Screen Guide / November 4, 2026

Are Rusty Pool Cage Screws or Fasteners Included in Rescreening?

Learn why rusty enclosure screws, anchors and door hardware need a separate scope from screen mesh and spline during a Florida pool-cage rescreen.

Rusty screws, anchors and other enclosure fasteners are not automatically included in a pool-cage rescreen. Rescreening primarily replaces screen material and commonly the spline that holds it in the frame. Door hardware, trim screws, structural connections and concrete anchors serve different purposes, so the estimate should identify each condition and state what is included.

Identify the fastener location

Start by describing the exact location. A rusty screw in a screen door hinge is different from a fastener joining structural aluminum members or an anchor connecting the enclosure to concrete. Take wide, ground-level photos that show the enclosure side and closer photos of safely reachable staining, but do not climb the cage or remove a fastener to see what it does.

Do not diagnose strength from color

Surface staining does not reveal the remaining strength of a fastener. Rust color can come from a screw, nearby metal, runoff or an earlier repair, while a coated or stainless fastener can have issues that are not obvious from a distance. Avoid promising that a cosmetic treatment solves the connection or that every stained screw requires wholesale replacement.

Separate screen retention from enclosure connections

Keep mesh, spline and fasteners as separate line items. Phifer’s installation guidance describes screen being secured in a frame groove with spline. That screen-retention system is different from the screws and anchors that connect doors, aluminum members or the enclosure to the deck and home. A screen estimate should not blur those components together.

Leave unknown structural fasteners in place

Do not disturb an unknown structural connection during screen removal. Removing or substituting a fastener can affect the connection it was selected for, including material compatibility, embedment and the approved enclosure design. Fastener type and installation should follow the applicable plans, product information and qualified professional—not appearance alone.

Classify hardware versus structural work

Ask whether the observation is maintenance, hardware repair or structural work. Door closer screws, handles and hinges may be ordinary hardware items, while corroded beam connections, base plates, anchors or movement at the house attachment can require a contractor qualified for enclosure repair. New mesh should not be used to hide a loose or deteriorated connection.

Document the actual exposure pattern

Coastal exposure makes documentation more important, not diagnosis automatic. St. Johns County includes Atlantic coastline from North Ponte Vedra through Vilano, St. Augustine Beach and farther south, while inland communities have different exposure. Salt, irrigation, rain paths and dissimilar metals may all affect staining patterns. Record which side and connection type is involved instead of labeling the whole enclosure as coastal corrosion.

Check records and permit responsibility

Use permit records and the exact scope when deciding the next step. St. Johns County says permits are required for most improvements and provides online permit-status tools and screen-enclosure forms. Ordinary screen replacement is different from altering a structural connection. Ask the Building Department about the address and proposed work when screws, anchors or framing are being changed.

Compare proposals by component

Compare written proposals by component. A useful estimate identifies screen product, spline, included doors, any nonstructural hardware, excluded structural fasteners, cleanup and who will assess observed corrosion. If fastener replacement is proposed, ask for the location, product or specification, responsible trade and whether engineering or permitting applies.

Review screen and hardware separately

Finish with a ground-level walkthrough. Look for the agreed screen tension and clean edges, operate doors normally, confirm included hardware work and note any connection that remains outside the screen scope. If a member moves, an anchor is loose, or the enclosure alignment has changed, stop treating the issue as cosmetic and request the appropriate enclosure assessment.