Wood for a wooden screen door

[joe milana]

Went to put a wooden screen door on the door going out into the garage. The ones available from the Borg are a joke, so I decided to build one. Problem is, I don't have access to any vertical grain fir. That's what all the old ones I see are made from. Any suggestions on what wood to use? The door will be protected from weather, but subject to high heat/freeze. Thanks!

[Jeff Bartley]

Will it be painted or clear? I just finished a reproduction of a late 1800's screen door that will be painted and live on a completely covered porch. I used popular. If it was exposed cyprus might be a good choice, albeit an expensive choice! As a bonus cyprus smells great when cut!

[joe milana]

Jeff, it will be stained & varnished. I've got some soft maple on hand I could use, but I didn't think it would be tough enough. Does your door have a closer on it, or just a spring, like so many had?

[Bill White]

I just installed two from the blue borg. Used spring hinges. No way would I build 'em for what I paid.
Just my view.
Bill

[Jeff Bartley]

I actually don't know what type of closure this client wants.....I'd imagine a spring would be the best choice. Have you thought about using quarter sawn white oak?? It would be stable, strong, and very easy on the eyes! I think soft maple would be strong enough for a screen door; soft maple is harder than poplar! Whatever wood you use I hope you have as much fun as I did.....seems like some projects are so much more fun than others. Here's a pic:screen door.JPG

[Sam Murdoch]

Made a 4 doors last summer with South American Cedar, aka Spanish cedar. No special regards to 1/4 sawn though I did carefully select my stock. This cedar is quite rot resistant and looks beautiful with a clear coat but paints nicely as well. 2 of these were painted with marine paint (Easypoxy by Petit) and the other 2 were finished with only a marine oil finish. I also sealed the end grain of the stiles (top and bottom) with a few thin coats of epoxy.

The finished thickness was 1 3/16". Here are a few photos of the 2 styles. -

Attachment 232178 P5221342.jpg

[Myk Rian]

4 years ago I built a screen for one of the garage/shop windows.
Made it out of cherry. Still good, and I didn't put any finish on it.
Although the screen never moves on hinges, the wood is stable.

[joe milana]

I just installed two from the blue borg. Used spring hinges. No way would I build 'em for what I paid.
Just my view.
Bill

Not sure what you paid Bill, but the ones I found were finger jointed white pine with no way to remove the screen for finishing. $29 I couldn't get excited about 'em.

I actually don't know what type of closure this client wants.....I'd imagine a spring would be the best choice. Have you thought about using quarter sawn white oak?? It would be stable, strong, and very easy on the eyes! I think soft maple would be strong enough for a screen door; soft maple is harder than poplar! Whatever wood you use I hope you have as much fun as I did.....seems like some projects are so much more fun than others. Here's a pic:screen door.JPG

Nice Jeff! I was actually thinking White oak, but thought it to be overkill, and I was worried about warping. I agree...fun project!

[John W Johnson]

I just helped my brother build one with QS white oak. He has a place on the Gulf Coast for twelve years and has gone through 7-8 screen doors. His screened porch faces south and has little in the way of a protective overhang. That door gets it all, sun, spray, wind, dogs, and ten year old boys. I made it from 6/4 material, and used draw-bored, wedged thru tenons, which might have been overkill, but that thing is solid. I encouraged him to paint it, but the oak looks so good his wife wants him to put on a clear Spar varnish.

Bad news: it is very heavy and will be a bear to hang, but that is his problem.

[joe milana]

Nice Sam. No spanish cedar around here though. Plenty of d grade western red though. I wonder how the two compare?

[Richard Wolf]

I have used Spanish cedar, which works great. Also if you are looking for vertical grain doug fir, call some lumber yards and ask for VGF "stepping". I use it for stair treads, it comes 1 X 12" with a bullnose edge but is very nice stuff, not cheap. I pay $10.00 a foot. The point is, sometimes, if you ask for vertical grain fir they say no and don't realize they have stepping in stock.

[Sid Matheny]

In the process of starting one myself and am using pine 2 X 4's. My door will be oversize about 43" wide. I'll be using 4 spring hinges because of the weight. I will finish with marine spar varnish.

Sid

[Sam Murdoch]

Nice Sam. No spanish cedar around here though. Plenty of d grade western red though. I wonder how the two compare?

I'm not sure what D grade is but I would generally not hesitate to use western red cedar. A good rot resistant and lightweight wood. The lightweight is a bonus for screen doors in my opinion.

[John A langley]

Joe I can get it at Liberty Hardwood north KC or Paxtons

[Buck Williams]

Is clear White Pine available in your area? I've made a number of screens and storm windows with it. Always painted them, but there's no reason your choice of finish wouldn't work.