Blue Collar Writers Blog
Author: Steve Tristan
Steve Tristan is an entrepreneur, director of operations, and marketing professional. He is the founder of Best Custom Screens, Blindandscreen.com, JT Blinds, and Best Install Team.
How Retractable Screen Doors Bring the Outside In
Only When You Want
If you have a back deck, covered porch, or patio, you understand the joy of outdoor living. When you throw open the doors, your walls no longer bound your home. Your yard becomes an extension of your living space.
You might grill out on summer nights while your family lounges, enjoying the warm air and good conversation. Your neighbors may join the fun, creating a safe and enjoyable spot to grow your community. Life is better when your indoor and outdoor worlds are one.
Screen doors make this a reality. They provide a barrier against everything we want to keep out of our homes while connecting us to everything we love. But a standard screen door isn’t appropriate for every application. If you have a wide opening to cover, like the space between the posts ringing your enclosed patio but you want full view and fresh air then you might want a retractable screen door that protects you when you want it but tucks away when you don’t. Retractable screen door is the ultimate screen solution for large opening.
Retractable screen doors spool away like a roller blind when not in use. They’re perfect for wide double doors, french doors, or openings of any size. They can stand as a formidable barrier against the elements when needed and then virtually disappear when they’re not. They’re temporary walls that let in light and air and then transition you seamlessly into the outdoors.
You’re Free to Live as You Choose
Retractable screen doors let you define your space and change it on the fly. There’s a freedom that comes with this kind of versatility. It’s simple to open up a large entrance when you need one. You can retract two screens in your enclosed porch to let the kids run in and out or tuck away all sides and create an open, covered patio.
Your double doors can give way to a screen when you need the protection it provides. You’ll enjoy the benefits of a spring breeze clearing the stale winter air from your home while keeping bugs and other critters where they belong. Then, when you want a double-wide, unobstructed entrance and natural light you zip the screen back into its housing, and your interior and exterior spaces are joined. You can pass between them effortlessly, allowing your family and guests to drift in and out as the mood strikes them.
Retractable units fulfill the promise of open protection in places where traditional screen doors won’t fit. Their applications are only limited by your imagination. They can screen almost any entryway, turning open spaces into rooms and rooms back into boundless opportunities to explore the outdoors. This amazing screens can be used in both window and door.
Your Home, Only Bigger
When your exterior spaces are as accessible as the inside of your home, your world grows. The walls that we put up, separating us from other people, disappear. The limitations that we place on ourselves evaporate. The world is no longer divided between us and them. There is only us — you and the people you love, wherever they are.
It may sound strange to talk about screen doors in such cinematic terms, but the truth is that the barriers we put up to keep the world out also keep us in. It’s nice to have the option to take them away entirely sometimes and just live free.
Benefits of Retractable Screen Doors
- Retractable screens make it easy to screen an existing entry door.
- Use on inward or outward doors.
- Perfect solution for French Doors.
- Enjoy the unobstructed view through the door.
- When the screen is retracted when not in use, the fabric is protected from harmful UV rays, dirt and weather.
- Screening material significantly outlasts traditional flat door screens.
- Plus you don’t need to remove and store away the screens in the winter.
- Smooth operating system that features a compact and attractive screen housing.
- Select systems do not slam back.
- Insect pile to keep the pests out.
How French Screen Doors Connect You to What’s Important
A door is more than just a door, especially when it’s a Best Custom Screens french screen door. Screen doors help keep the outside out without cutting us off from our communities. Imagine relaxing on your couch, the sounds drifting in of neighborhood children laughing and neighbors happily chatting, reminding you that you’re not alone.
Screens provide a barrier that breathes, allowing your home to inhale fresh air and exhale stale, scrubbing your interior environment of bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants. You feel the difference the moment you walk into the room. The air is lighter, cooler, and seems alive with the energy of your neighborhood.
A screen door is a portal to your home, the first thing people see as they approach. It’s a point of pride and a warm greeting at the end of the day. It welcomes in friends and family, making the occasion special, whether it is or not.
A door is more than just a door. It’s the entrance to your life. And screen doors keep you connected to more of it.
Life Is About Connection
We seek connection. It’s one of those uniquely human characteristics that define our lives. When we shut ourselves away from others, we wither and die. We cut out a critical part of ourselves when we cut out other people.
In contrast, when we open ourselves to the full richness of human experience, we become more alive than we ever thought possible. Negativity drops away, replaced by warmth, empathy, and connectedness. We become more ourselves than ever before. Growth becomes possible, and we work to improve.
