Feb 01
2023

How to build a wood DIY screen door from scratch

Learn how to build a custom wood DIY screen door from scratch! Features pet screen and how to build with a Kreg Jig pocket hole maker.

Jump to Printable Tutorial

Adding ‘professional builder’ to my long list of to-dos was really never in my sights.

For the past 10 years, I’ve gotten by with my somewhat primitive (rustic) building techniques teaming up reclaimed wood and screws to create all my DIY projects. Easy! Done! Imperfectly perfect!

But then there comes a time when you want to make something that forces your hand in a slightly new direction.

Not loving what the stores carried for screen doors, I’ve wanted to build my own version of a wood DIY screen door for over 10 years.

Past screen projects

This wasn’t my first screen door project. I’ve attempted a screen door for french doors before but it wasn’t built from scratch… but it was an easy fix!

Screen door for french doors

Wood framed screen for tricky windows

How to replace window screen

View all my screen projects HERE

Why build a custom screen door yourself?

get it to fit your exact door measurements
design it to compliment your front door rather than work against it
get the style and finish you desire
for added fresh air ventilation
keep pets / dogs / cats safely inside

However this round, this door would be built from scratch because I wanted to design the DIY screen door around my front door to compliment each other.

But I needed to come up with a way to join the wood without mickey-mousing a thousand brackets together and such!

That’s when I decided to bite the bullet and buy a new tool to do this DIY project for my front porch right!

Not only did my dream DIY screen door become a reality, I also found I used my new pocket hole jig for nearly every project right after! Two of the best decisions ever.

So if you too can’t land the screen door of your dreams and would like to build your own diy screen door from scratch too, here’s the tutorial instructions for mine!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links in which I earn a small percentage if you purchase something through them, with no added cost to you. Thank-you for helping support this blog! Read the rest of my disclosure page HERE

Meet Kreg! This is a Kreg Jig to be exact. And this helpful woodworking tool helped me build a wood screen door from scratch, with very professional results! Especially for a beginner.

I bought it without knowing how to use it, vowing to figure it out once I got home. And it ended up being the best tool decision I’ve made in a good long time. I use it ALL the time since getting it! So don’t hesitate. Get one.

What is a Kreg Jig?

A Kreg Jig is a specialty tool that creates pocket holes in wood, making it effortless to join wood at right angles, such as picture frames.

Video – how to use a Kreg Jig

.
Visit above to watch a short video on how to use a Kreg Jig!

Learn How to use a Kreg Jig from THIS full tutorial.

View many projects I’ve made with a Kreg Jig HERE

Find current Kreg Jigs on Amazon HERE

View Kreg Jigs at Home Depot HERE

So now that you too are an ‘expert’ on this new building tool mastery, let’s build a rustic DIY wood screen door using it!

How to build a wood DIY screen door from scratch

Supplies you’ll need:

Standard lumber planks:

1×2 / 1×3 / 1×4 / cedar strips

You will be cutting to fit your door opening, however here are my measurements anyway:

Overall DIY screen door dimensions: 36″ wide x 75″ tall.

Top: 1×3 – 36″ long

Bottom: 1×4 – 36″ long

Sides: 1×3 – 75″ long (x2)

Middle: 1×3 – 32″ long

Middle: 1×2 – 32″ long

Lower verticals:

1×3 – 29″ long

1×2 – 29″ long (x2)

Cedar strips – to fit around entire door frame (see below for more on this)

Screen door plans

The above diagram was sketched out to determine how I wanted my new screen door to look.

I used standard lumber measurements to design this simple screen door.

Building the DIY screen door frame

1. Measure the open doorway where you desire your screen door to be, then cut lumber to create a simple frame that fits inside, with a little room to spare.

Be sure to leave room to clear a doormat.

Screen door dimensions:

Overall DIY screen door dimensions: 36″ wide x 75″ tall.

Lumber measurements:

I suggest to purchase high quality lumber (without a bunch of joins) for the best durability.

