How to Build a Screen Door

Having a good screen door on your home can let the breeze in as well as keep insects out. Having a screen door on your home is great when the weather is hot and you want to let the air in your house while still having an enclosed home. A screen door is built with lap joints and a few tools.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tape measure
• Circular saw
• Several C clamps
• Sharp utility knife
• 3/4-inch chisel
• Square
• Polyurethane glue
• Glue brush (Disposable)
• 5/4 lumber (1 1/4 inch frame)
• 1/4 x 3/4 screen molding
• Drill
• Staples
• Staple gun
• Spade bits
• 1x1 lumber (cleats)
• 1-inch brads or nails
• Aluminum screening
• Screen door hardware
• Paint or varnish

1. Cut the parts and lay them out. Purchase the lumber you need for the door, both vertical and horizontal, as well as the rails. Cut the vertical parts of the board to the length you want and the rails to the width of the door.

2. Cut the half-lap joints. Place a board or boards into the jig that will give you a guide for your saw. Set the cutting depth to either 9/16 of an inch or half the thickness of the board. Begin at the cut line making a few passes with the saw in order to remove everything between the two cut lines. Clean and smooth the joint using a chisel. Now repeat this exact same process for all the boards of the screen door.

3. Put together the parts of the screen door. Before assembling the door do a trial run, putting the door together without attaching the boards to one another. If it is a good fit add polyurethane glue to the joints with a disposable glue brush. Now put the pieces together and clamp them together using C clamps, making sure the joints are square. Measure the diagonals of the door after assembly, as they should be equal, and then let the glue dry.

4. Add the cleats of the screen. You can staple the screen to the face of the door but it will look better if the screen is recessed with the screen molding thickness. This is generally 1/4 inch. In order to make this recess you can glue and nail 3/4 x 3/4 inch cleats to the 5/4 frame of the door making sure it is flush with the inside of the door.

5. Paint or varnish the wood. Before you apply the screening you should paint or varnish the door and let it dry. This step will be more difficult to do if you do it after you apply the screen.

6. Install the screen onto the door. Set the screen door on blocks and then clamp it down in the middle of the door. Take the screening and roll it over the whole door stapling it to the rails at the top and bottom of the door. Make sure there is no slack, as you want it to be tight. Finish stapling the screening to both the internal frame and vertical pieces. Get rid of any leftover screening with a utility knife. To hide the staples cut screen molding and tack it over the channel of the screen.

7. Install the screen door hardware. You have several options for installing the hardware but the easiest is a face mounted-spring hinge that has a handle screwed into each side of the screen door. Set the screen door in the opening of the door and then attach the hinges to the trim next to the main door. Then attach a metal handle screwing it into the wood on the screen door. You can also install a lock if you would like, screwing it onto the screen door and door trim.

Tips & Warnings

• It is a good idea to use galvanized hinges with brass pins so the screen door does not squeak.
• You can put cloth or rubber stoppers on the bottom of the screen door so it does not make noise when it closes.
• Always use goggles and safety glasses when cutting lumber with a circular saw.

[katblue60]

on 9/27/2009 I agree with the above. There should be how-to photo's of the entire project.

[OrtisEvans]

on 4/16/2009 This article, like many I have seen, is worthless without drawings. It can't be understood without drawings. I rate it a Zero