Opinions on building a screen door

NancyNGA

I'm screening in my front porch and considering building my own door, but have no
special equipment to do joinery.

Here's the plan:

Using 1x6 lumber, each stile and rail will be two boards glued together and joined using dowels.
Each corner and joint will be offset by the width of the lumber, in effect creating half-lap joints
at each connection. So the front and back sides would look like this


Would glue and dowels alone be strong enough to hold this together?

If so, would glueing boards together curtail warping enough to allow me to
use pressure treated lumber?

This door would slide from a trolley track above with no bottom track.

Thanks.

rditz

are you using dowels because that is the "look" you want?? I am not confident that PT 1x6 is the best material as i think it will twist. I think you want to use something else. I had a door made of poplar which was light and did not twist.. (someone else may have an opinion on the right material to use).

Lap joints are simple to do and you don't need a lot of special tools... table saw with a dado blade or a router will do this.

I really like PL adhesive as it is really strong, simply apply to both sides, assemble, put a couple of screws in while squaring up the frame and let sit over night.

if you are going to run the door on a rail, how will you seal around it to prevent insects?

rod

NancyNGA

Although I think dowels would look great, I was only choosing them because I assumed screws would not work well on such thin lumber. Do you think screws would be better?

The trolly wheels will actually accomodate up to a 2 1/8 thick door. So I could use 5/4 PT decking lumber. The rounded edges might give it a unique look, and it would match the rest of the screening. But you are no doubt right about the PT lumber, so my second choice was some better quality heavy pine at Home Depot, with no knots.

True, insects will get around the door but I'm mostly interested in the big ones (like carpenter bees and wasps), so I hope I can do a good enough job to stop them. Maybe not.

The trade off is not having to prop the door open when I carry in groceries and stuff.

rditz

yes, you can get a 1" screw and tighten them enough to pull the surfaces together and not got through the back side. once cured the glue will also bond the surfaces.

Not sure of the quality of PT lumber you get, but here it seems that it tends to want to twist if you don't get it down right away.

if you can accommodate that thickness of door, maybe go for a thick material and get 1 3/4" thick door. this would let you use a longer screw as well.

you could use some sort of sweep for your edges to deter insects like flies and wasps...

if you want rounds edges, you can do this with different profiles of round over bits in a router.

rod

rjniles

I would use cedar or cypress for the door. You will probably have to obtain from a full service lumber yard. I think PT or pine is a poor choice. Your construction using a 2 layer construction will be fine with adhesive and screws will be fine, dowels not necessary.

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Johnboy555

For what you're looking for, the Kreg jig (pocket hole jig) is made for. I've used it to make cabinet faces and a number of other projects. If it's going to be painted this is the easiest and quickest way to make this. They have special plugs already made up to fill the holes. As long as the cuts are square the project will be. look it up at http://www.kregtool.com/ I was skeptical when I first saw them, wondered how strong they could be, but was very pleasantly surprised after using the jig.

Dusty1

PL Premium is key. Any fasteners only have to hold until the PL cures. Try spreading it evenly with a notched spreader.

A Squared

I thnk Kreg jigs are great, but no way would I use one to hod together a screen door in that way. Doors get a lot of abuse and flexing. The screws will loosen as they are worked.

Johnboy555

For what Nancy is looking for..a hanging sliding door, the pocket screws would work great. If any doubt, glue the joints before screwing them. She wasn't talking about a swinging door. I've used them to put together 2 - 1X4X12 pieces at a 90 degree joint, using 3 screws. I put it down on the floor and it took jumping, with my 220 lb frame to break it down. And it took a number of jumps! If I would have glued the joint I don't think I could have broken it.

NancyNGA

I looked up pocket hole jig. In such thin lumber I will probably just drill a pilot hole in the top board and countersink stainless bugle head screws, or maybe I can find some good looking pan head screws.

I want it to have a rustic look anyway, not painted, but stained or maybe clear wood preserver, depending on the lumber.

Still not at that stage yet...prep for the framing now. Will be back later when I get started on the door.

Thanks guys.

NancyNGA

Forgot to update this thread. Here is the door I finally came up with.

Wanted to make my own because I hate the looks of that crosspiece above the door that's always necessary with an 81" door. There was some shrinkage of the wood, but it looks OK. It's been up for over 6 months. If it gets worse I'll make another one out of something else. Only have about $50 invested in materials.

Inside handle will be a straight across 2x2 the full width of the door (laying on floor to left). Still needs an outside handle. I'm stumped on that one. I have this bad habit of not finishing little details once the project is sufficiently done to live with.