When is a sliding screen door past fixing?

When the frame is bent or kinked, because a screen that isn't square keeps jumping the track however good its rollers are. Short of that, new rollers and mesh sort out most sliding screens, and a loose corner can be refastened.

Can French doors that swing outward take a retractable screen?

Yes. The housings mount on the frame or trim on the side away from the swing, so on outward-swinging doors the screen sits inside. A pair of French doors can take two screens meeting in the middle, or one wider screen across the opening.

Is there a way to add a pet door to a patio or front screen door?

Yes, on most sliding and hinged screen doors. It's set into the mesh with its own frame or built into a replacement lower panel. Measure your pet's shoulder height and width so the flap suits them, and mention it in your request.

The mesh in my retractable screen has torn. Does the whole unit need replacing?

Not usually. If the housing and tracks are sound, the mesh roll or spring cassette can be replaced rather than the whole unit. Parts vary by maker, so a photo of any label on the housing and the door's width help the pro find the right one.

Can the closer on a screen door be adjusted to stop it slamming?

Usually. Most closers have a screw at the end that sets how fast the door shuts; turning it slows the last stretch. If that doesn't help, or the closer has lost pressure, it's replaced. A door that keeps slamming loosens its own hinges.

Screen doors

Patio and front screen doors that slide, swing and close properly

A screen door is opened and closed constantly through a humid summer, so its rollers, closer and mesh wear out long before the frame. Those parts can be replaced at the home and a torn panel rescreened; a bent frame means a new door made to measure. We connect you with an independent local pro who repairs and builds screen doors.

Rollers, closers and mesh replaced
Retractable screens for hinged doors
Wood screen doors for heritage homes

Get a free quote 905-201-8120

A simple wood screen door, the kind Markham's heritage district plans encourage.

Sliding screens

Sliding patio screen doors: rollers, frames and mesh

The screen on a slider runs on its own small rollers, and most complaints trace back to them. If the glass door beside it drags too, see sliding door repair.

Jumps off the track

Worn or loose rollers, or a bent bottom rail. New rollers are fitted and set to the right height.

Drags or won't latch

A seized roller, or a frame racked out of square. A slight bend can be trued; otherwise a new screen is built.

Torn or bagging mesh

Rescreened in the existing frame, in standard or pet-resistant mesh.

Retractable

Retractable screens for French and garden doors

Hinged garden and French doors swing through the space a sliding screen would need, so a retractable screen is the usual answer. The mesh winds onto a roller in a narrow cassette beside the door and draws across only when you want it.

A pair of French doors takes two screens meeting in the middle, or one spanning the width. If you're choosing a new garden or French door, settle the screen at the same time. The housing mounts on the frame or the trim, so the pro will measure the full opening.

Hinged doors

Hinged screen doors and closers

On a front or side entry, the hardware wears before the door.

Closer

A door that slams or won't shut needs its closer adjusted or replaced.

Hinges and sag

A door scraping the sill has dropped; tightening, shimming or new hinges fix it.

Handle and latch

Replaced to fit the existing holes where possible.

Sweep

The bottom strip closes the gap insects use, replaced when it tears.

Heritage homes

Wood screen doors on heritage homes

Markham's heritage district plans encourage a traditional, simple screen or storm door of wooden construction (Buttonville district plan). In Unionville, Markham Village, Thornhill and Buttonville, a new screen door may count as an exterior alteration, so ask the City's heritage staff first.

An old wood screen door can usually be kept: joints reglued, a rotted rail rebuilt, new mesh stretched in. For original sash, see wood window repair.

What moves the price

What a screen door quote depends on

Repair, or a new door and frame
Sliding, retractable or hinged, and the opening width
Mesh: standard, pet-resistant or fine insect
Material, especially a custom wood screen door
Extras such as a pet door, handle or closer

Tell us the door type and opening width, with a photo of the door closed. The pro confirms the price after measuring.

Get a screen door quote

Free to ask; the pro prices it directly.

Pets

Pet doors and tougher mesh

A pet door fits most sliding and hinged screen doors, framed into the mesh or built into a new lower panel. If claws are the problem rather than access, pet-resistant mesh on the lower half is often enough; the same mesh suits window screens. For a combined wood storm and screen door, see storm doors.

Questions

Screen door questions

Explore your options

Pros we work with repair and build screen doors across Markham, including Markham Village, Unionville, Cornell, Berczy Village and Milliken Mills.

Tell us the door type and width

Say whether it slides, swings or retracts, how wide the opening is and what's wrong. We send it to a local screen door pro, who quotes the repair or a new door.