On Tue, Sep 6, 2022 at 12:14 PM James DuPrie  wrote:

> OK, you've raised something else I've been contemplating: weight.....
> I don;t recall what the screen doors of my youth were made of (they were
> always painted anyway), but they weren't heavy. They were typical mass
> produced screen doors that were found all over the country in houses made
> (or updated) from the 20s through the early 70s - when aluminum replaced
> wood. I always assumed they were made of the generic 'white wood' (probably
> one of the evergreen softwoods) because of the weight and paint....
>
> the reason I'm wondering about weight is that, with a simple spring (either
> hinge or free hanging), 2 issues come up: The first is simply how much
> spring is needed to close the door, the second is momentum - what happens
> when the door smacks into the jamb (especially if something like a finger
> is on the jamb)...
>
> I was planning to avoid the pneumatic door closers that are standard now,
> so soft close isn't really an option....
> these are the hinges I'm thinking of using:
>
> https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/hardware/architectural-hardware/interior-
door/hinges/46500-cast-hold-open-hinge?item=01K2980
>
> -James
>

Hi James,

I spent the summer turning my deck into a screened-in porch (yes I started
and finished it within a month and my wife LOVES it!) and I installed a
white-wood screen door from Lowe's with basic spring hinges like those but
not as nice. It slams shut, but in a satisfying way. My friend came over
and he said the sound of the screen door took him back to his grandparents'
house. I would think they could handle a heavier door but I'm not sure I'd
want to get whacked by a heavier door.

I had to install a gutter because the rain kept dripping down onto the
landing and splashing up onto the door causing it to expand and stick.
OldTools content: I had to plane the door multiple times to get it to fit
properly. The gutter has solved that problem, thankfully.

Brian in rainy central Massachusetts