French screen doors symbolize this process. They open our homes to the world while simultaneously keeping us safe. On a bright spring day, you can throw open your entry doors and gaze out over your street, the sounds of life outside your four walls filtering in. You’ll feel the breeze tickling your face and smell fresh flowers as they wake from their winter’s sleep. All the while, bugs and other critters are kept safely outside. You can breathe easy, knowing you’re a part of something larger than yourself.
French Screen Doors Are a Stylish Addition to Any Home
Life isn’t a contest, but sometimes — well, sometimes it is. When your home has great curb appeal, it makes you feel better about yourself. You become the envy of your neighbors when your house is the best looking on the block. And if you install your screen doors yourself, all the better. Then you get the satisfaction of a job well done. You get to flex your DIY chops, expand your knowledge, and save some money in the process.
French screen doors add modern style with a timeless appeal. Replacing traditional sliding screen doors with french screen doors adds an unexpected element that sets your home apart from the crowd. They tell your neighbors that you have bold tastes and a sense of adventure. Your home is a reflection of you. When it shines, you shine.
So let it shine brightly, welcoming you home.
Learn How to Install French Screen Doors here
How to install french screen doors
French Door Screens
French Screen Doors
Steve Tristan’s Best Custom Screens
Have you ever thought about the pieces of a home that really stand out? Here at Steve Tristan’s Best Custom Screens, we believe one of these pieces is a door. A door is the pathway from the outer world into your home, so you should want it to look nice.
A beautiful door speaks volumes about the home itself and the people who live in it. One of the most popular options that we provide is called French Screen Doors. You may have also heard this term as Double Screen Doors. These screens are a beautiful way to add elegance and style to your home exterior. French doors are often found leading out to back porches, patios, and other attractive parts of the home.
One addition that can be made to them is by adding screen on the outside of the doors. Screens offer a variety of benefits which we will talk about in this article. For now, consider what your home could look like if it had a lovely set of French doors leading in.
Furthermore, how much more would you enjoy it if you could have screens attached? Not quite sure? Keep reading to find out why we think these things would be a great thing to have in your home.
So, we’ve briefly mentioned why French doors are so nice to have. They are a more elegant alternative to a traditional door, and can even look decorative with proper trimming.
If you have a nice space with a view, a patio, deck, or something of this sort, we would highly recommend this type of door. Along with that, at Steve Tristan’s Best Custom Screens, we are committed to offering high quality home improvement additions to enhance your home. One way to do this is by adding screens to these French doors.
We believe that a high quality screen can make any window or door better. Being a low cost item compared to other home improvement projects, screens bring a ton of value. Below are some of the reasons why this is true.
First, a screen gives you options all year long. Sure, you might have a great view out of the door if it’s glass, but what if you want the breeze to come in? What if you want to hear the birds outside, or feel the warmth of the rain while you are protected on the inside? A screened in door gives you these opportunities! Instead of having to have the door fully open or fully shut, you can now have an in between option.
This is especially great during the warmer months when you don’t want to spend excess money on air conditioning. Having a gentle breeze blow in through the screen door is the perfect way to solve this. Especially if it is a French door which has two sides, the breeze will be a welcomed addition to any home.
The second reason that screens are a great home improvement item is because of bug protection. If you have ever had an unwanted flying friend in the house that you couldn’t get out, you know exactly how this feels. Having a proper screen will ensure that the unwanted critters stay on the inside, while you still get to enjoy all the benefits of having the door open at the same time. This alone might be enough to make you make the switch to adding screens!
The third reason you should consider French screen doors is because of easy installation. If you are curious to see just how simple these things are to install, we have just the video for you. You can check that out at https://youtu.be/IbNXMJN1KcU which is our very own Steve Tristan showing how it’s done. This video will show you how to properly install the screens so that you get maximum effectiveness from it. It will also be important to watch before installing so that none of the parts are misplaced.
In our company, we want to ensure that we are helping our customers with the knowledge, product, and installation. We do this by adding high quality videos like this to our channel for free for our customers to use!
Finally, we believe this would be a quality investment to make because they simply look fantastic. Whether you are going for a modern look, a rustic feel, or whatever else, French screen doors can help you achieve that. We have plenty of options on our website that would certainly fit the aesthetic of most homes.
Although they might be a subtle addition, they certainly make a difference. In the video listed above, the cream color fits very nicely with the exterior of the house. And truly, that is the goal with this type of screen. Ideally, it would be something that adds aesthetic and functional value, while not looking tacky or overdone. We offer a variety of options on our site to accomplish just this task.
So, there you have it! We hope this has inspired you to think about installing French screen doors of your own. We know that they have numerous benefits and are a worthwhile investment. Whether it’s the nice breeze, the safety from bugs, the easy installation, or simply the look of it, this is a great option.
