How To Build Your Own Wooden Screen Door Easy & Quick!

Enjoying the breeze while gazing outside is what I call summertime joy! A wooden screen door made that happen. You can easily make one for yourself by simply following some directions.

The procedure is easy and should cost $350 – $400 for tools. It takes 2 hours at max with basic carpentry skills.

Firstly, measure the door entrance and prepare the diagram of the door. Gather the wood panels and mark them based on the size. Cut them and make pocket holes on the edges. Joint the door frame and paint it. Lastly, install the screening.

Continue reading to get a more explained version of how to build a wooden screen door!

Step-by-step Guide To Build A Wooden Screen Door!

To make a DIY wooden screen door, you’ll need the tools and gears that are mentioned below. After getting them, follow the given direction:

Things You’ll Need:

Tools	Materials
Circular and hole saw	6 wood panels (4″D x 4″W x 90″H)
Screw gun and hammer	Wood glue
Utility knife	Screen roll (48″ x 118″)
Pocket hole jig	2 door knobs
Driller with a 2″ drill bit	3 hinges with screws
Sander machine	Pencil, paper, and measuring tape
Clamp	Primer and paint with brushes

1. Measure The Door Opening

Hold the measuring tape in a horizontal position to measure the width of the top, middle, and bottom parts of the door entrance. 

Then, make the measuring tape in a vertical position to measure the height of the door. Remember the measurement in mind.

2. Draw The Wooden Screen Door

Take a pencil or marker and draw a simple screen door design that you prefer using at the entrance. It would be better if the door has a simple design rather than a complex one. 

Then, write down the width and height size based on the door entrance size. Be sure to include the middle rail and dowel to confirm structural points.

3. Mark The Wood Panels

Bring all the wood panels (4″ depth x 90″ height X 4″ width) and mark the sizes. Based on the drawing design, you need to cut the wood panels separately for the door jamb, top rail, bottom rail, middle rail, and dowel.

Take the pencil and measure the wood panels. Then, mark each of them using the pencil and draw a straight line on each panel.

Read: How to Cut Door Hinges with a Router

4. Trim The Wood Panels Based On The Size

It’s time to cut the wood panels using the circular saw. Take all the wood panels that you marked earlier in the workstation. 

Turn on the circular saw and bring each panel to trim in a straight position. After cutting all the wood panels, put them in an organized position by making them look like the door. 

This will help you to understand if the door is cut correctly or not. Here’s the size which most screen doors have:

• Top, middle, and bottom rails are around 40″ – 45″ in width, 4″ in depth, and 4″ in height.
• Left and right jambs are around 80″ – 90″ in height, 4″ in depth, and 4″ in width.
• Dowel is 40″ – 45″ in height, 4″ in depth, and 2″ – 4″ in width.

5. Make Pocket Holes In Each Wood Panel

Take a pocket hole jig and place it on the end of each wood panel (one after another). Put on the clamp to hold the pocket hole jig. Insert the 2″ drill bit in the driller and turn it on.

Add the driller inside the pocket hole jig to make the 4 holes in the 4 door panels that you’ll use to make the door frame.

Then, do the same on the middle rail and dowel but make 3 holes since the size is different. Wipe the surface with a brush.

6. Insert Screws To Make The Door Frame

Apply the strong glue on the wood panels core like the Gorilla Ultimate Waterproof Wood Glue. Then, smear it with a small brush to join 4 pieces together and make it look like the door frame.

After that, add the 4 screws on the four pocket holes using the screw gun or screwdriver. Do the same on each corner.

Then, use a small about of glue in the two cores of the middle rail and place it on the door frame center. Again, insert the screws on the pocket holes with the same tool. 

Next, put on the dowel in the vertical-middle position between the middle rail and bottom rail using glue. After that, attach it using the 4 screws on each side of the pocket holes in the dowel.

7. Paint The Door Frame (Optional)

Once you’ve done making the door frame, sand the surface using the sander machine. Apply the primer spray to cover all the surfaces and seal them properly. 

Use the paint with the brush to hide the wooden surface if you prefer. Dry them for around 2 – 3 hours. Apply the primer coat on another side of the door frame and let it dry. Then, use the paint with the brush and dry it for some hours.

8. Add The Screening On The Door

Place the door on the workstation table or floor. Just ensure the surface is flat and even. Unroll the screen mesh on the (interior side) door frame. 

Use the stapler to secure the mesh in the door frame. Then, insert the screws in the top, bottom, and sides by using the hammer. Cut the excess area using the utility knife. That’s how to make a DIY wooden screen door!

Read Next: How to Install a Screen Door Closer

Overall Thought

It is fairly easy to build a wooden screen door if you can follow the instructions and understand the procedure well. You are free to add decorative stuff to make the door look even better. Something like braces on each corner will oomph the look.

Be sure to correctly install the wooden screen door after building it. Also, insert 3 hinges and the door knob to hold and swing it properly.