Your screen enclosure has seen better days. Maybe the screens are torn or faded, the frame has some rust spots, or a storm left some damage you've been putting off dealing with. The big question: do you need a full rescreening, or is it time for a complete replacement?
This is one of the most common questions we get at Anthony's Screens, and the answer isn't always obvious. Here's how to figure out the right move for your Emerald Coast home — and your budget.
When Rescreening Is the Right Call
Rescreening means removing the old screen mesh and spline from your existing frame and installing new screen material. The frame, roof, and structural components stay in place. It's essentially giving your enclosure a facelift.
Rescreening makes sense when:
Your frame is structurally sound. The aluminum isn't corroded through, warped, or cracked. Surface oxidation is normal and usually fine — we're talking about actual structural damage.
Your screens are the problem. If your screens are torn, faded, stretched out, or full of holes but the frame is solid, rescreening is the clear choice. No reason to tear down a perfectly good structure just because the mesh is worn out.
You want to upgrade your screen material. Many homeowners with older enclosures had standard fiberglass installed originally. Rescreening gives you the opportunity to upgrade to Super Screen, pet screen, or aluminum mesh without replacing the entire structure.
The spline channels are in good condition. Spline channels are the grooves in the frame where the rubber spline holds the screen in place. If these are intact and not bent or damaged, rescreening is straightforward.
Cost: Rescreening is significantly less expensive than a full replacement — typically a fraction of the cost depending on the size of your enclosure and the screen material you choose.
Timeline: Most rescreening projects take 1 to 3 days depending on the size of the enclosure.
When Full Replacement Is Necessary
Sometimes rescreening isn't enough. If the frame itself is compromised, putting new screens on it is like putting new paint on a car with a rusted-out frame — it might look better temporarily, but the underlying problem isn't going away.
Full replacement is the right call when:
The frame has significant corrosion. If you can see through the aluminum in spots, if joints are crumbling when you touch them, or if sections of the frame are visibly weakened, the structure needs to go. This is especially common on older enclosures near the Gulf where salt air has done decades of damage.
The frame is warped or leaning. If posts are no longer plumb, beams are bowed, or the whole structure looks like it's shifting, the frame has lost its structural integrity. Rescreening won't fix that.
Storm damage affected the structure. After a hurricane or severe storm, the frame may look okay from the ground but have cracked welds, loosened anchors, or bent structural members that compromise its strength. If a storm tore out screens AND moved or damaged the frame, replacement is usually the safer choice.
The enclosure doesn't meet current building codes. Building codes in Florida — especially for wind resistance — have gotten significantly stricter over the years. If you have an older enclosure that was built to outdated standards, a full replacement built to current code gives you better protection and may be required if you're doing major work anyway.
The layout doesn't work anymore. Maybe you've changed your landscaping, added a hot tub, extended your patio, or want a different configuration. If you're changing the footprint, you're looking at new construction anyway.
Cost: Full replacement costs more than rescreening, but you're getting an entirely new structure built to current engineering standards with modern materials. For pool enclosures on the Emerald Coast, costs typically range from $15,000 to $45,000+ depending on size and complexity.
Timeline: A full replacement usually takes 1 to 3 weeks from demolition to completion, depending on permitting (standing structures with roofs require permits) and complexity.
How to Assess Your Enclosure
Here's a simple inspection you can do yourself before calling a professional:
Check the frame joints. Push on connection points where beams meet posts. Any significant movement, cracking, or crumbling is a red flag for the frame's structural integrity.
Look at the base of the posts. This is where corrosion usually starts because it's closest to ground moisture. If the bottom 6 inches of your posts are corroded or thinning, the frame may be compromised.
Examine the roof attachments. If your enclosure has a roof, look at where it connects to your home and to the enclosure frame. Loose, corroded, or damaged connections are a safety concern.
Check the fasteners. Corroded screws and bolts can be replaced individually. But if every fastener in the enclosure is corroded, it tells you the hardware wasn't rated for coastal use and there may be broader quality issues.
Test the spline channels. Run your finger along the grooves where the screen sits in the frame. If they're bent, cracked, or deformed, rescreening becomes much more difficult and the result may not hold up.
What We Tell Our Customers
At Anthony's Screens, we see both situations regularly. Some homeowners call expecting to need a full replacement and we're able to save them thousands with a rescreening. Others call wanting just a rescreening and we have to be straight with them that the frame isn't worth investing in.
We'll always give you an honest assessment. If rescreening will do the job, we'll tell you. If the frame needs to go, we'll explain exactly why and what a replacement looks like. We've built our reputation on that kind of transparency — it's a big reason we have a 4.9-star rating from 150 Google reviews.
Call 850-904-6144 for a free inspection or visit our contact page. We serve homeowners across the Emerald Coast including Niceville, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Crestview, Santa Rosa Beach, and the 30A corridor.