Joinery for Screen Door built by a newbie

[Gene Davis]

I have always used the Ives 980 latch and good 3x3 hinges. The ones I have built have all been in the range of 1-1/8 to 1-1/4 thickness.

[Brett Church]

Hey Sam. I used two of their doors in my new house. I can only get my wife to 'wait for me to build those' on certain items. The mosquitoes in Montana are very motivational as well. I bought the doors without hardware. The thing is, their doors are so light weight and rigid that you can use about anything you want. Both doors are 1 1/8" thick BTW.

On the 8 footer on the house I just used 4 hinges I bought at Home Depot. I put an automatic door closer on this one, also from HD.

The other door is a 6' 7" door on a screened porch. I used two of these:
http://www.screendoors.com/sdh-Hinge...ce-Spring.html
We decided against three hinges because the doors are so light. In hindsight I could have used 3 hinges. I have them tightened up as far as they will go. I added a couple of rubber cabinet bumpers on the door stop to prevent the door from slamming. The featherweight door combined with the light spring action on the hinges has turned out to be perfect.

Here's a pic:
Screen door.jpg

On both doors I found an inexpensive oil rubbed bronze pull handle, and that's it. The spring hinges and the door closer keep the doors closed, no need for a lockset, and it's really nice to just bump them with an elbow to walk out, especially the 8' door that sits between the kitchen and BBQ (think plate 'o ribs in one paw and a beer in the other :-))

[lowell holmes]

That is a fine looking screen door installation.

[Sam Murdoch]

I like the spring hinges and simple pull myself but for some reason most clients prefer a mortise lock set for their screen/storms. Can't seem to talk them out of them. Give me simple any day. Ribs and beer have rights too .

Anyway - good mortise sets for these light doors are elusive (if available from anywhere). I'll look into the IVES that Gene mentions.

[Brian Williamson]

I used these for a screen door. The mortise for the lock set is only 1/2" thick.

http://www.houseofantiquehardware.co...-york-lock-set

[Brad Barnhart]

I build custom screen doors myself. Out here on the plains of Kansas, the flies & mosquitoes are lousy this time of year! Especially with wheat harvest going on, & all the irrigation. The last one I built was out of cedar. (Cedar is a natural insect repellent)In every joint, I used a 3/8" dowel & 2 - 4" #8 wood screws, along with Elmer's wood glue. The waterproof & stainable one. Depending on what the customer wants, I also use a slot cutter the size of the rubber rope to hold the screen in. I've used metal & nylon screen, depending on whether they have kids or not.�� I use hardwood for screen doors, too. I've made all sorts of designs & looks for them using the scroll saw. But I use the same joinery on every door I make, & have never had a return or complaint. The cedar door I mentioned, was built 8 years ago, & is still in service today. In as good of shape as it was when I built & installed it. Its up to you what type of joinery you want to use. The main idea is strength, how much the door will be used, & the type of wood you use to make it. If at all possible, avoid soft & knotty wood. Use a hard wood of sorts, & predrill your screw holes, plenty of glue, & clamps to help keep your door square & flat. Just my .02/worth.