# Screen Door Won't Catch



## Reverie (Aug 9, 2004)

Last weekend I noticed how much trouble my kids were having getting the screen door to latch. The plastic handle and catch just don't seem to want to work and play well together. I hadn't really noticed but my wife and I were having to work extra hard to get it to latch properly. We just made a mental adjustment and were very careful when closing the screen door. This got my mind to working...

Has anyone tried putting a couple of magnetic cabinet door catches on their screen door? It seems like this would work but would intrude slightly into the opening.

Is there an adjustment that improves the operation of the existing handle and catch?

How about me using flat magnets in the frame? I know the frame is aluminum so I would have to glue them in place.

Any other ideas?

Reverie.


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## ccauthor (Jul 30, 2004)

Reverie
I noticed the same thing on my screen door. It will close but you must give it that little extra effort for it to latch. â€œWith kids you know even the effort to push the door closed is too muchâ€







It seemed to me the latch was just the same size as the opening in the door jam. I was thinking of using a file to cut down the both the latch and the opening in the jam. It looked like to me it only needed less than 1/16 adjustment.


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## jallen58 (Oct 27, 2003)

Mine had the same problem, a screwdriver and a little adjustment of the catch in the door jam and all is well









Jim


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## hurricaneplumber (Apr 12, 2004)

Since I installed the spring closer on mine, no more problems.


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

I had the same problem with ours. I just adjusted the strike plate, and that fixed the problem. Just loosen the screws, and move the plate in or out until the door works right.

Tim


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## illinoisboy (Jun 11, 2004)

hatcityhosehauler said:


> I had the same problem with ours. I just adjusted the strike plate, and that fixed the problem. Just loosen the screws, and move the plate in or out until the door works right.
> 
> Tim


I adjusted the strike plate on ours also, but it still doesn'y close well because the the screen door is not level as installed. The outside door is square and level with the trailer level, but not the screen door. I think a closer is in order for me too. We did install a screen door grate from CW that keeps the kids from pushing through the screen, but now the 22 month old will take apart the loose fittings on that too.


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