Screen Door

After buying 2 screen doors in the last 3 years at Home Depot and having them falling apart in 1 year, I built my own this year. The ones from HD were finger jointed and the finger joints failed quickly. I think they used flour and water for glue.

I built mine out of solid cedar, no finger joints. I used pinned mortise and tenons at the corners. The styles and rails are as straight grained as I could find. It’s not fancy but it looks much more solid than the ones I bought.

Do an LJ Search for “screen door” there are several. I like this one, http://lumberjocks.com/projects/2487 .

-- Only the Shadow knows....................

Glad you like that one John!

That screen door is still in service a few years later and is no worse for the wear. We actually sold that house and the wife insisted on taking the door to the new place. My wife and I designed it on the fly using pegged mortise and tenon joinery. As long as the tenons are well fitted and you reinforce with the square pegs, it should last for quite some time.

Have fun building yours!

My two year old is starting to do a number on our backdoor, and my wife made this suggestion the other day. I’m gonig to watch this thread, as she has informed me that I have a vested interest in learning as much as possible prior to building ours.

Treeman – Waht did you use for screen? Hardware? Is it spring “loaded”, so it shuts by itself?

-- Derrek L.

did mine with half lap joinery, titebond glue and stainless screws
5 years and the grandkids haven’t hurt it yet

-- Ron, Missouri

I have made two of my own for the back door over the years, but I didn’t have two young boys to contend with ;o)
The first was pine with biscuits at the butt joints in each corner. I didn’t paint it so after a couple of years the glue failed due to rain, guess I should have used a better glue, DOH!
The second and current door is put together with pocket hole screws and is sealed and painted, going on two years with no problems.
So my advice is use good joinery (pocket hole, half lap or pinned M&T all of them good) and then use a good glue for the application; ie, waterproof if exposed to the weather, or paint or sealer, etc…

Good luck with what ever style and joinery you choose.

-- "You get what you inspect, not what you expect"

I found this in my search

http://www.runnerduck.com/screen_door/screen_door.htm

-- San Diego, CA US Navy

Looks like an excellent plan, thanks for sharing it.

-- "You get what you inspect, not what you expect"

Nice screen door well done

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture maker, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com