What is a retractable screen door?

An insect screen that rolls into a narrow housing beside the door, like a blind turned on its side. You pull it across when the door is open and let it roll back when you're done. It suits doors that can't take a regular screen.

Can a retractable screen be installed on French doors?

Yes, it's one of the best fits. A pair of screens meets in the middle, or a single wide screen pulls across from one side. The frame needs a flat surface to mount on, so the pro checks the trim and the swing of the doors before quoting.

How does a retractable screen hold up on a windy day?

Reasonably well, but it's still a screen. The guides hold it in line, and it can be rolled back quickly when a strong gust comes. On a high balcony or a yard open to lake wind, ask about heavier mesh and sturdier guides, and roll it in during a storm.

My slider already has a screen track. Would a retractable screen be better?

Usually not. With the track in place, a sliding screen made to fit is the simpler fix. A retractable makes sense if the track is damaged beyond repair or you want the screen out of sight. Screen door repair covers the standard option.

Can I add a retractable screen to my condo balcony door?

Possibly, but ask the management office first. The frame may be a common element, and fixing a housing to it may need the board's approval, with rules on colour or placement. Once you have an answer in writing, a pro can measure and quote.

Retractable screens · Mississauga

Screens that disappear when you do not need them

Some doors have nowhere to put a screen. French doors swing open, a front entry may have no storm door, and some balcony doors were built without a screen track. A retractable screen solves that. It rolls into a slim housing at the side of the frame and pulls across when you want air. We connect you with an independent local pro who measures and fits retractable screens.

French doors and front entries
Balcony doors with no screen track
A condo check before any drilling

Get a free quote 905-967-0060

Pulled halfway. The rest stays rolled in the housing at the side.

How they work

How retractable screens work

The mesh winds onto a spring roller inside a housing fixed to one side of the door frame. You pull a handle bar across to a catch on the other side. Release it, and the mesh rolls back at a controlled speed. Guides at the top and bottom keep it in line. A double door gets two housings that meet in the middle.

Best fits

Best fits: French doors, entries and sliders without a screen

French doors

Two hinged panels leave no place for a standard screen. A pair of retractable screens covers the full width and vanishes when the doors close.

Front and side entries

Air through the doorway without a second door in the way. An alternative to a storm door with a screen insert.

Balcony doors with no screen

Where a balcony door was built without a screen track, a retractable screen can mount to the frame instead. In a condo, read the section below first.

The simpler option

Replacing a standard patio screen door instead

If your slider already has a screen track, you may not need a retractable at all. A new or repaired sliding screen made for the existing track is usually the simpler job. See screen door repair for rollers and frames, and window screens for rescreening. Other door options are on the doors and screens page.

Condo suites

Condo balconies: check before anything is fixed to the frame

A retractable screen is screwed to the door frame. In many condos the balcony door and its frame are common elements, and the board keeps the outside of the building uniform. Screwing a housing into that frame may need approval, and the board may have a rule on colour or placement.

Ask the management office before booking, and ask whether mounting on the inside face of the frame makes a difference. The condo owners page explains who approves what.

What affects the quote

What goes into a retractable screen quote

Width and height, and a single or double door
Mounting on the inside or outside face, and how much flat frame there is
Mesh type, including pet-resistant or fine mesh
Housing colour to match the door or a condo rule
Trim or build-out where the frame is uneven

Send the door type, the width of the opening and a photo showing the frame on both sides.

Request a retractable screen quote

Quotes are free and come from independent local pros.

Common questions

Retractable screen questions

Explore your options

Local pros fit retractable screens across the city, including Mississauga City Centre, Port Credit, Lakeview, Streetsville and Churchill Meadows.

Send the door type and width

Tell us whether it's French doors, an entry or a balcony door, and how wide the opening is. We pass it to a local pro who fits retractable screens, and they quote the right size.