What Hinges to Use for a Screen Door?
Screen doors are lightweight but opened dozens of times a day, so they demand hinges that balance strength, cycle durability, and alignment. The most common and proven choice is the butt hinge—simple, strong, and easy to mortise flush into the frame.
For screen door projects, Waterson recommends:
- Self closing butt hinges: close automatically to maintain security and airflow control.
- Spring loaded butt hinges: ideal for high-cycle residential or commercial entries.
- Hydraulic hybrid butt hinges: add soft-close control to prevent slamming and frame fatigue.
By using the right heavy duty hinge design, you ensure the door swings smoothly, closes reliably, and complies with safety codes without bulky overhead closers.
How Many Hinges for a Screen Door?
The answer depends on door height and weight:
- ≤60" or ≤150 lbs – 2 hinges
- 60–90" or 150–330 lbs – 3 hinges
- 90–120" or 260–440 lbs – 4 hinges
Knowing how many door hinges per door ensures proper alignment, balanced load distribution, and UL-listed fire or safety compliance.
How to Install Screen Door Hinges
Waterson self closing screen door hinges follow standard full-mortise butt hinge installation. The difference is in precision adjustment:
- Replace the middle hinge with the non-mechanism hinge using provided screws.
- Set the top hinge at “0” before mounting.
- Install bottom hinge and begin adjustment at setting #3.
- Test closing force at 20°, 60°, and 90° swing.
- Balance top and bottom hinges by alternately tightening set screws.
- Final check at 20°, 60°, and 90° to confirm smooth closure and latch.
With built-in self-closing and tool-free tension tuning, Waterson eliminates the need for overhead closers while reducing callbacks.
Still not clear enough? Watch on How to Install Waterson Screen Door Hinges here.
Best Screen Door Hinges Solution
Waterson’s screen door hinges are engineered for high-cycle, lightweight doors that demand reliability, quiet operation, and long service life. Designed with a full-mortise butt hinge profile, they deliver the durability professionals expect while maintaining a clean, minimal appearance.
- Self Closing: Built-in spring tension ensures consistent automatic closure—no need for overhead closers.
- Soft Closing Hydraulic: Prevents slamming, protecting frames and reducing noise in residential and commercial spaces.
- Heavy Duty: Tested to exceed 1,000,000 cycles, ideal for storefronts, classrooms, and institutional screen doors.
- Corrosion Resistance: Stainless steel construction (SS304/316) withstands moisture, temperature changes, and outdoor conditions common in patio or porch applications.
- Load Support: Three hinges support up to 260 lbs, four hinges up to 330 lbs—ensuring stability for oversized screen doors.
- ADA Compliance: Adjustable tension design allows low opening force while maintaining reliable closure, supporting accessibility compliance.
- Aesthetic Appearance: Flush mortise installation maintains a clean architectural finish, suitable for both residential and commercial projects.
- Adjustable Tension: Integrated adjusters allow precise fine-tuning of closing speed and force to match project requirements.
Waterson Heavy Duty Screen Door Hinges Common Applications
- Residential screen door hinges
- Patio screen door hinges
- Commercial storefront sscreen door hinges
- Black screen door hinges
- Silver screen door hinges
- Gold screen door hinges
- Bronze screen door hinges