How to limit/stop a sliding flyscreen door

[MartinP]

Hi. I have a double sliding glass door with double sliding flyscreen doors. Both flyscreen slides run on the same track. I want to limit how far each slide moves so that each side cant move past the middle point and are correctly aligned when the glass doors are open. 

Any suggestions how I do this?

Many thanks,

Martin

[TedBear]

Without having seen your frames... assuming that there is a small flat surface of the main frame between the doors and screen runners, position each screen, in turn, where you want it to finish (ie its place at the main frame's centre) and mark where the inner edge of the rear upright of the screen is. (You may need some trial & error marks to do this,  since you probably can't get at that spot when the frame is in position.)

Make up a small metal L shaped strip. Its purpose (the clue to its dimensions) is to be attached to the main frame, behind the screen's frame, with a small tab sticking out just enough to catch & stop the frame at this point, without it sticking into the wire. It will catch it just inside in the upper, back corner. (Or lower corner, if you want to put it at the bottom.) Instal the tabs with 2 pop rivets or small screws, so they can't swing sideways. It needs to be L shaped so that enough of it sticks out behind the open screen for you to be able to attach it to the main frame. One leg of the L will be small (the tab), the other long (the mounting surface).  If you want to protect the screen frame from being marked you could add a piece of felt to the surface of the screen that catches the trailing frame edge. I hope that description makes sense. 

[Jason]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @MartinP. We're pleased to have you join us.

As you can already see, this is a friendly community with loads of helpful members sharing advice and inspiration every day. Great to see you get a really prompt and helpful reply to your sliding door question from @TedBear. Let us know if you've now got what you need or want more ideas or assistance. 

We look forward to reading more about your projects and plans for around the house and garden. 

Thanks,

Jason

[JDE]

@MartinP 

We have double gauze doors in one track. Ours  actually have a molded piece on the outer lips. Could you centre them by merely putting a screw horizontally through the bottom or top track in the middle blocking the screen door.  I have done this before to limit movement on a sliding windows. Or try something like this https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pKK4A5cJHG8  JDE

[MartinP]

Thankyou @TedBear for the detailed description and the great suggestion. It wont work on my doors exactly as you suggest since the inside surface of the screen frame is flush with the wire (ie nothing for the L-shaped metal strip to catch on). However, your suggestion has got me thinking that I could try attaching an L-shaped strip to the back frame of the screen and have it catch on the main frame of the door. An alternative for me to try is to combine your suggestion with that of @JDE and put the L-shaped strip on the top of the screen and have it hit a screw placed in the upper track. 

Thanks again.

[MartinP]

Thankyou @JDE for your very helpful suggestion. In the setup I have, when the two screen are closed one of the door's edges sits inside the other door's edge (by about 2mm) so having the doors hit a screw placed in the track would stop the two doors closing properly. However, I am thinking of trying a screw placed in the upper track that sits above the doors and then using an L-shaped metal strip (as suggested by @TedBear) placed on top of each door that will hit the screw while still allowing the doors to meet. 

Thankyou again.

[JDE]

You could always file 3mm off each door where the screw sits. Or close doors drill a pilot hole through track and door then put in screw or bolt in JDE l bracket might be neater?

[MitchellMc]

Hi @MartinP,

It's terrific to have you join us. It's also fantastic to see our helpful members have already provided some great assistance.

Personally, I'd need some images of the track system to provide some input. However, I thought I'd link the Ikonic Aluminium Sliding Window Lock - 2 Pack in case it could be useful.

Please keep us updated on your solution as I trust other members experiencing the same issue will find it helpful.

Mitchell

[TedBear]

Thanks for the reply. Combining bits of other ideas is something I find can lead to the best solution for a unique problem. I hope you will post a pic of the final idea. It will be interesting to see what you come up with.

[Bliv]

on many sliding doors and windows you can simply cut a bit of wood dowell to the desired length and drop it in the track as a stopper.

it requires no permanent marks/modification and wont scratch or dent windows or doors when they knock against it.