Retractable Screen Door Installation — Entry and French Doors
You want a screen for summer air without a storm door hiding the front door. A retractable screen rolls into a slim housing beside the door and pulls across when you want it.
JMB Builders does retractable screen door installation across the Twin Cities metro. We measure the door opening, order a retractable screen sized to it — single for an entry door, a meeting pair for French doors — build out the trim when the mounting surface is not flat, and mount the housing and tracks so the screen pulls smoothly and latches. Priced per door, quoted from photos within one business day.
- Priced per door, screen included
- Single doors and French door pairs
- Trim build-out when needed
- Quote from photos in 1 business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
A retractable screen is a roll of screen in a narrow housing mounted on one side of the door opening, with a guide track across the top and a low track or none at the bottom. Pulled across, it latches to the other side; let go, it rolls back out of sight. It is the answer for a door that should not have a storm door in front of it, and for French doors and hinged patio doors that have no screen at all.
The screen mounts to the face of the jamb or the brickmould, and it only works when that surface is flat, straight and square. Profiled brickmould, a sill that slopes, or a frame that is out of plumb will make the screen drag or pull out of its track. We check that from your photos and measurements, and when it is not flat, we add a build-out strip so the housing and tracks sit true.
We measure the opening and order a screen sized to it, then mount the housing plumb, set the top guide and bottom track, and adjust the tension and latch so it pulls with one hand and does not snap back. On a pair of French doors, two screens meet in the middle. The build-out, if there is one, goes up primed and caulked. Painting is quoted as a separate line — or leave it primed and caulked and paint it yourself.
What you supply
- Your pick of frame color and screen mesh, or we suggest one to match the door
- Which side you want the housing on, or we suggest one from the door swing and hardware
- A straight-on photo of the door from outside and inside, and a close-up of the brickmould and sill
- Paint color if a build-out strip needs painting — painting is quoted as a separate line
What JMB supplies
- Measurement of the opening and the order for the retractable screen
- Build-out strips at the jamb or brickmould when the mounting surface is not flat
- Housing, top guide, bottom track and latch mounted plumb and square
- Tension and latch adjusted so the screen pulls and returns smoothly
- Meeting screens on French door pairs, mounted from each side
- Photos of the finished screen in your job folder
How it is priced: per door
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Single screen for one door vs. a meeting pair for French doors
- Door height and width, including tall or extra-wide openings
- Whether the jamb or brickmould is flat enough to mount on or needs a build-out
- Low-profile bottom track vs. a trackless setup, based on the sill
- Rotted or loose brickmould that has to be fixed before mounting
- Painting a build-out strip, quoted as a separate line
Send a photo of the whole door from outside, a close-up of one side of the brickmould, and a photo of the sill so we can see its slope.
How long it takes
One retractable screen: one to two hours once it is here. A French door pair or a build-out adds time. The screen is ordered after you approve the quote.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Front or back entry door
A single screen mounted on the hinge or latch side of the entry door. Keeps the front door visible and gives screened air without a storm door.
French doors and hinged patio doors
Two screens that pull from each side and meet in the middle, for doors that came with no screen. A common add-on after a slider is swapped for French doors.
Doors with a storm door already
If you want a storm door and a screen, a storm door with a built-in retractable screen may fit better. See our storm door replacement page.
Retractable Screen Door Installation — Entry and French Doors: questions, answered
Can a retractable screen go on French doors?
Yes. French doors and hinged patio doors usually get two screens, one from each side, that pull across and meet in the middle. A single screen can also cover the whole opening on narrower pairs. We measure the opening and order the setup that fits.
Will a retractable screen fit my front door?
Most entry doors can take one. The screen mounts to the face of the jamb or brickmould, so that surface needs to be flat and straight. When it is not, we add a build-out strip so the housing and tracks sit true.
Do retractable screen doors have a bottom track?
Most have a low track or guide at the bottom so the screen stays in line and does not blow out. Some are made with little or no bottom track for a flush sill. We pick the setup from your sill photo and how the door is used.
Does the screen get in the way of the storm door or entry door?
It mounts outside the entry door and rolls into its housing when not in use, so the entry door opens and closes as before. It usually does not go on a door that already has a storm door, since they compete for the same space.
Do you supply the retractable screen?
Yes. We measure the opening, order a screen sized to it in the color you choose, and the screen is a line on the quote. If you already bought one, we install it and price it as labor only.
Why does my retractable screen snap back or drag?
Tension set wrong, or a housing mounted out of plumb so the screen rubs as it pulls. A sill that slopes or a brickmould that is not flat causes the same thing. Mounting it plumb on a flat surface and setting the tension fixes most of it.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All doors pages
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