# ? Using PVC trim_Exterior door w/ screen door



## tearitup (Jan 4, 2015)

Replacing a side garage door. Always wanted to put a screen door on it. Open in summer to ease heat, but keep neighbor cats & even squirrels out. 
Now, it has pine/ fir casing & brick molding on the old door exterior. Just an overhang - no covering or awning. It gets some splash, off the small concrete porch, even if I put gutters, which eventually rots brick molding & casing bottoms (high rainfall).

Wonder if PVC trim - doesn't rot - would hold a wooden screen door screws well enough to permanently take the force of opening / closing hinges? Seems like the PVC might be a bit soft - long term? This door gets used a lot.

Unless the screen / storm door hinge screws are long enough to go well into framing.
Flush mounted hinges would screw into the casing.
Butt hinges would screw into side of the brick molding.

Most likely, where screws attach to either casing or brick molding, there wouldn't be any framing behind, to put long screws into.
Thanks.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

I've used nothing but PVC brick molding for years and never had an issue with it holding the supplyed screws as long as you predrilll the proper sized pilot hole for the screw.
Install a gutter or at least a deverter and you'll cut back the work needed in the future.


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## tearitup (Jan 4, 2015)

Thanks. "Supplied screws" - you mean for typical hinges. Or something more special, to use in PVC?

And for a swinging wood screen door - not a storm door w/ it's own surrounding frame that mounts to the casing or brick molding? A storm door frame would have lots more screws to distribute the weight & force.

Gutters + pine needles - regardless of any gutter guards I've seen. They also didn't trim rafter tails vertical - the fascia is perpendicular to the 5:12 rafters, so gutters hang at an angle.

It rains so hard / long here, the rain bounces off the concrete landing past the overhang, bouncing onto the door. There's also a valley, that dumps close to this door - just to the side. 

A guard on the gutter hi enough to stop overflow from the valley, just backs it up to the fascia & even under the 1st row of shingles, if not perfectly sealed (they never are).

Not sure about diverters. The solid ones that go up under shingles, only tend to rot out the fascia, decking, AFAICT. Also catch pine needles like crazy. We live in one of highest rainfall areas, besides Washington St.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

How about a picture.
Why not a real aluminum storm door?


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## tearitup (Jan 4, 2015)

Pic of...? I can post one, but -
Here, depending on brick moulding thickness I find & width of butt hinges, might attach to side of brick molding - allowing longer screws.

Else, flush mount hinges on face of brick moulding. 

it's a standard, exterior door. 4.5" wide jamb, with a 1x4 as outside casing - spanning betwn the jamb & RO framing.
They used ~ 1-1/8 d" brick molding on top of 1x4 casing. Bricks up to the brick molding (sometimes :smile.

Nothing against storm doors. They'd keep water off main door & jamb. That part's good. The new metal door's bottom wood rail - is rot resistant.

And the storm door cost. I already have the wood door. 
Storm door screens are less than 1/2 door length for air flow.
In the garage, interested in max air flow during summer. Else, I might find a used / scratch & dent storm door w/ sliding glass. Washer / dryer are in garage - it's HOT in summer.

Putting a wood screen door on this style of door / trim was common. I'm just concerned about PVC holding the hinge screws - long term.

Someone screwed up hanging the door & pooched some of the bricks.
Jamb is set too far in - proud of interior sheet rock. The inside faces of jambs are > 1/2" out of plumb, in opposite directions (maybe RO is * way * out?). 
Some bricks were laid too far out. So, some brick back edges aren't covered by brick molding.

1) I need to set new door jamb ~ 1/4 - 3/8 farther to outside (if RO isn't seriously jacked).
2) Need thicker brick molding - to cover back of bricks. Avoid large caulking bead.


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