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Screen Doors
 Screen
doors have been the weak link in building a quality screened porch. A
constant source of maintenance and adjustment, they took the fun out
of having a porch on your home. There are good quality doors available
- but you may have to look hard for them. Vinyl and
wood screen doors are built with the quality materials and workmanship
that your porch deserves. They feature the classic good looks of the
past but are built with today's superior materials and technology. No
longer do you have to consider your screen door as disposable or an
annual project.
Doors are
typically available in 3 widths: 32", 34", and 36" with a standard 80" height
for vinyl doors and 82" for wood doors (trimable to 80"). Vinyl doors
should be sold with all necessary hardware. Some offer a convenient Z-Bar frame
for hanging the door.
VINYL DOORS
Some door
manufacturers build with vinyl-clad wood components. We find that doors are
made with solid PVC extrusions, reinforced with galvanized steel
sections for consistent stability and integrity offer longer life and
better service. The welding process
provides a strong connection at each joint. All joints should be welded for
maximum strength and durability. Doors should be finished with premium
grade hardware fittings including solid brass lockset and pneumatic
closer. The completed door include
weather-stripping and four hinges. Most can be installed in
either left or right openings quickly and easily without
trimming the door. A Z-bar system provides the allowances for
accurately fitting the width of your doorway, with a sweep
that provides a 1" allowance for fitting the height.
WOOD DOORS
 Wood screen doors are crafted using the methods of traditional
wood artisans. The process starts by
selecting kiln-dried pine stock with virtually no troublesome
knots to interfere with the look and strength of your door. Of
course, as in any wood product, you may still detect small knots
and color variations in the door, but we think this is part of
the natural beauty and appeal of wood.
 By working
with finger-jointed wood, you can actually have a stronger,
more stable product. The jointed sections reinforce each other to
resist warping. All structural joints should be
mortised and tenoned for maximum strength and durability.
Manufacturers have
combined old world craftsmanship with modern technology to ensure
quality and consistency. Modern CNC routers, controlled by computers,
are the perfect tool for recreating traditional wood shapes and
fretwork without the prohibitive cost of hand cutting each component.
Final sanding prepares the door to take a
beautiful coat of paint. A little light sanding is a good idea to
remove any air-borne oils or pollutants that may have settled on the
door en route to your home.
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WHERE TO BUY
Home centers are offering more of the screened porch
specialty products, but you may have better luck with
getting these products at glass companies. They
typically have a choice of screen frames, different
types of screening material, and even retractable screen
doors. Also check the Internet. There are several
companies that sell these products online. Some links
can be found elsewhere on this page. |
CLICK HERE
For Information on Screen Systems
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