We needed a new screen door for our screened in porch, and we wanted to close off the dog door hole that was next to it – so I decided to design and build a screen door with a dog door built in. The existing dog door was the perfect size for our 85lb rescue, but the flap had fallen off about a year ago and birds and bugs would fly into the screened in porch from time to time. By incorporating the dog door into the screen door we’re not only solving the problem of the flap-less dog door, we’re also reclaiming a corner of our screened in porch.
Incorporating a dog door into the screen door really isn’t that difficult, it just requires a little planning. I happened to have some 3/16″ metal rod laying around so I decided to make pins out of it which the dog door could swing on. Ensuring that the holes for the pins are perfectly aligned is probably the most difficult part of this build. The rest is basic wood working and joinery techniques.
Materials Required
- 3 – 1×4 boards @ 8′
- 1 – 1×3 board @ 8′
- 1 roll of screen @ 36″ wide
- 1 roll of spline
- 3 screen frame kits (or individual components to make the equivalent)
- Window screen clips
- Hinges
- Handle kit
Tools Required
- Miter saw
- Table saw
- Finish nailer
- Brad nailer
- Chisel
- Quick clamps
- Staple gun & 5/16″ staples.
- Hack saw (for cutting the aluminum frame)
- Spline roller
Step 1: Cut your boards
This screen door with a dog door, consists of three sets of boards, the outer stiles, the rails, and the inner stiles. Both of the outer stiles are made from 1×4 boards, cut to 80″. The two outer rails are also cut from 1x4s, this time at 36″ while the middle rail is cut from a 1×3 at 36″ in length. The inner stiles are also cut from 1x3s, at 22″ in length.
To make this door sturdy, and to help prevent sag over the years, we’re using half lap joints. Since 1x stock is actually 3/4″ thick, we’re going to need to cut all of the half laps at 3/8″ deep. This is most easily accomplished using a dado stack on your table saw, but you could just as easily use a router and a straight cut bit. I find that when I am cutting the half laps, I like to cut them a little narrower than needed, and then sneak up on the final dimension to help ensure a snug fit.
Make certain to test fit the entire assembly before moving on.
Step 2: Drill the peg hole in the inner stiles
Now that you’ve got all of your major boards cut, let’s drill the holes in the inner stiles that will accept the pegs for the door to swivel on. My metal rod just happened to be 3/16″ in diameter, so that’s the size I drilled my holes. I made them about 1/4″ deep. They should be located directly in the middle of the inner stiles, and 3/8″ down from the top half lap. Make certain they are both located exactly the same or your door will wind up crooked.
Step 3: Build the dog door
My dog door is made from 3/4″ x 3/4″ poplar, with a 3/8″ dado to accept the screen and another 1/4″ x 1/4″ piece that holds the screen in place. I made the 1/4″ and 3/4″ stock from scraps of the 1x4s and 1x3s by ripping them down on the table saw. You could also find a piece of flexible plastic and just attach that to the screen door instead to make the build easier – but I didn’t think that would produce as nice of a finished product.
I cut all of my 3/4″ stock per the specs in the diagram, then used glue and brad nails to hold it together. Once the glue was dry, I also ran the frame over a 3/8″ round-over bit on the router table to make the outside round instead of square. I didn’t want any sharp corners and I think it just looks a little more appealing. I then drilled 3/16″ holes 1/4″ from the top edge, centered on the sides, to allow for the swivel pegs.
Finally, stretch your screen and staple it in place. Then brad nail in the finish trim to hold the screen down and hide the staples.
Step 4: Assembly
Now it’s time to assemble your screen door with a dog door built in. Start by laying out and gluing the outer stiles and the three rails. You can add some brad nails to help hold it all in place, but some quick clamps are really more than enough to hold the joints until the glue dries.
Once the glue dries on the above, glue and clamp ONE of the inner stiles in place. Then insert your swivel pins into the holes in that inner stile, slide the door in place on the pin, insert the pin in the second stile and slide it into place so the pin is also in the door. At this point, both stiles should be in place with the door also on the pins and in position. Now lift up the second stile, add glue, and clamp it in place as well.
Step 5: Route a channel for the screen
I wanted my screens inset in the door, so I routed a 1/2″ wide channel around all three sections. I set the depth of my router to match the depth of the aluminum screen frame (about 1/4″). Once the channel was routed all the way around, I squared up the corners with a chisel.
Step 6: Build and install the screens
The screens are fairly easy to build yourself using the screen frame kits and a spline roller. Put the corners from the kit in the corners of your screen door, and then cut the aluminum frames to fit using the hack saw. Assemble the frame, lay out the screen and then roll in the spline.
Once the screens are built, lay them in place and use the window screen clips and included screws to hold the screens in place.
Step 7: Add the hardware and install
Now that your new screen door with a dog door is complete, it’s time to add the hinges, the handle and put it in place. We used standard adjustable tension spring hinges (I have a love for that slamming screen door sound). I also added 1×2 stock , inset 3/4″ an inch from the outer edge of the door frame on the top and both sides, to act as a door jamb. This also helps keep bugs out.
I hope you get a little bit of inspiration from these plans for a screen door with a dog door built in. The build really is pretty simple with the half lap joinery, and the door should last a good long time as long as you maintain it with paint or stain. If you have any questions, reach out to us via the comments section below; and as always, if you build something from our plans please share your results!
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