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Choose around the door you use every day
For French doors used most days, start with a double retractable screen that fits both doors and lets you use one side on its own. Choose a full-width magnetic curtain when lower cost and hands-free trips matter more than hiding the mesh. If only one door normally opens, look for a curtain with an offset opening that lines up with that door.
Skip either option if its frame, handle, or bottom edge cannot clear your doors and seal the opening. A costly screen with a gap is still a poor buy. For a windy entry or a household that needs a solid push-through door, also get a quote for a fitted hinged screen pair.
This guide is for two swinging patio doors. A French-style sliding door needs a screen made for its track. Our general screen-door comparison covers the wider choice of door types.
CDC recommends installing or repairing window and door screens and keeping doors closed. A screen helps at the entry; it does not protect the whole patio or kill mosquitoes already inside.
Sources: CDC: mosquito control at home.
Compare three ways to screen the pair
| Type | Buy when | Pros | Cons / skip when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double retractable | You want the full view when screens are stored and can fit both side housings | Stows at the sides; can cover a wide opening with two panels | Higher cost, tracks to clean, and a handle to close after passage |
| Full-width magnetic curtain | You want low-cost, hands-free access in a sheltered doorway | Simple removal; center or offset opening can suit daily traffic | Visible mesh, attachment limits, and a seam that can stay open if it drags or pulls tight |
| Fitted hinged screen pair | You want framed panels and have room for their swing | Door-like handling; repairable parts if the system supports them | Extra swing space, a meeting-edge seal, and more visible frames |
These are layout choices, not brand rankings. A retractable screen rolls or folds away. That does not mean it closes the opening behind you. Try the handle from both sides before committing.
Phantom’s standard-opening brochure includes French-door layouts and double-screen units. Handle and latch choices also need to match your use. Check the exact configuration rather than assuming every retractable works the same way.
One active door changes the best opening position
The active leaf is the door you open on a normal trip outside. The other leaf often stays shut with top and bottom bolts. Stand at the doorway with that second door closed and mark the path you actually walk through.
A center-split curtain stretched across both doors may put its opening beside the edge of the closed leaf. You could have to push mesh sideways on every trip. An offset or reversible opening may be easier, but confirm which side it opens from and where the seam sits.
For a two-panel retractable, ask for a demonstration with just the active door open. Can the unused screen panel stay in place? Can you release it when carrying furniture through? Can you still reach the second door's bolts?
Screening only one leaf can be a false saving. Bug Off explains that its narrow screen fitted between the jamb and a closed French-door leaf must be removed before both doors can close. Its full-width approach avoids that particular removal step. Treat this as a fitting example, not a rule for all brands.
Sources: Bug Off: French-door fitting questions.
Decision test: if closing the house at night means taking the screen down, decide whether you will accept that chore before you buy.
Check swing direction, handles, and the middle strip
Open both doors fully. Then close and lock them. Photograph the inside and outside at each step. The long strip on one door where the pair meets is often called an astragal. It may move with that door; do not treat it as a fixed post.
Start by checking space on the side opposite the door swing. Bug Off's instructions place its screen outside an inward-opening door and inside an outward-opening door. A framed system still needs its own mounting drawing and clearance check.
Sources: Bug Off: measuring and installation.
- Handle: check the lever or knob through its full arc, not just at rest.
- Middle strip: make sure it clears the screen's handles and meeting edges.
- Bolts: keep access to the top and bottom releases on the second door.
- Trim: check for a flat mounting surface on both sides and across the top.
- Nearby items: include blinds, curtain rods, door stops, and furniture.
Do not remove a weather seal or alter a door's lock to make a screen fit. If a spacer or build-out frame is needed, ask the installer to include it in the written scope.
Measure the opening and the mounting space
Door slab size, clear opening size, rough opening size, and finished screen size are different numbers. Use the selected screen's measuring instructions before placing an order. A listing title alone is not a fit check.
- Record width at the top, middle, and bottom of the proposed opening.
- Record height on both sides and in the middle, using the stated sill or floor reference.
- Record the flat space available for each housing, header, or attachment strip.
- Check the depth needed around handles and the door swing.
- Photograph the sill, steps, slopes, and any drainage openings.
- Send all measurements and photos for written fit confirmation when the opening is uneven.
A real size-label example: Fenestrelle lists a 72-by-80-inch double-door screen for doors up to 70 inches wide. The screen width includes material needed beyond the clear opening. That is why a curtain marked “72 inches” is not proof it will fit a 72-inch opening.
Sources: Fenestrelle: screen size versus door width.
Hypothetical example: your three width readings are 71¾, 72, and 72¼ inches. Do not pick one reading and order a “72-inch” kit. Ask whether that exact model can fit the full variation and how the frame will be supported. There is no universal trimming allowance.
