Screen Door


FlyinFish

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Finally made something nice enough to display in the open. We've needed a new screen door for a while since I tore the old crappy metal one off and threw it out. With record summer temps in WA, it was much needed.

 

I used 1x CVG fir, and was thankfully able to find it without the edges rounded off! Using 3/4" stock made it hard to find knob/latch hardware, but it's what matched the trim and I eventually found some awesome quality hardware.

 

I used lap joints and mortise and tenon for the dividing bottom rails. My first time chopping mortises by hand. Not too bad. I wanted the screens to be easily replaceable, so I cut a 1/4" deep rabbet and stapled the screen to the removable frames. The wife said she wanted bronze screening, so I shelled out a couple hundred bucks for 50 ft of the stuff. My dad told me I could re-screen the entire block with all that. I said it gives me an excuse to make some old style wood window screens.

 

Finished with General Finishes Outdoor Oil. Very pleasant stuff to apply and it's the perfect finish.

 

The finished product, just in time for 80+ degree weather.

 

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Made the little twist latches myself out of scrap. Old style metal ones are actually pretty pricey and don't actually look that great.

 

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I got the hardware from screendoors.com. Not sure who makes it but it is very, very nice quality stuff. At just over a $100, it better be, but I bought a $30 option and cursed my way back to the store for a refund.

 

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Remnants of the old screen door makes this pretty hardware seem out of place.

 

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Then there's the hinges. I searched for a while, and even quality spring hinges were not that impressive and very pricey. Then I found these on eBay and I was blown away by their simplicity and awesomeness. Decades old and they still work perfect, not a single squeak, and smooth as butter. Note that you can unlatch them for removal in the winter without unscrewing the screws. So much "they don't make them like they used to" in these hinges.

 

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Nice work! I've said is a million times, but CVG fir is my favorite species. Looks absolutely fantastic! The hardware is a nice finish touch. It might have been pricey but it will give you a lifetime of service.

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Fantastic work man, looks great!

 

she wanted bronze screening, so I shelled out a couple hundred bucks for 50 ft of the stuff.


 

 

Wow!  Had no idea that stuff was so expensive.  But big kudos to you for doing it RIGHT!  Awesome.

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Thanks guys! Next up is one for the back door.

 

Mike - I love the look of fir myself. It's a bit tough to work with such a soft wood, tear outs and dings and dents, but the grain lines are gorgeous. Do you have a favorite stain color for fir? I always want to give it a bit more red/orange, but I also just want to keep the natural color and not go too far.

 

TIODS - I'm in Seattle proper. Got the wood from Crosscut, FYI. I love that place. It seems like it's super fancy and may be expensive, but certain things are very well priced. This was top quality fir with straight edges for a bit less than anywhere else in town. Hard to beat. Also, the screws were from Tacoma Screw. If they don't have something in stock, they can have it for you usually next day for pick up.

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Mike - I love the look of fir myself. It's a bit tough to work with such a soft wood, tear outs and dings and dents, but the grain lines are gorgeous. Do you have a favorite stain color for fir? I always want to give it a bit more red/orange, but I also just want to keep the natural color and not go too far.

 

 

 

I used amber shellac last time around.  It gives the wood a nice, even tone that ages well without obscuring the grain.  Obviously shellac is not good outside - I think the outdoor oil was a good call.  You can easily refresh it every couple years as needed.  

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We have friends that inherited an old farm house and they restored it for a country home. It has an old screen door, that they restored as well, that squeaked when you opened it. Sounded like our old doors back home and that loved that squeak.

They let another couple borrow it one weekend and when they took the key back, the guy bragged that he fixed that "damn squeak" for them. The next weekend, they went up and soaked the hinges in water to form a little rust to get the squeak back!

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