Larson Storm Door Installation — We Hang the Larson You Bought
Larson is the storm door most Twin Cities stores stock, and the box is long, heavy and full of labeled parts. We put it together on your doorstep and leave it closing softly.
Larson storm door installation across the Twin Cities metro, labor only: you buy the Larson at Menards, Lowe's or Home Depot and JMB Builders hangs it. We are an independent installer, not a Larson dealer. We set the handing, mount the hinge rail plumb on the entry trim, fit the rails, cut the expander to the sill, hang the door, and set the closer so it latches first swing. Priced per door, quoted from photos in a day.
- Priced per door, labor only
- Full-view, retractable-screen and ventilating models
- Independent installer, not a Larson dealer
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Walk into Menards, Lowe's or Home Depot in the Twin Cities and the storm door aisle is mostly Larson: Tradewinds and Signature full-view doors, the Screen Away retractable-screen models, ventilating doors with a sliding glass panel, and the plain single-vent aluminum door. Homeowners buy one, get it home, and find a box of rails, a bag of screws and a closer kit. We install it as a labor-only job. We are an independent installer, not a Larson dealer, and we do not sell the door; we assemble and hang the one you bought.
A Larson goes together in a fixed order and the order matters. Most models are reversible, so the first decision on the doorstep is the handing, and that is set by which side the hinge rail is screwed to. The hinge rail gets mounted plumb, even when the trim is not. The door hangs on it. Then the latch rail and top rail are fitted so the reveals are even, the bottom expander is cut and slid down to meet the sill, and the closer and wind chain are set. A retractable screen model adds a cassette in the top rail that has to be level or the screen will not track.
Before you buy, measure the opening width between the entry door trim at three heights and the height from the sill to the underside of the top trim. Send those numbers and a straight-on photo of the entry, and we tell you which size to carry out of the store.
What you supply
- The Larson storm door, in the width and height for your opening, with the handle and closer kit that came in the box
- The handing you want: hinges usually on the same side as the entry door
- Paint color for the exterior trim if we are patching or replacing it before the door goes on
What JMB supplies
- A check of your opening measurements against the Larson size before you buy, no charge
- Removal and haul-away of the old storm door and its frame
- Assembly, handing and the rails cut to your opening
- Screws into solid wood, with shims behind the hinge rail where the trim is not flat
- Closer, wind chain, handle and latch mounted and adjusted
- Trim repair or a new mounting surface when the entry trim is rotted or missing
- Photos of the finished door in your job folder
- Painting any new trim as its own line on the quote
How it is priced: per door
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Single-vent aluminum door vs. a full-view or retractable-screen model with more parts and more weight
- Whether an old storm door has to come off and its screw holes filled first
- Condition of the entry door trim the door mounts to: solid and square is fast, rotted or narrow is not
- A sill that is not level, which changes how the bottom expander is cut
- Vinyl siding with no wood trim, which needs a mounting board built before the door goes on
- Two storm doors in the same visit, front and back
Send a straight-on photo of the entry door from outside, a close-up of the trim on one side, and the Larson box label or model number.
How long it takes
One Larson storm door on a square opening: two to three hours. A retractable-screen model or an opening that needs trim repair: half a day.
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
Larson full-view doors
One large glass panel with a swap-in screen, sold under names like Tradewinds and Signature. The glass makes the door heavier, so the hinge rail gets more screws into solid wood and the closer is set for the weight.
Screen Away retractable-screen models
The screen rolls up into a cassette in the top rail when the glass is slid down. The cassette has to sit level and the frame has to be plumb, or the screen binds and tears. We check both before the door is hung.
Ventilating and single-vent doors
A sliding glass panel over a fixed screen, or a plain aluminum door with one screen section. Lighter and faster to hang. The everyday back-door storm door across the metro.
Storm doors on vinyl-sided entries with no trim
Some newer houses have J-channel where the wood trim should be, and there is nothing solid to screw a storm door to. We build out a PVC or wood mounting surface flush with the entry door frame first, then hang the Larson on that.
Larson Storm Door Installation — We Hang the Larson You Bought: questions, answered
Who installs Larson storm doors?
JMB Builders installs Larson storm doors homeowners have bought at Menards, Lowe's, Home Depot or online, labor only, across the Twin Cities metro. We are an independent licensed Minnesota contractor, not a Larson dealer. We assemble the door, set the handing, mount the hinge rail plumb, fit the rails and expander, hang the door and adjust the closer and handle. Priced per door, quoted from a couple of photos within one business day.
Which Larson storm door size fits my door?
Measure the width between the inside edges of the entry door trim at the top, middle and bottom, and the height from the sill to the underside of the top trim on both sides. Take the smallest numbers. Larson sells most models in a few standard widths and heights, and the frame adjusts a small amount to cover the difference. If your numbers land between sizes or the opening is badly out of square, send the numbers and a photo before you buy and we tell you which box to take home.
Can you install a Larson storm door with a retractable screen?
Yes. The retractable-screen models are heavier and less forgiving than a plain door because the screen cassette in the top rail has to be level and the side rails plumb, or the screen tracks crooked and jams. We shim the hinge rail so the frame is true regardless of the trim, hang the door, then run the screen up and down a few times and adjust before we leave.
Does the Larson storm door come with the handle and closer?
Most Larson models ship with the handle set, the closer or closers, the wind chain and the screws in the box. A few have the handle sold separately so you can pick a finish, and the box or the store listing says so. Open the box before install day if you can and check the parts list; if something is missing we tell you before the old door comes off.
Do you buy the Larson storm door for me?
This page is for the door you already bought. If you would rather not shop, we can price a door and the install together as a separate quote. Most homeowners pick the model and color themselves at the store, have it delivered or bring it home, and leave the box flat and dry until we arrive. Do not open the glass panel out of its packing; we do that on site.
Can a Larson storm door go on a vinyl-sided house with no wood trim?
Yes, but not straight onto the siding. The hinge rail and closer bracket need solid backing, and J-channel or vinyl trim will not hold a screw. We build a mounting surface out of PVC or wood around the entry door, flush with the door frame and sealed to the siding, then hang the Larson on that. It adds an hour or two and it is the only way the door stays put.
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 24, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All install what you bought pages
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