If you want to cultivate a delightful summer cross-breeze without the nuisance of outdoor pests invading your home, it might be time to build yourself a screen door.
We assembled 15 DIY screendoor projects to inspire your inner carpenter.
(Be sure to check out some gorgeous DIY door canopy awnings!)
There are some interesting options on this list- #15 is a classic, grilled look; #3 is made from an upcycled window and #1 on our list promises a $25 build from recycled pallet wood.
15 DIY Screen Door Plans
1. The $25 Buck Pallet Screen Doorway Blueprint
This pallet project comes from Idaho- inspired by an approaching hot summer.
The builder was looking for a cheap and easy way to get a better breeze circulating throughout his home.
Because this weekend warrior had some pallets lying around- he figured he could create his own DIY doorway. He says, in total, the entire project ended up costing around $17-$25.
There are a lot of ready-made palette screen doors on the market but if you’re trying to save money- then try out this option.
VIEW PLANS2. The Classy Screendoor Repair Idea
Nothing beats a classic screen door look. This project retains the original and natural style of your doors with this classic redesign.
It can be a tough job to build a whole new door- unsurprisingly it can be a lot easier to restore it.
You need to set the framework with 1.5-inch cedar stiles (the vertical pieces) and two 3.5 inch rails top and bottom.
You also need to include the ⅛ inch slot for affixing the covering at the outside to about ⅛ inch from the edge. This step is quite simple because you just need to follow what your doorways originally look like.
VIEW PLANS3. The Upcycled Window Screen Door Blueprint
This project was inspired after the builder’s back door screen was destroyed by his pets and children.
This fanciful design converts an old window into a screened doorway. You just have to recycle your old window frame and add 3 x 4 plywood.
Use 1 x 4s to sandwich the plywood and the net and start framing. You also need to use hinges for your door to and hang wood putties for the screw holes.
Paint it with any color you want to match your home’s style.
VIEW PLANS4. The 2 x 6 DIY Screen Entrance Plan
This design might be a little challenging but with the correct plan and strategy, you’ll have success.
Try to cut the 2 x 6 by 1″ or 1.5″ wide for the face and the frame of the entrance. Reuse your old hinges, springs, and latches since this will cost you less.
5. The Four Foot Screen Entryway Idea
This four-foot-wide entrance is one of a kind and eminently breathable.
You might think it is difficult and heavy but this design provides a thorough walkthrough.
PVC lumber is the best option here- since this is lightweight and you don’t have to paint it. This will save you a lot of time.
Use screws and staples to attach the covering. You could also use an impact wrench to make the screwing faster.
VIEW PLANS6. The Homemade Sunshine Screen Door Project
A well-designed homemade screen door lets air in and keeps the flies are out! This concept of putting a net on your entrance is basic.
Get a fiberglass net (it’s easier to cut since it’s in a grid) and a dowel on the nearest depot near you. Measure the dowel and make sure it is long enough to fit in your frame.
Attach the frame temporarily using a staple and glued the covering permanently on the dowel using super glue.
VIEW PLANS7. The ‘How To’ DIY Screen Doorway Plan
Building a DIY screen door can be a rewarding family project.
All you need to do is to gather the materials, the equipment, load up the URL on your smartphone- and you’re good to go. You should do some pre-research into the wood, paint color and design to adapt the style to your home.
VIEW PLANS8. The Thrifty DIY Screen Door Tutorial Project
Building a screen door can be expensive, especially if you miscalculate your budget.
Before you go and buy the materials and start building it, it is always best to have a rough estimate of what the total cost of your project based on the design and materials to be used.
This tutorial can help you limit the errors and save you a lot of money.
VIEW PLANS9. The Redwood Screen Door Plan
Redwood is a popular DIY wood- and this project uses it as a base for your doorway.
Cut the woods into two 1/2-inch for the sides, top, and bottom. Overlap the beams to make your base stronger.
Use pins to affix the pieces together and if you want to make it more appealing add a 1/2-inch trim around the door and the frame by the use of 5/8-inch pins.
VIEW PLANS10. The DIY Wood Screen Door Blueprint
If you’re a solid carpenter, a DIY wood screen entrance can be a more durable & attractive option than one that you can buy from Wayfair or Home Depot.
This craft idea requires you use a plate or a biscuit jointer. This will make your joints more resilient. Also, use waterproof wood glue to make a tight connection between the pieces of wood.
The good thing about this plan is that you can customize its dimensions to fit your particular requirements.
VIEW PLANS11. The This Old House Screen Door Plan
This Old House recommends using a millwork company to make custom door parts from your home’s measurements- enabling you to create a tailored design for your home.
All you’ll need to do is add in the glue, screening, and some sweat equity. Once the warm weather starts- you’ll want to welcome in the gentle and aromatic spring air while straining out disgusting critters.
VIEW PLANS12. The Lawyer/Designer DIY Screen Door Blueprint
This gorgeous, blue Alaskan screen door was built to withstand “mosquito season”. The lawyer who designed it wanted a fresh current of air in his home, but without receiving 100 mosquito bites as he slept.
