"Might take a bit of trial and error though...screens can be finicky like that."
Yeah, finicky is right. Last summer I replaced a couple screens on a hot afternoon, thinking I'd nailed it. Next morning, they looked like they'd aged ten years overnight—sagging everywhere. Learned my lesson quick. Now I wait for a cooler day or at least shade, and like you said, pull it just a hair tighter than feels right. Seems to do the trick most times, but man, screens can really test your patience...
Yeah, heat definitely makes a difference. I learned that the hard way too—tried replacing screens on a blazing hot day once, and it looked perfect until evening rolled around. By morning, the screen had loosened up so much it looked like a sad trampoline. After that experience, I started installing them in the evening or early morning when it's cooler. Seems to help a lot.
Another thing I've noticed is that the spline size matters more than you'd think. A friend of mine swore by using the old spline again, but when I tried that, it never seemed to hold tight enough. Switched to a slightly thicker spline and suddenly everything stayed nice and snug. Maybe that's just my luck though...
Has anyone else experimented with different spline sizes or materials? Curious if it made a noticeable difference for you too.
"Switched to a slightly thicker spline and suddenly everything stayed nice and snug."
I've actually had the opposite experience—tried a thicker spline once and it was a nightmare getting it seated properly. Ended up warping the frame slightly because of the extra pressure. Went back to the original size spline but switched to a rubberized material instead of vinyl... way easier to work with and holds just fine. Might be worth trying if you're struggling with thickness issues.
Had a similar issue myself—went thicker once and regretted it immediately. The spline tool kept slipping, and I nearly tore the screen trying to force it in. Rubberized spline made a huge difference though... way more forgiving.