Pro2Pro Live: How to Build a Screen Door

Tom Silva recently taught host Kevin O’Connor how to build a screen door from 5/4 stock that’s readily available.
#ThisOldHouse #AskTOH
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The door, which will be hung in an upcoming episode of ASK TOH, measures 42” x 92”. Because of the door’s size, Tom developed a method of joinery that will resist warping, twisting, and sagging. He also taught Kevin several tricks-of-the-trade.
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Pro2Pro Live: How to Build a Screen Door
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[@PetesShopMakes]

This needs to be a show in and of itself. Kevin and Tommy have such good on-screen chemistry and a unique dynamic together that their banter, as well as the teachings in between, would make for a very entertaining and informative little program.

[@richardgrena3186]

that would be a great show.

[@JZ-tg1cm]

Kevin: "I know you do care." ... Tony: " Very little". Larell and Hardy right there. Straight man act in the making.

[@rydillo]

Seriously could watch the two of them building and teaching us how to build things all day!

[@frankcampos1251]

And that’s a $1,500 wood screen door!

[@cbriangilbert1978]

@@frankcampos1251 kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZqUgKOwo9WYnNE

[@YadaYadaYadadada]

Please do MORE of these. The longer the better and more detail the better, even if it seems obvious! Thank you :)

[@Jinoda]

I love this format. I could watch Tommy and Kevin work together in the shop for hours.

[@rayleder3705]

I hope Tommy never retires. He's the best there is!

[@buckbuck9225]

Norm is better at this type of thing.iv never seen norm do something like resurfacing/gluing.laminating a single door like the like tom did.

[@kenjsr1]

@@buckbuck9225 that tip of using a truing saw, I guess thats what its called, to straighten an out of true board is a money saver for the amateur wood worker, that doesn't do enough wood work to cover the cost of a joiner.

[@ericmcginnis9413]

@@buckbuck9225 I agree ! Norm abram is the most talented carpenter that they have for sure but Tommy has all around knowledge and personally I love them all! However norm is my idol!!! I wish I had 10% of his ability!

[@seankelly9998]

I agree 100%. He will be hard to replace.

[@shabbydoll]

I just love watching this man do what he does. Long live the master. God bless ya Mr Silva.

[@GrahamDIY]

Great video! Though, next time in editing please reduce the sound volume when using the Domino and sanding machines 👍

[@Roderick_Legato]

27:42 Highlight of the whole video lol! "You're a magician, Tommy ... "

[@jasoncrimmel]

Norm would give that door his New Yankee seal of approval. Nice work.

[@caretoc7142]

Like a beautiful useful puzzle, the wood cutting and door assembly. Tom Silva is so experienced and patient -- fun to watch & learn.

[@hungry_arch]

God, what I would give to spend a day in the shop with Tommy

[@cupdejello]

I’d rather spend a day with Tommy out at a site. I’d want to spend a day in the workshop with norm. He’s the woodworker out of all of them.

[@paulbeykovsky7419]

I built my screen door and it came out great! The design for the jig was very helpful and made it safe and easy to build. Keep showing. Thank you Tommy.

[@MarkK01]

This is one of my favorite shows. I started watching this show when I was 19. I am not 53 and I have picked up so many tips. My fear is there will be no one to take over when everyone on the show now retires. The trades are in so much trouble because the older guy retire and hardly any younger guys to replace them. Kevin is the most hands on host out of Bob, Steve and Kevin. He also knows the most as well.

[@costasworldofmusicmemories5792]

Tommy is the best there is. There's nobody out there that can replace that knowledge.

[@Hollyrock712]

I can watch Tom all day. Makes everything look so easy

[@sambojobo]

Tommy is the best and a great teacher. How could anyone give this a thumbs down?

[@michaelb893]

“a short little angry one” 😂😂😂😂

[@TheDecguy]

I enjoyed seeing Tommy working quietly with Kevin on this project. Transferring skills to a new generation is important. If you had trouble hearing listen more closely.

