Abstract: A framing system for mounting flexible sheets of material, such as screening in an opening in a wall or porch includes U-shaped channels, or lineals, having at least one external built-in groove for receiving a spline strip for holding an edge of the sheet in place in the groove. Four lineals define a rectangular opening over which the sheet is stretched and then secured in place by jamming its edges into the external spline grooves of the surrounding four lineals with the spline strips to hold the sheet in place. Universal fasteners hold the lineals to the porch walls. The universal fasteners also have alignment grooves on their upper surface, lower surface or both of these surfaces that are useful for receiving an alignment string or wire to align a series of the fasteners across a surface so that they are in line to receive and accurately align a single lineal or multiple lineals arranged end to end.

Abstract: An enclosure, such as a column for supporting a roof, is defined by plural, adjacent, beveled segments, including two outermost segments, folded and joined. An adhesive is used on the beveled edges to help hold the shape of the enclosure. In addition, the edges of the outermost segments are configured to interlock so that, with manual force and no tools, the outermost segments can be snapped together, thereby holding the enclosure while the adhesive cures. The configurations on the outermost edges are preferably made of interlocking projections and recesses, at least one of which projections is displaced slightly when the outermost segments are joined. The segments may be formed by milling a single panel while applying tape to the joints between segments to hold them in adjacent relationship. The tape may then be removed after the enclosure is formed. The preferred material for the enclosure is foamed plastic.

Abstract: A construction material and method for making same, made preferably of polymeric material, into which has been incorporated upon extrusion a metal web that has a relatively higher thermal conductivity coefficent and relatively greater tensile strength than the extruded polymeric material. The web is incorporated below but near the surface of the member and preferably connecting at least the side that will be exposed to heat and a side opposite that side so that heat is transfered from the exposed side to side that is not exposed to equalize the thermal loading and thereby reduce bowing. Further, the web, having good tensile strength, resists that bowing that might otherwise still occur and generally makes the material stronger.

Abstract: A sliding plastic screen door made of foamed vinyl can be trimmed at the job site to fit the door it will occupy. The door may have reinforcing in its styles and potentially also in its rails but not in the top portion of the rail, which is where it may be cut to fit. Two embodiments are disclosed, one with a header that can be removed prior to trimming the top rail, and the other with a deep slot for the rollers, which top rail can be trimmed directly and the wheels reattached.