How to Put a Screen in My Closet Door

Take the closet door down. The mechanics depend on how the door is mounted, so you may have to slide it off the tracks or push out the hinge pins connecting the door to the frame. Lay the door flat on your work surface.

Mark out a square or rectangular area where you want the screen, using a ruler and pencil to ensure the screen window is of equal size and centered as desired. If the door contains panels, install a screen in one or more of the panels.

Cut out the marked square or rectangle with a jigsaw. For hollow doors, use a reverse-cutting blade long enough to cut through both sides of the door cleanly or use a short blade and cut through only the top layer of the door, then cut a second time through the back layer of the door. For door panels, cut out the panel along the edges where it joins to the rest of the door frame. If the panel is tacked to the back of the door, pull out the nails to remove the panel instead of cutting it free.

Cut a piece of screen material 1 inch larger on all sides than the cut opening. Use wire snips to cut wire mesh screening. For a paper screen look, use a thin woven cotton fabric or translucent acrylic sheeting, as real rice paper tears easily and is time-consuming to replace.

Tack the screen material over the opening in the door, using short 1/4-inch tack nails. Placement depends on aesthetic choice. You can place the screen between the layers of a hollow door, or on the front of a hollow or solid door. Pull fabric and mesh screens taut as you tack them in place so there is no sagging. You may need to drill nail holes in acrylic prior to tacking.

Measure each side of the screen hole. Cut a length of 1-inch-wide flat molding to match the measurements of the hole opening, mitering the ends to a 45-degree angle.

Tack the molding to the door, setting the mitered corners flush together to create a frame around the screen opening. Position the molding so it covers the raw edges of the screen.

Cut a length of angled 90-degree corner molding to match that of the front molding, mitering the ends so they fit together to form a frame. Tack the molding to the back of the door around the screen opening. The angle of corner molding provides a finished look, especially on hollow doors since the molding wraps into the frame to cover the revealed hollow portion.

Fill the tack holes with putty. Allow the wood putty to dry overnight. Paint or stain over the molding in the desired color.