[@randomisoty422]

If you had trouble hearing... turn up the volume AFTER the intro

[@albertoescamilla639]

Tom knows his stuff and Kevin is a great host, Great job.

[@natecasella1395]

Keep them kinda shows coming. I love the slight editing and seeing the brilliance of Tommy Silva

[@virginiarocks]

This is one of my favorite episodes - I got some good laughs and learned a lot. Such a joy to watch. ❤

[@AJsGreenThumbLLC]

Pure excellence! Truly a joy and a privilege to watch

[@The4GunGuy]

So many little things you did Tommy that I just have never thought of when building things. I have to build a double screen for some French doors and will use what I've learned here. Thanks for a great video!

[@georgeadams1090]

Great video with so many tips. Built this door with mahogany and it is beautiful and solid. Best tip is filling the slight gaps with glue and sanding over them. Quote was $3000 to buy. Material cost was $250. Thanks.

[@stevewasserman905]

Great video. Wish they had some plans you could download. In any event - Tom Silva is great and Kevin plays his role well.

[@poeticthoughts06]

They work well together. Appreciate you guys!

[@Laurahedrick8]

I love their back n forth. So cute these two.

[@pigroper5]

Nice practical project. Pretty slick concept on the joints and bowing the sides to get the screen tight.

[@RicardoJunqueira]

I'd love to spend some busy week ends working with both of these guys.

[@thisoldhouse]

Hi Everyone, I'm here with Tom Silva and Brian Sedgeley from Festool standing by to answer your questions. I'll write their responses in the comments section here - Chris Ermides - Editor, Pro2Pro

[@GrahamDIY]

The best tool I ever bought was my Domino machine. I use it so, so much. Not sure how I coped without it.

[@chrisbrown456]

using the screen in the largest section of the door feels like such a missed opportunity to me,when something like tempered glass,or hell,even stained glass would dress it up a bit more,nothing says the entire door needs to be screened if the homeowner didnt specify it as such

[@saulgoodman2018]

@@chrisbrown456 Stain glass in not for a screen door. Most people use a screen door to let fresh air into the house.

[@chrisbrown456]

@@saulgoodman2018 if you leave the smaller portions as screens,yes you can have the glass on the larger portion,thats what we have for a rear screen down right now

[@saulgoodman2018]

@@chrisbrown456 Glass on top and screen on the bottom, looks ugly, to me. But this isn't mine or yours, this is what the home owner wanted.

[@betomusik]

You two make it look easy and good. Thank you gentlemen

[@nusermane1076]

Love how Tommy and Kevin constantly are joking with each other 😂

[@woodgraintv4934]

Watching tommy build something I'm always learning some new or different even when I have seen many things built.

[@Carpenters_Canvas]

WOODGRAIN TV I use his techniques whenever and wherever I can , been a carpenter for close to 20 years so I have a very solid understanding of most aspects of construction . So I completely understand how and why he does what he does , I love it .

[@jameslund221]

The tools make the project, not the person.

[@KCostelloe]

A true work of art...BRAVO!! 👍

[@walterbrunswick]

Tom Silva is one of the few contractors on the show I can calmly watch... he is a true craftsman and a perfectionist, and "understands" the physics/structural/reasoning behind things I'm an HVAC contractor and a perfectionist with OCD and usually watching Richard leaves me bloody angry!!!

[@waltofalltrades6817]

I could listen to that pneumatic staple gun all day. Very calming for some reason.

[@frank-to7lu]

"You're a magician Tommy. A short little angry one but .." These guys work well together.

[@MAGAMAN]

I skipped ahead right as he said that, then spent the next five minutes trying to find it again. LOL You either really have to like each other or really hate each other to make comments like that.

[@matthewrockey8646]

That show set up is awesome. Those MFT tables make a nice work surface. Nice for garage shop.

[@markbaker5366]

Excellent work.. excellent team.. thank you for showing us the five stars work ..

[@AdamGrayson]

This is my new favorite show

[@avalon449]

Love that Tommy used his multi tool blade to cut the screen.