The design comes from Remodelaholics and Designer Trapped in a Lawyers Body. This project will require a basic knowledge of wood cutting. This plan is, allegedly, quite simple to do. Once you create a gorgeous screen door like this, consider installing a DIY mudroom bench in your foyer.
VIEW PLANS13. The Retractable Screen Install
This plan will spare you from a sort of failure. This is the easiest and simplest form of having a breathable opening. Retractable screen doors are very easy to install and will not give you a hard time.
These types of products are available online and in the shops. It only needs little adjustments depending on the size of your door but overall you will love the outcome. Imagine complimenting this screen door with a DIY outhouse– you could probably move pretty fast through the screen door in a late night emergency to the decorously located outhouse. Think on it!
VIEW PLANS14. The $35 Garden Screen Door Project
This builder’s covered patio required a new screen door. Because her door’s dimensions were non-standard, this self-described unskilled carpenter decided to build one herself. She sent her design to a lumber store and they precut it and she assembled it for $35.
She used 2×4 wood lumber- saying that it’s bulky but makes for a durable entrance. Remember to stain the wood before assembling it!
VIEW PLANS15. The Green & White Handmade Screen Door Plan
If you’re trying to build a rustic-style home, metal manufactured or plastic screen doors just aren’t the right look. This project walks you through how to make a door by hand using a Table Saw, Tenon Jig, Precision Centering Tool, Precicion T-rule, Drill with ½” Forstner Bit, Chisel and Sledge Hammer, Square, Clamps, Sander, Skil Saw, Router, Staple Gun, and a Miter Saw. You can even install these on a tiny house plan so you get lots of fresh air in as you sleep!
VIEW PLANSAll About Screen Doors
How important are doors?
Well, that seems like a stupid question but think about it for a while. Entrances are more critical than we think and we use them more often than we can count. To define a door, it is not just an entrance or exit to a place
In fact, it is identified as a hinged barrier that is used to cover the opening that is used as an entrance or an exit.
History
The history of entries is untraceable as it probably dates back to man’s first stealing attempt. We have seen the designs and styles of entries evolve a lot in front of our own eyes. The primary purpose of this evolution has always been security.
A primitive man covered their cave entries with rocks to keep the animals away. He then learned the art of lumber works, and wood was used to make solid yet lighter entries. After that, you probably saw how industrialization promoted the usage of metals in steel buildings or roll up the door. Metal proved to be even more secure with a less dense sheet than wood.
Despite the advantages of one material over another, we still see all of them being used. Various varieties of entries now come from a variety of designs. These designs can either be for the sake of beauty or practicality and purpose. Some models are also specific to a specific culture or architectural style. Let us have a peek through different entries throughout the time and cultures.
- The slab entry: These are the most common types of entries used around the houses and apartments. They usually have a handle or a knob on one side. These entries are hinged from the other side so that they can swing open when a handle or knob is pushed. They are made of a slab of wood that can be either flat or carved.
- French entry: As it is French, there has to be some ‘beauty’ element about it. This beauty is created by many small glass windows in the door. These windows are also called ‘lights.’ A French door can have multiple numbers of lights.
- Dutch entry: Ever seen a door that is horizontally divided into two panels? These are Dutch entries. These kinds of doors are mostly used in stables to efficiently feed the horses without letting them completely free.
- Saloon entry: This is where the cowboy makes his dramatic entrance. These are lightweight panels that can go automatically back to their original place and can be pushed from either side to swing open. They also vary in length. The one which is just about shoulder to knee length is also called the Batwing door.
- Folding entry: These types of entries have multiple panels that can be folded to open. It requires a less space then a swinging door will need in front of it.
- Sliding entry: These entries combine the convenience of both folding and swinging entries. Yet they do not really have panels like the folding door. Such a door is usually a single pane of glass or any other sheet. Plus it does not require much free space in front of it. However, there has to be enough side space to slide the panel and ultimately open the doorway.
Benefits
So if you are finding it difficult to choose from a wide range of different entries types, these tips will help you a lot.
- Fiberglass and steel never lose their color. Their color will never fade out. Unlike wood that loses its original color within a year. So if you need ones that always look new and colorful, you must go for either fiberglass or steel ones.
- Fiberglass and wooden ones are best for decoration purpose. These two types of entries look very delicate and stylish.
- Should you need energy-efficient ones, either choose fiberglass or steel ones.
If you are looking for cheap ones or if you are at budget, steel entries are the appropriate choice because they are the cheapest and strongest of all.
- Should you need entries that do not need much maintenance, fiberglass will do the magic for you. These are very user-friendly and easy to maintain. They don’t need any sort of maintenance at all, whatsoever.
- Fiberglass is also good when it comes to scratch-less or dent-less material. No matter how roughly you use them, your fiberglass door will always look new and tidy. Whereas wooden and steel ones easily get scratched. And hence they need proper maintenance from time to time.
I hope these simple tips will help you in choosing the best type of door for your home. If you know the purpose of buying a new door, it will make things quite easy for you.
Hi, my name’s Elena Coolidge. I’m a DIY enthusiast who loves building fun woodworking plans. These DIY plans are fun hobby projects for enthusiasts or even more advanced builders that want to build things like bunk beds, end tables or even a duck box!
