Help me decide: Sliding (disappearing) screen doors

[Cathyb]

We are researching a sliding screen door for our kitchen -- one that disappears. Do any tuggers have one that they love?

1. Important things to look for?

2. Your brand and anything you wished you had added to it?

3. How long have you had it?

Thank you for much for ANY suggestions/insight!

 

[Diane]

Cathy,

Is the door itself (the one you are trying to screen) a sliding glass door? If so, I thought screens for them had to be custom made. Would be interested too if that is not the case.

Diane

 

[Gadabout]

If you mean the "invisible" kind that slide on tracks that you can use on glass sliding doors--not if you have children or pets. They are not built to take *any* kind of rough handling at all.

 

[Don]

Do you live in an area where the wind blows all of the time? We had one for about three months. The constant breezes ruined it. It would billow like a sail. Then, after a while, the screen material started sliding down the magnetic bar to bunch on the bottom. We had it removed and got our money back. Another company told us that they will not install them in our area due to the breezes. We had our front stoop totally screened in for about $500 more than the cost of the disappearig screen door.

 

[jsfletch]

We just installed a Pella sliding glass door. And it has a roll up (out) screen door. Really happy with the entire product. It has the shades (blinds) inside the window. Great concept. Don't have to bother cleaning the blinds.

 

[planada]

We have had 2 Phantom Screen doors. Love them! They do "pop" open if hit hard but had one for 8 years(as far as I know it is still being used on the house we sold) and replaced the screen once, it got flappy as time went by. Our nephew at 9 years old ran through it and it popped open, but did not bend the frame.This new home, the dog has figured out how to throw herself against it (a dauchsund) and go out.I think they are extremely well built, just not inexpensive to purchase!

 

[Makai Guy]

We have a Phantom as well. This was the only way to have a screen for our kitchen door as the "real" door swings out onto the deck and there is no room inside for a swinging screen door. (For those unfamiliar with the concept, this rolls up horizontally into an unobtrusive enclosure at the side of the door, similar to the way a window shade rolls up vertically onto a roller at the top of a window.)

We like it very well. We purchased through our neighborhood Lowes, but Phantom sent their own installer - ran around $300. Lowes also had a second install-it-yourself brand, but it wasn't all that much less expensive, so we went with the Phantom.

http://www.phantomscreens.com/

 

[turkel]

Not for dogs or children. I have one I seldom use. My Lab has taken it out twice and a neighbor kid once. They don't see the screen as they run through it. If I had no children and could get rid of the mangy mutt I would love it.:ignore:

 

[JudyH]

We just ordered one for our front door, it pulls out and across the door. We don't use this door much and just want it for ventilation.