Step 5: Shim the door in opening

Tapping wood shims
Photo: Kolin Smith
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Stand the completed door — minus the screens — in the doorway opening. Align its face flush with the face of the door casing.

Tap in wood shims around the door to hold it in place. These should maintain a 1/8-inch space along the sides and an approximately 3/16-inch space at the top and bottom.

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    Tools List

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    • bar clamps
      Pipe or bar clamps,
      for assembling door; you’ll need six, each longer than door is wide
    • roller spline
      Spline roller,
      to install rubber spline that holds screen taut
    • utility knife
      Utility knife,
      for trimming excess screen
    • drill
      Drill/driver
    • Drill bit
      1/4-inch-diameter drill bit,
      for boring dowel holes
    • spade bit
      9/16-inch spade bit,
      for drilling latchset spindle hole
    • Phillips screwdriver
      Phillips-head screwdriver
    • chisel
      Sharp chisel,
      to trim tenons, if necessary, to fit into mortises
    • hand plane
      Hand plane,
      to trim door to fit opening
    • hammer
      Hammer

    Shopping List

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    1. SCREEN DOOR KIT

    comes in standard widths - 32, 34, and 36 inches - but custom sizes are also available



    2. HINGES

    three spring-loaded, surface-mounted types



    3. LATCHSET

    surface-mounted type made for screen doors



    4. WOOD SHIMS

    to hold door in the opening while installing hardware



    5. EXTERIOR-GRADE WOOD GLUE

    6. FIBERGLASS INSECT SCREEN

    piece 36 inches by 7 feet is enough for most doors



    7. RUBBER SPLINE

    8. SANDPAPER

    120-grit to sand dowels flush; finer grits to prepare door for finishing



    9. 3/4-INCH-LONG BRADS

    for attaching the frame molding



    10. EXTERIOR-GRADE PAINT, STAIN, AND/OR VARNISH

    polyurethane or marine spar varnish