
Replacing RV screen door slides is no trouble at all. It’s not very complicated and not time-consuming. As long as you have a durable replacement slide handy, go ahead and replace your old one. However, keep in mind that screen door slides deteriorate and wither fast because of its material, exposure to different weather conditions, and frequent usage. So always have a spare one in case. And knowing how to replace RV screen door slides and other parts of your RV is an integral part of the over-all RVing experience.