Top: 1×3 – 36″ long

Bottom: 1×4 – 36″ long

Sides: 1×3 – 75″ long (x2)

2. Use the Kreg jig to join the 4 corners.

I added pocket holes to the tops and bottoms of the side boards.

How to place pocket holes for strong wood joins

There’s a bit of a trick to deciding which pieces of wood to add pocket holes to.

For the strongest holds, run screws into the sides of wood grain vs. straight into wood grain.

Think of wood grain as loose straws. There’s more strength if you drill into the sides of them vs. straight onto them. So this will help you determine where to add the pocket holes for all your lumber joins.

HERE is the video on YouTube where I learned that valuable tip.

3. Attach the four corners of the frame together using pocket screws.

Assembling tips:

This wood was very brittle, so I found pre-drilling holes first helpful to avoid splitting the wood.
Practice on scrap wood first until you get the hang of it.
Ensure you are choosing quality lumber. I found it split much less.
I also changed out to drywall screws which I personally found split the wood less.
Personally, I did not use wood plugs to fill in the pocket holes, but you certainly can.

How to style a wood DIY screen door

4. Once your frame is built, start styling inside the door frame with additional lumber for support and design, then attach them with the jig.

I loosely fit the basic frame against the outside of my exterior door I could decide where I wanted to add details to complement the existing door.

Note how the screen door supports don’t interfere with the original door window? You get to choose when you design your own custom DIY screen door!

Attaching the DIY screen door to the house

I couldn’t wait to pretty up my newly painted black-ish brown front door even more!

5. Prepare your door frame to mount the screen door hinges.

I ended up adding one strip of 1 x 2 to the left side of the door opening, and painted it out like the rest of the door frame. This appeared to work best over all other options tried.

The top of this additional board was cut at an angle, with the bottom, a flat cut.

Get Fusion Mineral Paint’s Stain and Finishing Oil for 10% off HERE

Staining the screen door

6. Stain or paint your screen door depending how you want it to look.

appy with a brush
two coats works best
sand in between coats

Fabulous stain products I used:

Because I desired rustic wood accents on the outside of my own home and to bounce off that gorgeous black-brown door, I chose a custom stain mix made from Fusion Mineral Paint’s Stain and Finishing Oil.

I mixed mostly Cappuccino with a little bit of Golden Pine.

Two coats of stain worked best, helped to deepen the tone and gave the wood a slightly satin finish. Beautiful!

High grit sandpaper was used in between staining to achieve the smoothest finish possible.

Note: this stain is not rated for outdoor use due to not having UV protection. Fusion SFO is the only stain I like to use due to it not smelling as toxic as most, so I took a chance because my door is well protected. 2 years later, the door has not faded at all! It’s beautiful.

Attaching pet window screen

I started with standard window screen, but within two days, my cats climbed the screen door, creating pulls in the screen mesh! Before I even took pictures! Bah!

So that’s when I decided to bite the bullet and try pet window screen instead.

Standard screen (left) vs. Pet screen (right)

Window screen comparisons

Pet window screen is SO much stronger. It’s infused with some kind of nylon for added strength.

The price was dramatically higher too. The standard window screen cost $15 while the pet window screen was $60. Ouch.

But I was curious about trying it anyway as the cats climb up ALL my screens, so I’ll report back once I (we) have some experience with it.

Attach window screen with staples

7. Unroll the screen on the back of the screen door, and use push pins to hold the screen in place while gently pulling the screen taut.

8. Use an automatic staple gun to attach the screen to the door frame. A stapler or brad nailer may also work.

I stapled along one side, then the opposite, then finally the two ends. It worked wonderful!

Adding cedar trim to hide staples

9. Dry-fit and cut cedar wood strips as trim pieces to frame the edge of the screen, like screen molding, then stain or paint as desired.

Because this was my front door and I’d see the inside all the time, I decided to cover up the screen edges and staples with cedar wood strips. They were cut to size, then stained.