[@johnroberts9560]

Hi TOH , wow that's a really nice screen door that you built there Tom , nice job !! 👍😃🔨🔩🔧

[@jesuswasacarpenter]

Awesome video and production style. These guys work so well together on camera

[@davecurda2350]

Looks great,love the banter.

[@GrussimoGarage]

Love the banter!

[@dwolfer]

Outstanding Job! Well done!

[@michaelbaumgardner2530]

Great video and one heck of a screen door.

[@ozziestrom9793]

Much, much better than watching old reruns of Bob Vila, the once make-believe contractor, spokesman for This Old House and Sears now being shown on KZbin.

[@scottlambert2949]

Great job Kevin and Tommy 👍👍👍

[@stevenA44]

Thats a huge screen door! Nice project guys.

[@duramaxallison2535]

Kevin is a lot funnier than the straight man he is portrayed as. The stuff they cut is gold 😂

[@shawndinterman2219]

Are you saying Kevin is gay in his personal life?

[@ZBTHSPhysics]

@@shawndinterman2219 In case you are serious, straight man in comedy refers to someone who stays serious and feeds the lines that others make jokes off of. Often they are supposed to be the person the audience identifies with. Kevin fits this role in the show by being the one to ask the questions that a homeowner might ask.

[@shawndinterman2219]

@@ZBTHSPhysics I was being serious and I appreciate you clearly that up for me. I didn't mind either way, its his happiness I just thought he had a wife an kids and didn't know when that change happened. Thanks for setting me "straight"

[@scaughtedaug]

I love these Pro2Pros!

[@hpiccus]

I've always wanted to watch a thirty-six minute video on how to build a screen door. Now I've had that chance

[@kiwdwks]

Thanks...learned some things!

[@lizzapaolia959]

Excellent video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. God bless 🙏

[@juliof970]

This was the best build it segment

[@robertnash2446]

A really fun video to watch....a master wood worker at his craft.

[@roccoconte2960]

Excellant show, great work.

[@hungryarch7319]

Still one of my favorites...

[@onlineda1]

Great video. Keep them coming!

[@michaeljolicoeur2157]

That was brilliant!

[@josephrhodes2896]

“A short angry magician” lol the banter is just great

[@sopcopotoptop]

Excellent video as usual! One thing I have noticed that FESTOOL power tools are noisy. Can't really explain it but they are louder than other tools you have used in the past. Thanks for the great screen door project.

[@MojoPup]

Awesome episode!

[@GrahamDIY]

That is a great tip to take the hose off while sanding and hold your finger to force (I guess “leave”) the dust to fill the tiny crack with glue 👏

[@benjaminkeus2251]

Yeah! Thought exactly the same!

[@aboggie8987]

That is nice.. good job guys ... tommy is this old house

[@rigakit]

Tom is amazing!

[@JacobHesketh]

If NASA ever need a carpenter, Tommy is getting the call up!

[@DB-um1ij]

I have learned a lot so far from this video...

[@mikeking7470]

I need to build a new screen door, not happy with any of the doors from the lumber yards, so I am watching a lot of You Tube videos. I see everything from barn wood, pallet wood, and "select" 2x8's (cut down) to the beautiful clear fir the Tommy Silva has used in several of his projects. Finding the "good stuff" is tricky, I suspect I need a real lumber yard, not a big box store.

[@berzi76]

I know he’s a sweetheart, but I would be so nervous working with Tommy. He’s such a pro and every time I messed up I could hear the voice in his head going “what a putz”.

[@bsizzleton]

Legend has it, this housed burned to the ground, and the door is still standing today.

[@kenjsr1]

Great exercise in screen door making but wouldn't it have been better to groove for spline insertion for easier repairs. Your method is obviously excellent but might be better for more permanent aluminum screen rather than easily damaged plastic screen. Thanks for the vid

[@likearockcm]

that was fun !

[@sampull3541]

Hello Tommy’s garage/FesTool warehouse! 😊

[@davestomper3428]

Great video I wished you guys would include drawing/plans and maybe materials list for us novice to refer to when trying to build a screen like this. Could you also include a different way to make the domino cuts not everyone can afford that tool and would be nice to know what a good alternative would be. Like I said great video but would like to maybe make it more movie friendly.

