We are about to update our thumbnail-sized kitchen. Currently we have a door that opens into the room–causes a lot of congestion.
Talked to our contractor about a swing-out exterior door. He thinks it’s a good idea, but we will loose our ability to have the screen door option that we have now.
We live in New England. We have central air. We vascilate between air and open windows quite a bit because our house is small. We go in and out of the kitchen door all the time when grilling/preparing an outdoor meal.
Does anyone have any ideas for “having it all”? Is there an exterior door that can I can quickly move a screen face in and out of it? Probably completely impractical. Thought I’d ask. We can’t do a sliding door.
Many thanks!
Replies
You can get a door with a venting lite . . . basically a single hung window, which, when opened, has the opening screened. Sized at nominally 22 wide by 36 high, they are mounted in the upper half of a paneled steel or fiberglass door.
But not many of these are sold in regions where winters are deep and cold, because the windows leak a little air.
I am in a colder zone than you, and my local lumberyard has a display door with the venting lite feature. You might go by your local stores to see if you can see one.
There is a screen that retracts to the jamb. It runs in tracks and is like a roll up blind sideways..I saw it on This Old House..google or visit the web site..I know its out there.
It also "knows" to have enough in "storage" for the occaisonal or often bang into factor, and not rip.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
There is no cure for stupid. R. White.
http://www.phantomscreens.com/
The only problem with this product is that it's not a DIY. You have to pay an authorized dealer/installer. Runs a bit over $300 for a single.
Lowe's sells the DYI retractables. I think they are Larsons. Two varieties. $138 and $189. When you slap the frame of the cheap one the screen retracts with a bang. The other seems to have some kind of brake mechanism to slow the retraction.
What i've seen before and it looks really funny is the screen door is mounted on the inside of the house swings inward and the front door swings to the outside . DAN
Some people hang 2 strips of screen that overlap in the middle by about a foot...you just walk thru, and it parts.
All the best...
To those who know - this may be obvious. To those who don't - I hope I've helped.