Door Holder

Screen Door

When I pulled the Boler home and started working on it I soon realized that we would need a screen door. We have a little brown dog that has very selective hearing and is not adverse to dashing off after squirrels so not only would it serve to keep the bugs out but also keep our little friend under control.

My original thought was to pick up a used screen from a patio sliding door and cut it to size, thinking this would give me a more ridgid frame than making one from wood. I have seen them made with a solid panel in the bottom but this would not work because my buddy has short legs and would not be able to see out.

I was at a local RV supplier that is going out of business and noticed a frame sitting there, it was the exact size I needed.

The door was an inch shorter and an inch narrower than the opening so I basically made a large wood picture frame that added 1" to the length and width of the door.

The door frame is two 1X2 uprights with a 1X3 across the top. The frame in front of the bunk has a rabbet in the back of it to take the 1/4" thick D that fills the space between the frame and the Boler door frame. The D is attached to the square tubing that runs up the side of the door opening.

The other side is attached to the side of the closet with screws from inside the closet.

The 1X3 across the top has the top corner bevelled to fit the contour of the roof.

If I was to do this again I would make the filler D the full length of the door, I had a four foot long piece of birch plywood and used it thinking it only needed to come to the base of the bottom bunk.

I had to modify T-hinges so that they would fasten to the metal frame as well as the wood.

I used a cupboard door roller catch to keep the door shut, I have a hook on the top of the door that I use to keep it closed when travelling.

The door had bars dividing it so I put in a panel at the bottom and one in the center using birch plywood facing out and formica that matches the countertop on the inside. I fastened door handles on each side of the center panel.

Door Holder

I found a straightend coat hanger under the front bunk with dried dirt on it and it took a while to figure out what the previous owner had used it for. Then I noticed a hole in the bottom of the door that the coat hanger could be pushed through and into the ground to hold the door open. However this system will not work when I'm working on the Boler on my paved driveway.

I purchased two different styles of holders to keep the door open, neither of them seemed like they would work that well due to the curved shape of the door.

Marilyn suggested this as she was watching me trying to find a spot for the holder I got at the RV supplier.

It is a strip of aluminium flashing, 4 1/2" X 2 1/4" bent in the shape of a U and covered with duct tape. It is thin enough that it will bend before damaging anything when I forget to remove it DAMHIKT.