Screen "Doors"

Not everyone has reason to make up a different approach to a screen door, but our doors are slightly smaller than average. Options include getting a customized screen door (expensive), making our own (expensive and time-consuming), or getting one of those magnet ones (don't seem to hold up very well).

So after a bit of internetting around, I was inspired with a very easy, very cheap, completely temporary solution. Excellent for rentals and other temporary applications (trailer doors?).

Behold, the roll-up tension rod screen!

Where's the screen? Can you see it? 

I bought some screen material by the foot at the hardware store, used my sewing machine to sew two hems on either end, and stuck some tension rods in either end. We happened to have some shower curtain-type rods leftover from some other household thing, and a couple of cafe curtain rods from the girls room when I used sheets for light-blocking window treatments (oh yeah I have to show you the cool light-blocking window treatments I made recently!). I suppose you could use some sort of glue if you don't have access to a sewing machine, or use safety pins if you're really desperate.

Top

Bottom

Crappily rolled up because I didn't have time. 

Easy to roll up, and if you take 30 seconds longer than I did you'll make it so nice and small that you don't even notice it. My husband usually makes it look nice. I just don't have the patience. Or the arm extension. 

You can leave the bottom rod unattached if you need to get in and out, just push it aside. We tend to keep both rods in place on the front door, which we use less often, and leave the bottom rod in the backdoor loose. 

Here in Seattle we don't really have a problem with mosquitos, chiggers, ticks, no-see-ums and the like. We do get those big nasty flies that come in and buzz around your head. And moths in the evening. So this screen would not be the best for keeping out all critters. I suppose you could make two more pocket hems on the sides and use two more tension rods to get a good tight fit, but with all that work and expense, it might just be best to invest in a real door. 

Oh look, I went to all that trouble to make these, and they have them for 20 bucks at Home Depot. Tension Rod Screen Door

Whatever. Because I already had the tension rods, the screen fabric only cost me about $14. So there, I saved money.