Exterior French Outswing AND a Screen…
I’ve got a tight interior condition in a kitchen and am thinking about installing outswing French doors (5′-0″ wide and 8′-0″ tall). There’s no covered porch and it’s in Boulder Colorado. We get snow, but rarely BIG storms so I’m not too worried about being blocked in (and there are other exterior doors in the same general area).
We do need to do a screen. We’re looking at Marvin and Hurd doors (wood). I see that they come with a screen option (but only for inswing models), but I’m frankly worried about the flimsiness of the screen doors. I’m even thinking about a Phantom Screen but on the interior side in order to go with an outswing, but I’m concern about the appearance from the interior as well as durability.
Anyone have experience with these options or know of an alternative choice?
Thanks!
Seth
Edited 7/2/2007 9:26 am ET by SethFrankel
Replies
FIL made a set of sliding screens (hang from a top track) for the inside of a set of OS French doors. Works well; not spendy; looks good. With outswing, you have enough depth in the jamb to do it; particularly with 2x6 walls
Forrest
Thanks for posting. I Googled FIL and couldn't find anything. Is that the brand name?
"I Googled FIL and couldn't find anything. Is that the brand name?"It's BT-speak for Father in LawTry googlong RollScreen, $350/ opening installed. Train your customer to leave the screen open (rolled up) all the time and only close it when they want ventilation. Most people, being used to screen doors, think a roll screen should be left closed and find it annoying to use because it has a very strong spring that "snaps" when it opens, once they get into the habit of leaving it rolled up all the time except when they want the screen they love it. ------------------
"You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."
I priced a Phantom screen once and it was like $600.
Man that is a lot to pay for a screen.
May I suggest using a patio (or antrium) door instead of the french door.
They have a fixed unit and the opening unit is hinged in the middle and swings over the fixed unit. Thus is does take less interior floor space.
But the down side is that you have thickner structure in the center.
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Any wind where you are? I had the same condition with tight space, but even a small bit of wind made it uncomfortable to use the door. After a couple years struggling with it and lots of slammed doors, i replaced it with an inswing. (No other option.)
I second the slider idea; they aren't ALL ugly. <G>
Wind like you can't even imagine... It's a downslope condition with gusts easily in the 90s plus at least a few times a year.I was thinking that outswing would be better since the wind would work to seal the door instead of working to force it open.Seth
On mine, the wind would either rip it out of my hands or slam it shut. If there were another door or window open in the house, the effect was magnified. You can rig up a hook at the bottom or one of those U-shaped keepers, but still...a hassle. I really wanted the outswing solution to work for mine, i found myself avoiding using the door any time it was the least bit windy, using another door and going around the house. It's a lot of money to invest in a custom door, too, since outswings aren't off-the-rack items. I urge you to look at other solutions.
Seth: Check local code about out swing doors ,
Ran into the same problem a few weeks ago. We leave both sides of the door open a lot so a sliding panel is not really an option. Ended up getting one of these:
http://www.bugoffscreen.com/
This is on the door we use the most since it opens to the back deck adjacent to the parking pad.
We have a 90 pound lab, a 3.5 year old and an indoor/outdoor cat. Everybody has been fine with it, and the lab and the cat even let them selves out now. No damage yet and easy to use. Actually keeps the bugs out but a critter will have no problems getting in.
For the price I figure if it lasts a couple of seasons we are doing fine. Low commitment since there is only 1 tiny screw hole in the center for a support bracket. So if my FIL builds me a nice screen no worries :)
Seems like a reasonable solution without a lot of fuss. Will it withstand my three kids?!?Thanks for posting. I'll definitely keep it in mind.Seth
Probably. The screen material is a little thicker than a regular door or window screen, but less thick than shade cloth.Since it is held in place with a spring tension rod like a cheapo shower curtain rod if they really yank on it it will just come down. Our 3.5 year old weighs 35 or 40 pounds and she has tugged pretty hard with no ill effects.My wife was afraid it was going to be ugly, she ended up being fine with it, especially since she is the one that opens both doors at once almost every morning to bring in the cool fresh air.Good Luck