Room area does not size a door screen. A 120-square-foot room and a 400-square-foot room can use the same doorway. Count the openings you need to seal and measure each one.
Pay attention to the center and the sill
A French-door screen needs sound mesh and closed edges at the top, sides, bottom, and middle. Look closely where the two panels meet near the floor. That small junction is easy to miss in a listing photo.
Ask the seller to show the bottom-track shape and finished step height. Try it with a stroller, walker, or wheeled cart if those are part of daily life. A “low-profile” label does not tell you whether a particular person can cross it with ease.
Keep the door's drainage paths open. Have a qualified installer resolve a sloped or unsupported sill instead of filling every opening with caulk. A screen track should not create a water problem.
For a curtain, check that the bottom clears the threshold as its instructions require. Bug Off warns that floor drag prevents proper closure. Pulling the sides too far apart can also make the seam hard to join; refit to the exact instructions before blaming the magnets.
Sources: Bug Off: measuring and installation.
Do not join two unrelated single-door kits at the center unless their maker provides that configuration. Two edges that touch are not automatically a sealed doorway.
Budget for one complete double doorway
The amounts below are planning allowances in US dollars, not live prices or quotes. Local labor, size, finish, sill work, and delivery can change the total. Ask whether “per door” means one leaf or the whole pair.
| Project | Planning range | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Full-width magnetic curtain | $40–$150 | Correct opening position, all fasteners, delivery, and surface prep |
| Stock double retractable kit, DIY | $350–$800 | Both housings, tracks, correct height, sill parts, tools, and any cutting |
| Custom double screen, installed | $900–$2,000+ | Measurement visit, complete pair, trim work, labor, tax, and service terms |
| Fitted hinged pair | $600–$1,800+ | Both panels, meeting seal, hinges, latches, closers, finishing, and installation |
Example only: a hypothetical $500 kit plus $90 of sill and trim parts, $40 delivery, and $220 labor totals $850. A hypothetical $1,100 installed quote is $250 more. Compare what that extra amount covers before choosing by the kit price.
For two identical openings, the same $850 assumption totals $1,700. That is budget math, not a volume quote. Measure both entries; similar-looking doors may need different parts.
Ask what a replacement mesh panel, handle, and service call would cost. Read warranty exclusions. A long warranty title does not mean every tear or visit is free.
Match the screen to people, pets, and wind
Frequent food and garden trips: a curtain can be convenient if it fully rejoins each time. Test it with a tray or basket. If you leave a retractable open during those trips, it is no longer screening the entry.
Pets and children: insect mesh is not a child gate, fall guard, security door, or dependable pet barrier. A magnetic opening meant for walk-through use may let an animal out. If containment matters, solve that need separately and keep the main door closed when needed.
Windy patio: do not buy on a “windproof” claim without clear use limits. Phantom’s care sheet advises keeping screens stored in their housings in windy conditions. Close the main doors when the screen cannot stay sealed.
Sources: Phantom: screen care and use limits (PDF).
Renters: confirm permission for screws, adhesive, and trim changes. “No drilling” does not mean every finish can take tape without marks. Check removal instructions and test an allowed small area first.
Tiny biting midges: ask for a mesh intended for those insects and compatible with the screen mechanism. Do not swap heavier or finer cloth into a roller at random. Our mosquito and no-see-um mesh guide explains that separate choice.
Inspect the installation before calling it finished
Check the parts and sizes before cutting anything. For a custom job, keep the written fit details and installation scope. Have the installer show you the daily routine before they leave.
- Close and lock both main doors with the screen in its intended stored position.
- Open just the active leaf and walk through the screen from both sides.
- Open both leaves and check the clear passage for bulky items.
- Close the screen and inspect all edges, especially the center-bottom join.
- Repeat with the blinds and curtains in their usual positions.
- Confirm that everyone can release the screen and exit without confusion.
Keep the track clear of grit and follow the maker's care steps. Phantom's manual-screen care calls for gentle washing, drying wet mesh before storage, and its specified track lubricant. Do not borrow a wind limit or cleaning rule from a different screen type.
Sources: Phantom: screen care and use limits (PDF).
A day-one check cannot prove a service life. Recheck the seal after storms, bumps, and heavy use. Keep the model name and parts record for repairs.
