Get your written quote
Fresh air in, bugs and drafts out
A good screen door turns a front or patio door into a summer breezeway, and GTS Windows & Doors has been fitting them in Kitchener-Waterloo homes since 1986. We install hinged screen doors, retractable screens, replacement patio screens and combination storm doors for homeowners, landlords, property managers and builders finishing new homes. We also rescreen existing frames when the door itself is still sound and only the mesh has given out.
Screen doors look simple, but a poorly fitted one sags, rattles, slams and leaves gaps that insects crawl straight through. We mount each door square to the existing entry, set the closer so it latches without slamming, and seal the edges with an expander or sweep so the fit stays tight through the summer. The details take minutes to get right and years to regret if they are skipped.
We also look after the door behind the screen. A glass storm panel can overheat some entry doors, so we check the colour, material and sun exposure of your door before recommending one. We are licensed, insured and WSIB covered, with a 4.5-star rating from 31 Google reviews, and we serve Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph and the surrounding townships from our Bridgeport base on Bridge Street East.
The right screen depends on the door behind it, how often it is used, and whether you want it visible year-round. These are the four types we fit most often.
A full-size hinged screen door mounts to the outside of a front, side or back entry. Aluminum and vinyl frames are the most common, while wood screen doors suit older homes and cottages. We add a closer and a wind chain so a gust cannot rip the door off its hinges.
A retractable screen rolls into a slim housing beside the door when it is not in use. It is the go-to option for French doors and wide openings where a hinged screen would not fit. Double units meet in the middle for two-panel doors.
Replacement screens for sliding patio doors are built to your track size with new rollers and a sturdy frame. Extruded aluminum frames resist bending far better than the thin roll-formed screens many sliders ship with. If the slider itself drags or will not lock, pair the screen with a sliding door repair.
Storm doors carry a glass panel for winter and a screen for summer, either as interchangeable panels or a self-storing sash that slides up and down. They shield the entry door from weather and add a buffer of still air. Makers such as Larson and Andersen offer full-view, mid-view and high-view styles.
Mesh is the part you look through every day, and the part that takes the abuse. Suppliers such as Phifer make most of the common types, and we match the mesh to how the door is used.
| Mesh | Best for | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Standard fibreglass | Most doors | Flexible, will not dent or corrode, inexpensive; can tear under claws |
| Aluminum | A crisp, traditional look | Stronger than fibreglass but dents and can oxidize near salted walks |
| Pet-resistant | Homes with dogs or cats | Heavy vinyl-coated polyester, much tougher; slightly less clear |
| Solar screening | South and west exposures | Cuts heat and glare; darker view from outside and in |
| Fine insect mesh | Yards near water or woodlots | Keeps out tiny biting insects; slightly reduces airflow |
| High-visibility | Doors facing a view | Thin strands and a clearer view; less durable |
Existing brick mould is rarely perfectly square, so we measure the opening at the top, middle and bottom. We also note which way the entry door swings and where its handle sits, so the two sets of hardware never collide.
The hinge rail is fastened to solid trim, shimmed where needed, so the door hangs with an even gap on all sides. An adjustable bottom expander closes the gap at the sill, where most insects get in.
We tune the closer so the door latches on its own without slamming, and fit a wind chain or stop so gusts cannot bend the frame. Hold-open clips make carrying groceries easy.
Storm doors get a bead of sealant along the top and sides, leaving the bottom open to drain. We finish by testing the latch, the lock and the swing of both doors together.
Sunlight passing through a glass storm door heats the air trapped against the entry door, much like a parked car on a July afternoon. On a south or west wall, that space can get hot enough to warp door skins, soften plastic trim, blister paint and dry out weatherstrip.
Dark painted or stained doors are most at risk. Many entry door manufacturers exclude heat damage caused by a storm door from their warranty or set conditions, such as ventilation, for adding one.
We check the entry door's material, colour and exposure first. Depending on what we find, we may suggest a vented storm door, low-E storm glass, swapping to the screen panel for summer, or a screen-only door. Protecting a fibreglass entry door this way keeps its finish and warranty intact.
If the frame is straight and the corners are tight, new mesh costs far less than a new door. We pull the old spline, stretch the new mesh evenly so it does not ripple, roll in fresh spline and trim it clean.
We can also replace bent sliding-screen frames, worn rollers, broken corner keys, loose latches and tired door closers. Many retractable screens can be re-meshed or re-tensioned rather than replaced.
When the frame is bent out of square or the corners have split, a new panel is usually better value than repeated repairs. We will tell you which way to go before any work starts.
These are typical 2026 installed prices in Waterloo Region. Frame material, mesh type, colour, hardware and whether the existing trim needs work all move the price.
Replacing the entry door at the same time? Our exterior doors overview covers every option, and our window and door cost guide shows how to compare quotes.
| Screen or storm door work | Typical installed price |
|---|---|
| Rescreen an existing panel | $90 to $200 |
| Replacement sliding patio screen | $175 to $400 |
| Hinged aluminum or vinyl screen door | $450 to $1,000 |
| Retractable screen, single door | $500 to $1,100 |
| Retractable screen, French door pair | $1,000 to $2,000 |
| Combination storm door | $800 to $1,800 |
It can. Many entry door makers exclude heat damage caused by a storm door, or require a vented model, particularly over dark-coloured doors. Check your door's warranty terms, or ask us to, before adding glass over a new front door.
Yes. Retractable screens are the usual choice because they disappear when not needed and do not block the doors from swinging. Double units meet in the middle so both panels can be screened, and single units suit garden doors with one operating panel.
They are worth it where a hinged screen would block the view, the swing or the look of the door. The trade-offs are a higher price, a lighter mesh that pets can damage, and housings that need occasional cleaning and adjustment. For a busy side door used by kids and dogs, a sturdy hinged screen door is often the better buy.
Yes, as long as the frame is straight and the corners are solid. We replace the mesh and spline, and we can switch you to pet-resistant, solar or fine mesh at the same time. Bent frames or split corners usually mean a new panel is the better value.
Tell us which door needs a screen or storm door and we will check the fit and sun exposure, then send a written quote with the right options.
Call or text226-806-0597