I want to build a 1930's or 40's style screen door complete with bronze screen like the one at the cabin we visited as kids in northern Michigan. The door closed with a nice loud whak.
I'm looking for suggestions on which wood to use. The door would rarely get wet and sees very little direct sun thanks to a large front porch. It will be primed and painted. I'm thinking clear alder, any other suggestions?
Thanks,
cm
A weather resistant lumber that is indigenous to your area is what I would suggest. I'm not familiar with lumber native to your area, so I can't specify a particular wood. I would, also, strongly consider something that was milled from an old sinker log, if readily available. Sonny
Sonny,
I'm located in Arizona. The only indigenous woods readily available may be fir/pine, and cottonwood. that I can think of that might be suitable. We are very limited on our selection here compared to California and many other states.
Thanks,
I used to spend Summers on a ranch with a wooden screen door like that. Even had a little rubber ball thingy that would swing out if someone let the door go (spring closed) and it would interject itself between door and jam to muffle the "whak".
nb
"cm" wrote in news:cYOdnXnvB8H1gbDXnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:
If it is being painted and doesn't take a lot of direct rain then almost and material is really OK. If you can get Cedar that would be great but poplar would be OK too.
I would suggest very str> I want to build a 1930's or 40's style screen door complete with bronze
On 6/8/2009 8:22 AM Jim Willemin spake thus:
Kachina dolls. Anyone in Arizona should know that.
Mulch maybe?
Bronze screen?
Remember the Danube:
The years have come and the years have gone, But the oft told tales not true, For of all the things the Danube is, The Danube is not BLUE!
The Danube is GREEN
Oh, it's as green as the grass that grows in the spring, It's as green as the paint that goes on a screen, It's as green as the money you spend on a fling, The blue of the Danube is greener than green!
(Hat tip to Spike Jones)
The one I built 14 years ago is Douglas fir. White oak would work well too. Ditto poplar.
dadiOH
Fir would be ideal, white pine was the standard for door/window stock from Colonial days. You may have trouble finding clear pine locally, though, depending on your sources.
Cottonwood is a terrible wood for almost every construction purpose--it is very unstable specifically which even in your dry climate would make it a poor choice for a door. It doesn't weather particularly well, either.
In the High Plains, also w/ a lack of indigenous timber, in the early pioneer days several mills were set up to try to make a lumber industry from the cottonwoods that did line the banks of some of the rivers and streams. Despite no competition for lumber that didn't have the associate high costs of shipping from much farther away, none of these ventures survived any time of consequence owing to the poor characteristics of the lumber.
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Fir has been the primary wood for screen doors but alder should certainly work given the conditions you describe.
cm wrote:
A nice fire!
I don't know what was intended, but cottonwood doesn't make good firewood, either... :)
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I have thought about building one to. I'm wondering how Pocket Hole joints would hold up? I'm planning on using poplar.
I built two screen doors out of pine and used corrugated fasteners (wavy nails) for the frame used a diagonal turnbuckle on each to maintain squareness. The doors had been in use for nearly ten years when I moved away, and were still in good shape.
Pocket hole joinery should make it really easy.
So you just used butt joints with glue and something like 1/2x1" corrugated fasteners? That's some food for thought regarding ease and speed of assembly. What gun do you have? Do those fasteners come galvanized? We do a lot of screened in porches on our homes, and that gun could save us some time for sure.
JP
No glue and no gun (16oz Plumb claw hammer). I watched a couple of guys build a screen door in under a minute on (I think) the Johnny Carson show one night and copied their method.
I cheated and used an Arrow stapler on the screen, but nailed the trim to hide the staples and screen edge.
My two (then) pre-teen sons "helped" me and we timed the build - less than ten minutes for both doors. It took longer than that to paint 'em the next day.
(I like the pocket screw idea!)
I would go with red cedar for stability & durability & availability in clear stock. Fir would be OK, but it splinters. Alder is not as durable, but might be OK.
Luigi
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