Screen Door Design???

[Carroll Courtney]

Guys via my other thread on what material to make a screen door,now I am wondering about the design. My goal is to have a new hand made screen door that looks like its from the 40's or 50's with that old vintage look. I also want metal signs on it like this pic,but not really looking for original vintage signs mainly due to cost. So I did look over in sign section for some ideals but didn't really find anything on old signs. Reason for this madness is my old uncle had a small grocery store on one side with double screen doors that had bread signs with handles. On the other side of his business was his beer joint but that was a separate entrance. I remember it so well and that is look that I am after. Something like this will be abused by several grand kids and maybe by grandma so want it to last forever and want the finish to kinda ware some with age. It will be protected from some rain cause it be our front porch with roof over it,a 30'x12' So maybe some blowing rain, but not directly getting rain on.Looking for kinda rustic design or farm house design I guess if there is a difference. Looking for advice on design looks and maybe something to sign makers who make vintage signs. Links are alway helpful,from Day Dreamer thanks

[Roger Feeley]

This is a tough one. The real antique stuff is really expensive, like $699!
the best search key I found was “advertising push bar”.

[Mel Fulks]

Looks good...but they made one mistake. Those pencil neck stiles need the turn buckle to be "in stile".

[Carroll Courtney]

I remember when I was kid the screen door had a turn buckle also,yea those vintage screen doors are expensive so I am looking for some of those reproduction signs and plan on making myself a good screen door,I hope.

[lowell holmes]

I would use cypress wood when making one.

[Thomas McCurnin]

I think your best bet is to simply google images with a variety of search texts, like antique screen door, vintage screen door. You'll also find some modern manufacturers and could steal their designs. They seem to fall into a couple categories, Victorian Designs and Arts & Crafts Designs. With Victorian, you'll need to turn spindles, or buy them.

Having made a couple doors, I'd suggest the obvious, a strong wood that takes glue well. Cypress, Oak, Redwood come to mind.

For construction, obviously mortise and tenon joints with haunched ones at the corners, and I'd probably pin the mortises. I think I'd make up an assembly station out of 1/2 plywood to hold everything square. Think about how to attach the screen, and it might be as simple as plastic mesh with staples; or metal screen into a rabbet held in place with an attachment strip of 1/2 x 1/2 wood, pin nailed or screwed into the door.

As for the sign, I'd get a reproduction and distress it with abrasives and water.

Sounds like a fun project.

[Carroll Courtney]

Lots of good tips thank you for taking time to respond. Looking forward to this project.
I think your best bet is to simply google images with a variety of search texts, like antique screen door, vintage screen door. You'll also find some modern manufacturers and could steal their designs. They seem to fall into a couple categories, Victorian Designs and Arts & Crafts Designs. With Victorian, you'll need to turn spindles, or buy them.

Having made a couple doors, I'd suggest the obvious, a strong wood that takes glue well. Cypress, Oak, Redwood come to mind.

For construction, obviously mortise and tenon joints with haunched ones at the corners, and I'd probably pin the mortises. I think I'd make up an assembly station out of 1/2 plywood to hold everything square. Think about how to attach the screen, and it might be as simple as plastic mesh with staples; or metal screen into a rabbet held in place with an attachment strip of 1/2 x 1/2 wood, pin nailed or screwed into the door.

As for the sign, I'd get a reproduction and distress it with abrasives and water.

Sounds like a fun project.

[William Hodge]

Here's a screen door section. I use charcoal aluminum or bronze screen, Sapele stiles and rails, and stainless steel 10-50 staples. The bead is a common router bit. The rails are coped, with through tenons with tapered pegs. One light above the lock rail, and four small ones below is traditional. Brass hardware cloth on the bottom helps with dog scratches. Hardware is fro House of Antique Hardware.

438891

[roger wiegand]

Something that is both typical of vintage doors and very practical with kids and pets is to put a piece of hardware cloth over the lower segment of the door. Keeps the kids from pushing the screen out; every door I can remember from what I was a kid had it.

[Carroll Courtney]

Thanks guys I was wondering about how thick needed to be so thanks for drawing.Roger like that ideal,with 6 grandkids I will need that hardware cloth.
Here's a screen door section. I use charcoal aluminum or bronze screen, Sapele stiles and rails, and stainless steel 10-50 staples. The bead is a common router bit. The rails are coped, with through tenons with tapered pegs. One light above the lock rail, and four small ones below is traditional. Brass hardware cloth on the bottom helps with dog scratches. Hardware is fro House of Antique Hardware.

438891