[@cetyl2626]

This is Awsome!!

[@rebeccaramirez-]

Beautiful

[@StoneE4]

Good video, but you guys need to work on your sound levels... The tools were far too loud and the hosts were much too quiet.

[@KYLE-zo4bm]

yes!! my god

[@altamiradorable]

I agree 100%

[@pn784059]

Yes. Sound guy needs to wake up

[@DustInTheWindAZ]

THANK YOU! I was just going to comment on that. They've been producing TOH long enough to know how to do that. But in case they don't. using a compressor on the audio will level-out the sound in post-production.

[@saulgoodman2018]

@@pn784059 Not the sound guy, you can't fix it during editing.

[@johnday6434]

Tommy & Norm 2 legends

[@MAGAMAN]

Building the screen is the easy part. I want more information on setting up the opening and installing it.

[@avalon449]

Love the razzing.

[@willy71220]

You guys are having too much fun.

[@jeffcanyafixiy]

It might have been easier to build one rather than repaint mine. It's sitting on sawhorses waiting for me to finish lunch. As always,,,, great video gentlemen.

[@jakeschroeder1553]

Kevin: 18:24 Wants to take all the credit. 19:05 Asks Tommy how to use glue. 😂

[@keithupton86ku]

Every time someone mentions the price of the tools, an angel gets their wings. Keep whining about it, guys! Nice video.

[@hudsonriverlee]

I actually need a screen door on my new house. What a way to customize .....

[@williambissell794]

I'm aware that Festool has a great reputation but those clamps seemed a little awkward in that application.

[@ratipati2007]

He staples at the inner edge of recess (@ 31:10). This is not best practice. Because, after you trim the screen, screen has very little material held by the staples. Better way is to staple in the middle of the recess, so that you give more material for staples to grab on to.

[@toddh281]

Lots of experience

[@tmccusk1]

Great door! Even better Festool Commercial.

[@JWH-01]

Why did you use the spacer between the fence and board being cut when making the lap joint? Thank you for the video! Making a screen door is going to be my home project this week.

[@willmorales7912]

Just a little humor amongst Tommy and "sunny". Notice how they kind if humorously hate each other. From the your welcome, to Sunny, to the door being off, to "Sunny" calling Tommy a magician, a short feist little one. I live ATOH..... people ask me how I know all that I know, and they laugh when I tell em. Thanks for all the great lessons guys, ... wish I could some day meet you all and be your apprentice..

[@Warrigt]

Pro2pro: How to balance audio levels

[@danielchee6215]

Haha I know right. my ears started bleeding when they brought out the circular saw

[@kenjsr1]

Fantastic show, but you beat me to the punch with your comment. 😆

[@donlee8888]

had to put my ear plugs in

[@m3528i]

A door made by Tommy, with the materials, methods and a creation video to go with it, I’d say that screen door is worth $5500

[@brianrossmiller]

But how much for a mid-seasoned carpenter? …without the creation video :)

[@rtta51]

I built one for a client. Only dif is I used Mahogany and true mortise and tenon 800.00 finished and installed.

[@rawalz1]

More videos just like this please. Leave in all the commentary

[@ecogiful]

Festool just rocks!

[@jakeqwaninne8502]

i paint cars , so a good portion of my life is spent sanding , i use something called tough block, sanding blocks, it's a rigid foam,it will give a little if you force it, and it has no real weight to it, si it can sculpt, but for years i used the heavy 3M blocks, i always kind of roll over my edges in a large kinda circular motion, it keeps the block from cutting in too much and creating a "liny" finish, paint dosen't like to stick well to hard sharp edges, thanks for the video on the shooter board, it made me like {LOVE}, my circular saw

[@userabuser78915]

Sharp!

[@camiechappell1684]

SUPER JOB fellows. I need to learn as I have 30 rentals !! Charles Chappell

[@camiechappell1684]

Americus, Ga.