How to Install an Instant Screen Door

This moderately easy project begins with a pre-framed screen door. It is easy to install it outside your front door as long as you have measured height and width correctly. Most front doors are pre-framed around the door opening and that makes it easy to install a screen door.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Framed screen door
• Measuring tape
• Drill
• Hacksaw
• Screwdriver
• Wood screws
• Wood glue
• 3 door hinges

Measure and Install

1. Measure your front door to determine the size of screen door you need. Most doors are standard. You may trim the top or bottom of the screen door with a hacksaw if necessary

2. Place the screen door in place in front of your house door. Make sure that both doors can close once the screen door is installed. If the screen door won't close because the handles are hitting, consider reversing the way the door opens and that will eliminate the problem.

3. Mark one inch from the top of the screen door. Mark one inch up from the bottom of the door. Mark in the center between these two marks. Most of the time there are predrilled holes in the screen door, but you can put your hinges wherever you want. Hold the screen door up to the doorpost and make corresponding marks where the hinge holes will be drilled.

4. Screw the hinges in place on the doorpost. Use a drop of wood glue to strengthen the bond. Lift the screen door up in place and screw the hinges to it. This completes a screen door installation.

Tips & Warnings

• It is much easier to have another person hold the screen door in place while you screw in the hinges. Be cautious not to warp the doorframe by allowing the weight of the door to sag during this process. If you don't have someone to help, use bricks to hold the bottom of the door in proper alignment while you work on it.
• Be sure both doors can close securely before installing the screen door.

Resources

• A remedy to consider