French screen doors, or double screen doors, are a popular way to add functional and eye-pleasing value to your front door. If you are curious about what we have to offer, we suggest browsing our site and taking a scope. If we don’t have exactly what you’re looking for, contact us and we will help you reach that goal the best that we can.
Here at Steve Tristan’s Best Custom Screens, putting our customers’ priorities at the top of the list is what makes us one of the best in the business.
Benefits of French Screen Doors
How French Screen Doors Connect You to What’s Important
A door is more than just a door, especially when it’s a Best Custom Screens French Screen Door.
Steve Tristan, Expert
Screen doors help keep the outside out without cutting us off from our communities. Imagine relaxing on your couch, the sounds drifting in of neighborhood children laughing and neighbors happily chatting, reminding you that you’re not alone.
Best Benefits
- Screens provide a barrier that breathes, allowing your home to inhale fresh air and exhale stale.
- Scrubbing your interior environment of bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants.
- You feel the difference the moment you walk into the room. The air is lighter, cooler, and seems alive with the energy of your neighborhood.
- A screen door is a portal to your home, the first thing people see as they approach.
- It’s a point of pride and a warm greeting at the end of the day.
- It welcomes in friends and family, making the occasion special, whether it is or not.
- A door is more than just a door. It’s the entrance to your life. And screen doors keep you connected to more of it.
Life Is About Connection
We seek connection. It’s one of those uniquely human characteristics that define our lives. When we shut ourselves away from others, we wither and die. We cut out a critical part of ourselves when we cut out other people.
In contrast, when we open ourselves to the full richness of human experience, we become more alive than we ever thought possible. Negativity drops away, replaced by warmth, empathy, and connectedness. We become more ourselves than ever before. Growth becomes possible, and we work to improve.
French screen doors symbolize this process. They open our homes to the world while simultaneously keeping us safe.
On a bright spring day, you can throw open your entry doors and gaze out over your street, the sounds of life outside your four walls filtering in. You’ll feel the breeze tickling your face and smell fresh flowers as they wake from their winter’s sleep.
All the while, bugs and other critters are kept safely outside. You can breathe easy, knowing you’re a part of something larger than yourself.
French Screen Doors Are a Stylish Addition to Any Home
Life isn’t a contest, but sometimes — well, sometimes it is.
When your home has great curb appeal, it makes you feel better about yourself. You become the envy of your neighbors when your house is the best looking on the block.
And if you install your screen doors yourself, all the better. Then you get the satisfaction of a job well done. You get to flex your DIY chops, expand your knowledge, and save some money in the process.
French screen doors add modern style with a timeless appeal.
Replacing traditional sliding screen doors with french screen doors adds an unexpected element that sets your home apart from the crowd.
They tell your neighbors that you have bold tastes and a sense of adventure. Your home is a reflection of you. When it shines, you shine.
So let it shine brightly, welcoming you home.
How to install hinged double screen doors video
How to install french screen doors
Read our 36 Steps on How to install French Screen Doors Instructions Page
Other French Door Screens
Hire a handyman to install your screening products
Handyman Directory
How To Measure French Screen Door
Best Tape Measure Review. Secret Unveiled.
The best tape measure reviewed. Tricks and tips how to choose the best one.
Tape Measure a very significant and historic invention was done in Sheffield, England. James Chesterman first patented the spring tape measure in the year of 1829. His tape measure was the first one which had marked measurements
In the evolution of time it has become more handy and user friendly. Yet we do have a lot of questions when we go to buy a tape measure for our day to day use.
Steve Tristan, the Director of Operations at www.bestcustomscreens.com answered all the important questions regarding tape measure. He used Stanley Fatmax, Klein Tools tape measure and Komelon Contractor TS magnetic wide blade to determine the most accurate tape measure. The readability of the tape measure is the foremost thing to consider. Steve compared the 3 different tape measures to determine longest standout of the tape measures.
#1 Best Tape Measure Comparison - 25 Foot review. Which one is my new favorite?
Purchase your tape measure on Amazon
Click photo below
Happy Easter Everyone. May God Bless each and every one of you.
Screening Material: Protection and Peace of Mind
What would you say if we told you that you could find connection with your neighbors? An open and airy indoor environment? Protection from the outside? A happy, healthy home, and all rolled up in a bundle small enough to carry under your arm?
It’s not some kind of miracle product, though it’s capable of some pretty miraculous things. Maybe it’s something we use every day, but often fail to appreciate just how important it is to our lives. It’s a roll of humble window and door screening from Best Custom Screens. Plus it provides protection and peace of mind, one linear foot at a time.
