Introduction: Strong Screen Doors and Screens
Home making a screen door is not easy. Most folks don't have fancy doweling or mortising equipment. This system can be done with a chop saw, even a mitre box, and a table saw. The table saw is only for the threshold. For the corner braces, a perfect right angle is important.
The door is made with a lap joint, the screen is in the middle. This lap joint withstands long use, and can be bolted if the maker feels it is necessary.
The screen joints are glued and screwed, and the screen is stapled onto the edges, where it doesn't show.
The wood is standard 1"X2" wolmanized. A coat of sanding sealer makes it look just fine, evens out and mellows the color.
The first picture shows the door on the right in it's frame, made of the same 1X2 lumber. Remember, the door is a lap joint, so the top piece on the other side is full width, lapping the joint.
The second picture shows that this is a double door, with the threshold below. The threshold is a 2X4, cut the long way on a table saw to make a no-trip edge.
Looking at the wood finished in sanding sealer, you would think it is high quality lumber. This is just a 1X2, the corner braces were cut from 2X4s.
The third photo shows the nice finished look the corner braces give the screen job. The door center pieces are the same 1X2, on edge, screwed to the door. This makes for a strong push bar. Normal screen door handles, hinges, and hooks finish the job.
Observe the 'screens' are miter jointed, with 2X4 corner braces, glued and screwed. I used a corner clamp to hold the wood together for drilling and screwing.
The 'door' has the lap joint, with 1X4 material for the corner brace. Each side is glued and screwed, but the inside piece is not glued to the outside piece, so the screen can be changed.
I plan to use a CNC router to make cutouts to customize the doors. Images and themes will make for unique screen doors. The cutout will add strength and personalize the door to the customer.
The door is made with a lap joint, the screen is in the middle. This lap joint withstands long use, and can be bolted if the maker feels it is necessary.
The screen joints are glued and screwed, and the screen is stapled onto the edges, where it doesn't show.
The wood is standard 1"X2" wolmanized. A coat of sanding sealer makes it look just fine, evens out and mellows the color.
The first picture shows the door on the right in it's frame, made of the same 1X2 lumber. Remember, the door is a lap joint, so the top piece on the other side is full width, lapping the joint.
The second picture shows that this is a double door, with the threshold below. The threshold is a 2X4, cut the long way on a table saw to make a no-trip edge.
Looking at the wood finished in sanding sealer, you would think it is high quality lumber. This is just a 1X2, the corner braces were cut from 2X4s.
The third photo shows the nice finished look the corner braces give the screen job. The door center pieces are the same 1X2, on edge, screwed to the door. This makes for a strong push bar. Normal screen door handles, hinges, and hooks finish the job.
Observe the 'screens' are miter jointed, with 2X4 corner braces, glued and screwed. I used a corner clamp to hold the wood together for drilling and screwing.
The 'door' has the lap joint, with 1X4 material for the corner brace. Each side is glued and screwed, but the inside piece is not glued to the outside piece, so the screen can be changed.
I plan to use a CNC router to make cutouts to customize the doors. Images and themes will make for unique screen doors. The cutout will add strength and personalize the door to the customer.