I wanted the ability to keep the door open on chilly days to enjoy natural light, and my dog shared that sentiment, so I attached acrylic sheeting to the inside of the screen door. First, I took exact measurements of the inside dimensions where the screen spline meets the frame. At Lowe’s I bought an OPTIX 44-by-32-inch clear acrylic sheet that is .080 inches thick and qualified for two free cuts. The salesman cut two pieces per the layout and dimensions I provided.
I used 10 storm-door panel clips and small felt self-stick pads as a cushion between the sheeting and screen spline using sheet-metal screws. I filed down the curved part of the panel clips to allow more offset between the frame edge and the screw hole. Then, I spray-painted the clips white to match the door frame.
After measuring the screw hole position for each clip, I used an auger to create a dimple in the aluminum frame. Using the smallest drill bit available, I started a pilot hole and then proceeded with the drill size needed to accommodate the screws.
Jacquelin Leonard | Livingston, Texas