How often have you stood at an open window enjoying the sounds of nature? Then as a cool, fresh breeze blows through your hair? Did you worry about bugs flying in as you took in the world outside your home? Could your cat or dog sit happily by your side without fear that they might escape? Was the stale air in your home refreshed? We owe all of these things to window and door screening. A simple mesh that invites in everything we want from the outside while keeping everything else out.
It’s a happy home, available in rolls.
A Happy Home and Happier Pets
You’re not the only one that enjoys the benefits of home screening. Your furred and feathered friends do, too. On a warm summer day, your cat will happily spend hours sitting in your windows. It be watching a world of wildlife buzz past them. Fido, too! Will avail himself of every opportunity to stand at the screen door. Especially smelling all of the wonders the outside world makes available.
They love to enjoy the outdoors, even when they can’t be outside, and with Best Custom Screens’s pet-safe screening material, you’ll love the fact that they can enjoy the great outdoors without the risk of rips or punctures.
Whether they’re enjoying the outside from indoors, or they’re waiting to come back in after an outdoor adventure, screening material from Best Custom Screens provides the connection they need.
Your kids will love them too
Your kids will benefit, too. Quality screening connects them to a world of imagination. You can let them explore castles, fight pirates, or take a trip into outer space from the comfort of your backyard, all the while staying connected and within earshot. You’ll hear that they’re okay even if you’re somewhere in the house where you can’t see them.
If your existing screens were manufactured using lower-quality materials, and they’re now shredded or full of holes, they can’t do the job they were made for. If they can’t keep out what you don’t want in, then you’re windows will stay closed, shutting you off from the world around you. A roll of quality replacement screening can reconnect you with what’s important.
All of this from a simple roll of window and door screening? If it comes from Best Custom Screens, absolutely.
Cut Screen Mesh Available By the Linear Foot
-
48″ Pet Screen Black- Cut to SizeProduct on sale$14.38 price_excluding-tax - 36″ Pet Screen Black- Cut to SizeProduct on sale$5.00 price_excluding-tax
-
48″ Fiberglass Charcoal Screening – Cut to SizeProduct on sale$3.00 price_excluding-tax - 36″ Fiberglass Charcoal Screening – Cut to SizeProduct on sale$1.25 price_excluding-tax
Watch “Columbus Ohio Handyman Jobs & Referrals” on YouTube
Columbus Ohio Handyman Jobs & Referrals
Free Referrals for Handyman Jobs
Best Handyman Network Directory – Steve Tristan Expert discusses business listings & branding
How a handyman can get job referrals
An easy way on how to read a tape measure with Aidan & Steve
Reading a tape measure is always confusing. It’s mostly because we do not use it regularly. A tape measure is only needed when we need to do any household works. Such as taking the measurement of a door to repair it, changing screen doors, draperies, shades of the windows, altering cloths, making adjustments to the furniture’s and so on. In fact the tape measure is the most basic tool we have in our home.
Who Use Tape Measure
From civil engineers to aerospace engineer, handyman to interior designer no-one can perform without using a tape measure. In Best Custom Screens our single job can not be done without a tape measure. As a matter of fact that our customers should also know how to read tape measure to avoid unexpected wrong measurement issues.
Why Should We Learn Using Tape Measure
People always think that it’s a task of a handyman to take the measurements and install screen doors or window treatments. But today it’s getting expensive to hire a handyman specially when thats a job for 10 to 20 minutes. Being handy with tape measure and other tools will make you more comfortable to accomplish the task yourself.
Accepting The New Normal
Despite of saving money the new world situation making us to think if we should let unknown people or outsider inside of home in this Covid or pandemic situation.
Make your kids more active and enthusiastic
Aiden is a school going kid and a very energized and enthusiastic guy learns using the basic tools during the Pandamic instead of spending time playing video games all day long. He is the only son of the Director operation Steve Tristan at Best Custom Screens.
So today Aiden wants to show how to read a tape measure with his dad Steve. Hope you’ll all enjoy the video.
My son Aidan and I go over the basics on how to read a tape measure. We find that many people make errors when measuring for their window screens and screen doors. Always measure twice and write down once. #tapemeasurehack
Visiting Haleakala Crater in Maui
Visiting Haleakala Crater? 4 Things to Know Before You Go.
If you’re planning a trip to Maui, chances are pretty good that you’re planning on visiting Haleakala National Park. But before you make the trip, be sure to read this article for some insights into the must-sees and must-dos of your visit.
