I'm building a small screen door that's just under 6 feet tall—perfect for those of you who are taller! I have some leftover cedar decking that's exactly 1" thick, but I'm thinking 2x material at 1 1/2" feels a bit too bulky. I'm considering if the 1" thickness is sufficient for this door, or if I should get 2x material and mill it down to around 1 1/4". What do you think?
3 Answers
I just made a screen door from 5/4 cedar last month, and the thickness worked out perfectly! So yes, 1" should be good for you. Just remember that a solid lower panel or a mid-door panel aligned with the handle can add some stiffness to the door.
I've never built one myself, but the screen doors I've used seemed even thinner. They wiggled a bit too! Just make sure to support your design with lateral mid support or cross bracing if you go with that thinner material.
From my experience, 1 1/4" to 1 3/8" is a common thickness for screen doors. While 1" might work fine, if you want extra stability and aren't rushed, going a bit thicker isn't a bad idea.