Adding corner supports inside of the door

10. Attach the cedar strips by pre-drilling holes, then using short screws (I use THESE) to hold in place.

11. Add some painted cedar strips to some corners to help keep the door square. It looks cool too!

I cut 4 additional cedar strips, painted them in black-brown, then created a triangle template out of paper to help guild even placement.

Tip: I suggest to add the corner supports AFTER the door is hung. If the door sags a little, you can then hold it into the position desired, then attach the corner supports to keep it that way. It really helps!

12. Trim excess screen with a utility knife, or leave extra in case you desire to re-tighten the screen in the future.

I left extra just in case, as shown above.

Attaching hardware

13. Select 2 spring hinges, a door handle and a hook and eye lock. Or pick up a full screen door kit for added convenience.

If you can find adjusting spring hinges, I think they are a better choice so you can tighten them up as time goes on. I used standard non-adjusting on this door so I’ll report back how they do.

Visit how to install self adjusting hinges HERE on another screen door post I did.

14. Paint if desired.

I spray painted the door hinges and door pull in a gloss black to match the door’s aesthetic.

How to install the screen door

15. Attach screen door to the house.

Position door frame inside opening.
Place blocks of wood under the bottom of the door to lift the door into position, ensuring it clears carpets, etc.
Attach hinges to house frame (6″ from top, 9″ from bottom) and onto the door.
Remove blocks of wood.
Check movement, ensuring the door clears the frame. Trim with a chisel if needed.
If the door sags, hold the door into the desired position, then mount the corner brackets while pushing the door into the desired position, then attach. It helps!
Add cabinet bumpers if desired so door closure sound becomes muffled.

And are you even ready for the full tour of my brand spankin’ new DIY rustic screen door from scratch?!

The finished wood DIY screen door!

I mean… look at it! Isn’t this wood grain screen door gorgeous? Love how rustic yet upscale it looks! And it compliments the front door perfectly!

Because I desired to add the black license plate, I added one more wood piece to help brace it in place.

Don’t you think the additional junk factor is cool?

I had planned to create a soda pop stencil to add a faux enamel advertising sign however my ideas weren’t working out, so I’ll save that idea for another project!

The door and sidelights were painted a deep blackish-brown so it would allow the wood screen door to do all the talking.

Visit how I painted my front door blackish-brown HERE

I just love the old charm coziness this wooden rustic screen door adds!

Teamed up with the Buffalo Checked front door mat HERE, it’s perfection.

Find the Buffalo Check stencil HERE

The little wicker bench faces the front yard and is the perfect little spot for a quick chat at the front door or to enjoy an evening coffee.

Oops! Forgot the pillows!

Learn how I made the Wild Flower Seeds pillow HERE

Find the Wild Flower Seeds stencil HERE

And here is how the wood screen door looks with the front door open.

Perks of a front screen door

added air ventilation
compliments a front door
allows pets to view out while safely inside

Why, hello Sky! How nice of you to step into the picture. Perfect timing! Both cats adore the screen door and sit in front of it all. the. time. They love the cool breeze as much as I do! But sorry, no bugs will be coming in to play anytime soon!

And I’m happy to report, the cats have attempted to climb the screen door once, but didn’t like the pet screen. No damage was done and they leave it alone. So, pet screen works and was worth the added cost.

Another super awesome perk is the added airflow through the house. The cooler air sweeps right upstairs now, so it’s already been amazing, and we haven’t even hit the middle of summer yet. Great timing!

Summary

I’ve wanted a wood screen door on this house for over 10 years. But I didn’t like the price nor the looks of the ready-made ones.

However making one was the best decision I’ve ever made. Not only did it allow me to get the look I desired, it also added to my building skills!

I just about feel like a real builder now! Ok, maybe after the 4 more I wish to make…

See what can happen when you learn something new?!

Think you’ll try to build a rustic screen door? How would you want yours to look like?