We have visited Hawaii on vacation at least a half a dozen times and Maui 4 times. When traveling to Maui you typically only need bathing suits, shorts, tank tops or t shirts, flip flops, and some walking shoes to get around. You can survive very comfortably because year-round its basically 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The water at the beach is warm and that’s why we all go to this tropical paradise.
If you plan on going to visit Haleakala Crater, then you best be prepared to wear pants, long sleeves, a jacket, a beanie and basically winter type clothes.
Our family visited Haleakala Crater last January.
It took some time to drive up to the top. We had a 4×4 Jeep and it wasn’t needed. A standard car or SUV would do just fine on the drive up. The drive is beautiful going up there. The side of the mountain is green and lots of livestock, wildlife and gorgeous views. Driving back down we saw several rainbows that reminded us of God’s promise.
This is what we discovered at Haleakala
#1 – It’s freaking cold up there! It was 30 degrees F up there that day.
#2 – Remember the elevation is 10,023′.
Most noteworthy, we weren’t very prepared. Note to self: Be prepared. We did take jackets but spring or fall type jackets. It was raining once we got about 3/4 of the way up the mountain. It was wet, cold and the visibility was horrible. We were cold!
We stood in the car while waiting for the chance that just maybe the sky would clear up and we hoped to see the crater.
#3 – Birds that live in the cold
Meanwhile in the parking lot we did get to see the unique Chukar Partridge, which are known for hanging out on Haleakala because its the highest elevation on the island. Plus, they are infatuated with the moon.
I finally decided to get out and see if I could handle being out in the cold. I huddled next to the rangers building near the railing of the crater. It blocked the cold wind. The wind chill dropped the temp at least 15 degrees or more.
While waiting I noticed a couple got out of their car and started walking towards me. When they got up to the area I was near they were disappointed that they couldn’t see the crater either. I offer that they stand near me against the building to not be as cold as in the open. They hung out with me and we talked about the craziness of being out there. We also talked about how neither of us were concerned about COVID standing near each other, because we just wanted to keep warm.
#4 – Poor Visibility if its cloudy
Suddenly, the sky partially broke and I hope the crater would be clear enough to get a picture. The clouds covered again and then shortly after separated. The high winds kept the cloud moving very rapidly. The last partial break in the cloud I was able to see the observatory that is up there on the right hand side of the crater. I realized that the observatory buildings totally reminded me of a scene from Star Wars. I got additional chills since I am such a big Star Wars fan. Check out the pics I shot!
Finally, I ask my family to come out and check out the little that we could see, including the elevation sign. We at the very least were able to say that we made it! We finally for the first time in a half a dozen visits, got to get to the top of the crater at ten thousand feet elevation.
On our next visit we for sure will go when it’s easier to view. Maybe not in January. June should be a better time.
Being in the field bring on some of the best days and best views. I love California.
Working today in the office was very peaceful
A Family, Their Dog, and His Favorite Screen Door
This is the story of a screen door. Seriously. And it’s a tearjerker.
Screen doors aren’t commonly thought of as heroes, but for the Williams family, their sliding screen door with integrated doggy door has been a central feature of their lives.
Baxter is the family’s labrador retriever, and he became an essential member of the family the moment David, the oldest child, locked eyes with the jubilant, animated little puppy. David was eight at the time, two years older than his sister Anita.
Understandably, Anita’s tiny mind exploded in delight when Baxter first bounded through the doggy door the day his family brought him home. She squealed with happiness and lavished him with kisses and cuddles, deciding right then that he was her very best friend.
David was more subdued, but he loved nothing more than to take Baxter out in the backyard to chase a stick. David relished leaving the sliding glass door open on his way out to the yard so that he could see Baxter come bursting through the doggy door in the way only puppies can — a frenzied explosion of fur and fun tearing across the deck and out into the grass.
Shelly and Mike Williams, the parents in this story, appreciated the craftsmanship of their sliding screen door. It came standard with PetScreen dog and cat-proof screening by Phifer. As a puppy Baxter could (and frequently did) jump up on the screening material without damaging it. It’s manufactured to be puncture-resistant, able to stand up to scratching, chewing, slobbering, and clawing. All the Williamses knew was that it was Baxter-proof.
The doggy door mechanism was equally well-made. No matter how many times Baxter crashed into it when he missed the opening or wiggled around playfully while halfway through, the door never flinched. It was firmly bolted to the screen door frame, ensuring that Baxter’s puppy antics couldn’t phase it. And since Shelly had the door sized to fit Baxter when he grew up, they were comfortable that it would stand the test of time.
And it did.
Continue reading A Family, Their Dog, and His Favorite Screen Door
