At WiseGEEK, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.
What is a Glass Screen Door?
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Glass screen doors are versatile screen doors that provide service all year long. In warm weather, the doors make it possible to open a glass panel and allow air to flow through mesh screening. As the weather cools, the glass is slid back into place, creating an effective buffer from the cold outside air while still making it possible to look outside with ease.
In design, a typical glass screen door resembles any type of traditional door equipped with a screen. What is different is that two or more glass panels are installed on the back side of the door. Mounted in tracks, the panels move up and down, and can be secured in several different positions. This helps to make it possible to allow a small amount of airflow into the home, or move the panels to the highest position and allow the maximum amount of air into the space.
Many models of the glass screen door are made of lightweight but durable aluminum frames paired with nylon screen mesh. The mesh is often held in place with the use of a rubber gasket, making it very easy to replace the mesh when needed. There are also some designs of the glass screen door that are constructed with wooden frames, making the door decorative as well as functional.
The sliding panel action of a glass screen door is not unlike the same actions that occur with a patio screen door equipped with retractable screens. The difference is that the screens on a patio door normally move from left to right rather than the up and down movement found on doors intended for installation on the door jambs of the front and back entrances of the home. However, just as with the glass screen door, a patio door can be situated so the screen is completely deployed while the glass panel may be slightly or fully opened.
Choosing the right glass screen door for your home requires deciding if you want something that is simply functional, or if you want a door that will work well with the color scheme of the exterior. A glass screen door with a wooden frame is more likely to be offered in a range of colors, and may also include some detail around the screens that are not found with the plainer aluminum doors. It may also be possible to have a custom door of this type built to your exact specification, helping to ensure you achieve the look you want while retaining the function.
Locating several different designs of the glass screen door for your home is not difficult at all. Just about any home store will carry several models, including wooden designs. In addition, lawn and garden shops often carry screen doors appropriate for front and back doors as well as patio doors. There is also a good chance that a building supply house will also offer doors of this type for sale.
Malcolm Tatum
After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including WiseGEEK, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.
Learn more...
Malcolm Tatum
After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including WiseGEEK, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.
Learn more...AS FEATURED ON:
AS FEATURED ON:
-
![Woman with hand on her hip]()
Woman with hand on her hip
Discussion Comments
My girlfriend moved into her house, and it was several weeks before we realized that the storm door on the front of the house had a glass panel that slid up and down. The screen inside the door wraps around a roller at the top of the door and just slides down when you pull down the glass.
The door is very sturdy and well insulated around the edges with rubber so that there are no gaps for insects to enter. This door is much better than a wood screen door and a step above a regular storm door if you like being able let air into the house. If this isn't important to you then you should probably just go with a regular storm door.
I wonder whether these glass screen doors are as sturdy as a regular storm door. I have kids and a screen door or a storm door is going to be used a lot, and accidents do happen. Will the sliding window stand up to heavy use?
I like the way the old wooden screen doors look. When I was young, that's what most houses had on the front and back doors. They were not the most secure doors, but back then you weren't too worried about that. Many nights during the summer, we would sleep with the doors and windows open anyway. The doors were fastened with little hooks.
The glass door screen that closes sounds good because you are able to let in the fresh air when you want, and then you can close the screen and the door is just like a normal glass storm door.
Post your comments