Goodbye Pricey Screens: There's A Smarter Way To Cover Patios

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When the weather is finally good enough to enjoy your outdoor spaces, it brings another problem. Insects enjoy comfortable temperatures just as much as people do, and those without screened-in patios may fall victim to nightmarish insect swarms. Screened-in porches are outside of many household budgets. To screen in an existing porch, even a small one, can cost thousands of dollars. Fortunately, there are methods to avoid steep installation costs. Install a DIY screened patio enclosure, but without traditional framing and screening. On TikTok, feleciat7 shared their ingenious way to screen a patio using magnetic garage door covers.

This idea doesn't require any extra hardware, framing pieces, or heavy construction material. All you need are magnetic garage screen doors, like the Elytsemoh Garage Screen Doors, which come in various sizes. These doors are a fraction of the cost of a screened-in porch, and require far fewer materials, tools, and planning. The adhesive magnet bar that it hangs from is also renter-friendly, as it simply sticks onto a surface. There's no need for drilling or permanent modifications to a space.

This type of screen door lets the breeze in and provides the many other benefits of screening in a space. First and foremost, they keep the bugs out. However, they also keep natural debris out, such as dirt, leaves, mowed grass, pine needles, and helicopter seeds.

The most technical step in this DIY is choosing the right set of magnetic door covers for your space. Measure the height of your patio, from the fascia to the floor. If you want full coverage, ensure the door extends all the way to the ground. Even a small gap will allow flying insects through, rendering the DIY screen useless. To ensure a more accurate measurement, calculate the height and width in three spots and on all sides, separately.

Clean the frame with a cloth before you begin to ensure it's free of grime and moisture. If necessary, also use rubbing alcohol or degreaser to remove more stubborn debris. Consider outdoor conditions when hanging the strips. Don't hang them when it's freezing, raining, extremely hot, or very humid outside, as this makes the adhesive less sticky. Like most DIY projects, this project is easier with another pair of hands. Add the adhesive tape from one side to the other, then do the same with the magnetic door strip. Have someone help evenly pin it as you go. You may need a ladder to stand on if the porch fascia is too tall to reach comfortably. Keep in mind that many reviewers with wood framing claim that they also used staples or tacks to make this build more secure. You may want to follow suit if not limited by a rental agreement.

@feleciat7

Screened Patio on a Budget so we don't have to swat at bugs all summer long! ✨✨ #diyproject #budgetfriendly #patiomakeover #patio #patioseason #readyforsummer

♬ original sound – Felecia Trapp❌

Keep in mind that this idea isn't solely reserved for non-enclosed outdoor spaces. You can also hang magnetic screen doors above other outdoor features to add another layer of protection. For example, a great affordable DIY sliding glass door upgrade.