Fix the reason it stays open
| What you notice | Check before buying again | Buying consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Center seam stays split | Floor drag, side tension, misaligned panels, or dirt at the meeting point | Refit or service first; a different magnet count may not solve it |
| Handle hits the main door | Door swing and the approved mounting depth | You may need a supported spacer or another system |
| Second leaf cannot open | Blocked bolts or a screen fixed to a moving part | Choose a design that preserves full-width access |
| Bottom corner leaves a gap | Sill shape and the specified track or curtain length | Price the correct sill detail, not just replacement mesh |
| Screen rolls away but stays open after passage | Whether the product actually closes across the opening | Change the routine or choose a suitable curtain or hinged setup |
If bites continue after the doorway is sealed, check other doors, window screens, and water-holding containers indoors. Replacing a working French-door screen will not solve every mosquito route.
Sources: CDC: mosquito control at home.
When another purchase makes more sense
If the French doors can stay shut, a repaired window screen may provide the airflow you need for less work. Compare adjustable and custom window screens. If the whole porch needs enclosure, see fixed versus retractable patio screens.
For insects already indoors, our indoor trap guide covers the limits of capture devices. The indoor glue-trap product page explains that format; it does not replace a closed entry.
Outside the screened room, use covering clothes and an EPA-registered repellent as directed. See the picaridin format page and picaridin versus DEET guide for that separate need.
Sources: CDC: preventing mosquito bites.
Use the product finder for the remaining gaps in your home and yard plan. Buy the screen for the doorway, then choose any extra control tool for the place where bites still occur.
Before checkout: confirm the full opening, daily walking path, swing clearance, center seal, and installed total. If one is unclear, resolve it before ordering.
French-door screen buying questions
What is the best type of mosquito screen for French doors?
For daily use, start with a fitted double retractable screen that preserves access through one or both doors. A full-width magnetic curtain is a lower-cost choice for a sheltered doorway. Choose the type your household can keep fully closed.
Can I screen only one side of French doors?
Sometimes, but check how the screen mounts and whether both main doors can still close. A narrow screen fitted against the closed leaf may need removal each night. A full-width screen with a suitable opening can avoid that chore.
Do I need a center-opening or offset magnetic curtain?
Match the seam to your normal walking path. An offset opening may suit a pair where one leaf stays shut. Confirm the orientation and exact location of the opening before ordering.
Will a 72-by-80-inch screen fit a 72-by-80-inch opening?
Not necessarily. Those numbers may describe the finished screen, including its attachment edges. Read the exact opening range and measuring directions. Do not order from the headline size alone.
Should a French-door screen go inside or outside?
It needs to clear the main door swing, handles, and locks. The side opposite the swing is a useful starting point, but the selected screen must support that mounting position. Follow its drawing and fit instructions.
What is an astragal, and why does it matter?
It is the strip where the two main doors meet. It may move with one leaf and carry weather seals or locking parts. Check that it clears the screen through the whole opening and closing motion.
Can I put two single retractable screens together?
Only if the maker supports that double-door configuration. The panels need compatible meeting edges and tracks. Two unrelated kits are not a reliable substitute for a designed pair.
Do double retractable screens close behind you?
Do not assume so. Retractable means the mesh stores away when opened. You may need to pull it across and latch it after every trip. Ask for a demonstration from both sides.
How much should I budget for a French-door mosquito screen?
For planning, allow about $40 to $150 for a magnetic curtain, $350 to $800 for a DIY double retractable kit, or $900 to $2,000 or more for a custom installed double screen. These are allowances, not live quotes. Check whether the total covers both leaves.
Does my room size affect the screen size?
No. Size the screen to the doorway and its mounting space. Room floor area does not set the width or height. Measure each opening even when two doors look alike.
Will a screen keep my cat, dog, or toddler inside?
Do not rely on an insect screen for containment, fall protection, or security. A walk-through magnetic curtain is designed to part. Use a suitable separate barrier and keep the main door closed when needed.
Can I use a magnetic screen in a rental?
Check permission for adhesives, screws, and changes to trim. Read surface and removal instructions. No-drill installation does not guarantee that adhesive will leave every finish unmarked.
Why does the magnetic seam stay open at the bottom?
Check floor drag, side tension, alignment, and objects in the way. Refit it using the exact instructions. A screen that cannot clear the sill and close fully may be the wrong size.
Are retractable screens suitable for strong wind?
Check the exact system limits. Strong wind can disrupt some mesh and track systems. If the screen will not stay sealed, close the main doors and store the screen as directed.
Can I fit finer no-see-um mesh in any retractable screen?
No. Confirm that the maker offers and supports it in that screen mechanism. A different mesh can change how the system rolls, fits, and handles airflow. Choose the mesh and frame together.
Is mesh replacement included in a lifetime warranty?
Not always. Read separate terms for mesh, moving parts, labor, and service visits. Ask for repair costs before buying, and keep the model details and purchase record.
Sources and further reading
Use the exact model's fit drawing, care directions, and warranty when comparing an order.