What Affects the Cost of a Security Screen Door?

The short version

• Bigger openings and more panels mean more material and more work.
• A French pair is two doors. A four-panel slider is four screens and a new track.
• The grade of the mesh and how it is held in the frame matter more than how thick the wire looks.
• Locks, pet doors, sidelights and custom colors all change the build.

1. The size of the opening

A security screen door is not cut down from a stock size. It is built to the exact width and height of your doorway. A taller or wider opening needs a larger frame and more stainless-steel mesh, and that shows up in the price.

Odd sizes are not a problem. Older homes often have non-standard openings, and a made-to-measure screen handles them. The measurements just have to be right, which is why we measure in person.

2. The type of door

This is usually the biggest single factor.

• Hinged (swinging) doors are the simplest: one screen door on its own hinges, with its own lock. More about hinged doors
• French doors need a matching pair that meet in the middle and lock together. That is two doors, not one. More about French doors
• Sliding doors need a screen panel for each part of the opening, running on its own new track. A four-panel slider is a bigger job than a two-panel one. More about sliding doors
• Bifold and stacking doors cover the widest openings with several panels that fold or stack. More panels, more hardware. See bifold and stacking doors.

3. The mesh

The mesh is what makes a security screen a security screen. Two things affect it: what it is made of, and its grade.

Woven stainless-steel mesh is a different product from the aluminum or fiberglass mesh in a regular screen door. It is made to resist cutting and to stay in its frame under force. See how security screens are tested.

Grade matters too. Near the coast, 316 marine-grade stainless steel resists salt far better than 304. We specify 316 for the homes we work on. Read: 316 vs 304 stainless steel

If a quote just says "stainless" with no grade, ask.

4. The frame and finish

The frame has to grip the mesh, not just hold it. On the screens we install, a patented clamp holds the mesh inside a heavy-duty aluminum frame. A standard frame color is the simplest option. A custom color to match your front door or trim is a different build. What security screens are made of

5. Locks and hardware

A real security screen door has its own lock and key, separate from your main door. The doors we fit lock at three points with a single action, not just in the middle (per the manufacturer). Hinged and French doors use a center deadbolt; sliders use hook locks. Hardware is part of what you are paying for, and part of what makes the door hard to force.

6. Extras

• Pet doors. A flap built into the screen, sized to your pet. More about pet doors
• Sidelights and fixed panels beside the door.
• Matching window screens, so the doors and windows look like one set. Security window screens

7. The installation

Every opening is different. A square, solid frame on a ground-floor patio is straightforward. An opening that is out of square, an upstairs balcony, or a frame that needs shimming or extra prep takes more time. Roman will point out anything like that when he measures, so it is in the quote rather than a surprise on install day.

What a good quote should tell you

• The mesh grade, by number, and who makes it.
• The lock type and how many locking points.
• The frame color.
• Whether installation is included.
• The warranty terms, in writing.