A conservatory with two sets of double-entry wood entry doors. These originally had Wood Storm Screen Doors over the entry doors, but with no protection from the elements.

After the weather destroyed all the wood-screen doors for the 2nd time, there arose an epiphany regarding the virtues of aluminum doors. But no one would build us the custom aluminum doors needed.

So we bought the best product we knew of?purchasing extra kick-panel material & replacing the glass as needed to achieve the sight-lines needed to match the entry doors over which storm doors would sit.

We basically disassembled & then re-built them. We customized the strike stile further by inserting wood inside the aluminum profile so we would have the necessary backing materials by which to install the mortise-case locks.

We used Jado mortise-case locks with their uncommonly short backsets. It was the only decent lock that would fit into these narrow aluminum stiles.

Continuous hinges might seem like a bit of overkill, but most all outswing doors are subject to the destructive forces of wind.

Unfortunately, Jado ceased the manufacture of these locks soon after this job was completed.

No expense was spared to ensure that our client had the best storm doors money could buy.

Notice the daylight sight-lines that were maintained to correspond with the entry doors and the adjoining window openings.

And the custom arched detail we devised employing some of the extra kick-plate material.

A modest little estate in the wine-growing Yamhill county area.

Another of the many popular Spanish Villa flavored expressions of architecture.

And another wood-door subjected to the moist weather-patterns of the Willamette Valley. This time, it’s a wood-screen door.

If you look close at the top left corner of the door in this photo, you should be able to make out how the door has warped towards the exterior.

As you can see, there are actually two of these doors on opposite ends of this open-air sitting room enveloped with screen material.

Once again, we proposed a material that is more impervious to the elements be used in the manufacture of these doors. Our client’s two criteria were that the lock-rail aligns with the sight-lines in the adjoining screen structure…

…and that the two new doors matched the color of the original doors.
Truax Builders Supply (www.truaxnw.com) built the aluminum screen doors to our specifications.

And Portland Powder Coating Inc. (www.portlandpowder.com) matched the sample of wood we brought them from one of the original wood doors.

To facilitate the powder coating process, which involves considerable heat, both doors had to be pretty much completely disassembled. All the neoprene and non-metallic products had to be removed to prevent damage.

Once again we are given opportunity to demonstrate that if something custom can be done, as it relates to doors or windows, we can make it happen.

Before Shot.
When asked, we do not generally recommend that wood doors be finished naturally like this (photo #2) unless they are well protected by a very large overhang and/or are facing North.

After Shot.
Natural finishes do not hold up to ultra-violet rays, and wood doors do not hold up to getting wet every time it rains? whether varnished or painted.

In our humble opinion, the most durable aluminum storm-door on the market is manufactured today by Truax Builder’s Supply (www.truaxnw.com). There are prettier storm doors, but none as durable.

These storm doors were formerly built by LBL, but the production tools, the extrusions and all rights were sold to Truax in the 1990’s as LBL moved entirely to Vinyl products.

Their “SX” versions of the two basic models (Model 70 full-lite and the model 60 self-storing) offer the advantage of an aluminum grill-grid insert as shown above, and also in photo #2.

They offer the best storm door lock we’ve ever come across. Lever handles and a keyed deadbolt tied together by means of a mortise-case lock. And you can get it in any color you like, as long as it’s black.

One of the most common enemies of SCREEN doors are pets. Dogs and cats and sometimes little children are well known for keeping the rescreening companies in business.

As many folks know, there are products on the market frequently called “Pet Guards,” usually constructed of aluminum for those who want to maximize the doors ability to ventilate.

But another, perhaps more durable option is to keep the screen out of reach by having the screen-door made with panels in the lower regions.

A Southwest Portland Home…

…with 1 3/8″ thick doors, single-pane glass and drafty interlocking weatherstripping.
They like the doors, but not the drafts, and don’t want to spend a fortune upgrading the entry doors.

There are plenty of “pretty” storm doors being offered now days at the large box stores, but I have yet to find something as durable as the Truax storm doors. There’s not a lot of frills like brass or brushed-nickel hardware, self-storing-screens…

…but if you’re like me, and believe that “low-maintenance” is a “high-priority,” then these storm doors are the ticket.
They are all made to order by the folks at Truax Builders Supply out @ 10949 S.E. Division (503-256-4066)…

…so you can get custom-sizing, which is what was needed here. The overall opening width was only 48″ and the client wanted very low kick-panels at the bottom so as to not impede upon the view out through the existing entry doors. I have been installing these storm doors for 30 + years.

When it comes to storm doors, there’s no comparing the durability of aluminum to wood when it comes to storms. But there’s also no reasonable argument against the warm & appealing aesthetic assets of a wood storm or screen door. This particular opening has significant protection from…

…the elements, so direct exposure to northwest weather was not an issue. You’ll notice that this wood storm door had a removable-screen panel. Also note the horizontal stabilizer in the screen-panel to help provide some protection against children and pets pushing out against the screen.