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How to Install a Screen Door to Keep the Bugs Out (But Let the Breeze In)

Tuesday, 17 January 2023

Bohemian Nomad Picturemakers/ Getty Images

A screen door allows you the simple pleasure of sitting inside on a summer evening, listening to a spontaneous soundtrack of birds and insects chirping without worrying about these nonhuman neighbors entering your home. If you don’t have one (or don’t know how to install it), you’re missing out—but you don’t have to be. A screen door is quite easy (and cheap) to install. Here’s how to pull it off.

Installing a screen door

If you’re comfortable working with a few simple tools, you can install a screen door yourself. It shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours, as long as you follow these simple rules.

“If you’re going to do it yourself, select a door that is in stock, has easy-to-install instructions, and only requires common hand tools,” says Josh Downing, a general contractor on Thumbtack.

In other words, there are plenty of doors you can pop up in a day. DIY novices can skip anything requiring complicated power tools and still wind up with a fine door.

Choose a style and size

There are many screen door styles, in a wide variety of materials and designs. Just be aware that not all of them will work for your lifestyle.

“You need to think about who will be using it on a daily basis and if it will hold up with the usage,” says Downing. “You don’t want to have to replace it again.”

Downing suggests asking yourself what the main purpose of the door will be. Do you just want to let in air? If that’s the case, a plastic or metal mesh screen might be a good (and affordable) choice. But, if you have kids or pets prone to jumping on the door, you might want to go with something more sustainable like iron or solid metal.

Aside from aesthetics, size is your most important consideration. Before you buy the door, be sure to measure the door frame, ideally more than once. Measure the frame to make sure the door you purchase will fit inside your existing frame. You can also make slight trims to the door to fit your frame if necessary.

Make sure you purchase a model with hinges on the same side as your entryway. “You want to make sure the door you’re installing is compatible,” says Downing.

Tools you’ll need

Screen door and hardware (handle, hinges, spring, etc.) Measuring tape A pencil A hacksaw A level A drill

Step 1: Measure the door frame

The door you purchase at the home improvement store will be a standard size and probably won’t fit your door frame exactly. To account for these differences, you’ll need to trim either the door itself (for some models like the one below) or the fitted channel onto which the door’s hinges are attached.

To do so, measure the inside of your door frame from top to bottom. Your door’s unique instructions will come with a certain number of inches that need to be subtracted from that number in order to allow the door to sit properly in the frame.

Do the math, and mark the top and bottom of the door where you’ll need to cut.

Mark the places where you’ll need to cut the door so it will fit in the frame.