How Wide and How Tall Can a Retractable Screen Door Be?
A store-bought retractable screen door fits a single door 32 to 36 in (0.81 to 0.91 m) wide or a double door 68 to 72 in (1.73 to 1.83 m) wide, at a fixed height class of 78, 80, 84 or 96 in. A custom roll-up screen goes further: 48 in (1.22 m) per cassette from Phantom and 60 in (1.52 m) from Genius, at up to about 100 in (2.54 m) tall, and double that width with two cassettes meeting in the middle. Beyond 8 to 9 ft, you are into oversized and pleated systems that reach 15 ft (4.6 m) with one screen and 30 to 40 ft with two or more. The catch nobody puts in the headline: on the same product, the width limit drops as the door gets taller, and some meshes cut it again.
Key takeaways
- Off-the-shelf kits adjust over a narrow band. The Andersen LuminAire single fits openings 31-7/8 to 36-3/8 in wide, and each height class covers only 7/8 in (22 mm), for example 80 to 80-7/8 in.
- Custom single roll-up maxima from the makers' own figures: Phantom 48 in wide up to 100 in tall; Genius Milano 100 60 in wide up to 100 in tall.
- Taller means narrower. Phantom drops from 48 in to 36 in (0.91 m) wide once the screen goes above 100 in, up to 120 in (3.05 m). Stoett gives the same rule: 4 ft wide, but 3 ft for doorways over 8 ft tall.
- Mesh choice changes the limit. Genius caps its Milano 100 at 50 in wide with No-See-Um mesh instead of 60 in.
- Over about 9 ft wide, choose a large-opening system: Phantom's oversized door screen reaches 180 by 144 in (15 by 12 ft) single and 360 in wide double; Genius's six-panel Sheer Classic reaches 40 ft wide at 125 in tall.
Why you see "36 inches" in one place and "15 feet" in another
Both are true, for different products. Big-box kits are sized for standard doors, so the box prints a fit range like 32 to 36 in, and that range is the whole story. Custom screens are cut to the opening, so their brochures quote a maximum, and the biggest headline figures belong to oversized or pleated screens built for glass walls and folding doors. Measure three widths and three heights and use the smallest of each, as described in how to measure for retractable screens. Every figure below is the opening the screen covers, not the housing size.
Off-the-shelf kits: the fit ranges
These figures come from the manufacturers' measurement and selection guides: the Andersen LuminAire single door measurement guide and double door measurement guide, and the Brisa product selection guide, a screen sold under ODL's name in its installation instructions.
| Kit | Door type | Opening width | Opening height | Narrower openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andersen LuminAire single | Single hinged | 31-7/8 to 36-3/8 in (two configurations: 31-7/8 to 33-15/16, and 34 to 36-3/8) | 80 to 80-7/8 in | Less than 31-7/8 in requires cutting |
| Andersen LuminAire double | Double hinged | 68 to 72 in (68 to 69-15/16, and 70 to 72) | 80 to 80-7/8 in; also 78 to 78-7/8 or 84 to 84-7/8 in | Less than 68 in requires cutting |
| Brisa single | Single hinged | 32 to 36 in | Short 78 in (6 ft 6 in), standard 80 in (6 ft 8 in), tall 96 in (8 ft) | Less than 32 in needs "two simple cuts" |
| Brisa double | Double hinged | 68 to 72 in | 78, 80 or 96 in | Less than 68 in needs two cuts |
| Brisa sliding | Sliding patio door vent | 32 to 36 in | 80 in | As above |
Two rules follow. Width is the adjustable dimension and it only goes down: there is no kit setting for a 38 in single door. Height is chosen, not adjusted: the Andersen 80 in class covers 80 to 80-7/8 in, so an 81-1/4 in opening is outside every LuminAire height class. Andersen also states the mounting requirement: 3/4 in (19 mm) of flat surface on the exterior trim face and 3/4 in minimum depth.
On a slider the screen only covers the vent panel; the options are in screens for sliding glass doors.
Custom and oversized screens: published maximums
Custom screens are ordered to the inch, so the useful number is the ceiling. Phantom's figures are from its product catalogue and oversized door screen brochure; Genius figures are from the Metro Screenworks product pages for the Milano 100, ZigZag Two and Sheer Classic, plus a trade listing for the Genius ZigZag; Stoett's from its StowAway page and a sizing note on its blog.
| Product | Type | Single: max width x height | Double: max width x height | Stated caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phantom door screen | Roll-up, custom, dealer installed | 48 x 100 in (1.22 x 2.54 m), or 36 x 120 in (0.91 x 3.05 m) | 96 x 100 in (2.44 x 2.54 m), or 72 x 120 in (1.83 x 3.05 m) | Width falls when height goes above 100 in |
| Genius Milano 100 | Roll-up, made to size | 60 x 100 in (1.52 x 2.54 m) | Not stated on this page | No-See-Um mesh: 50 in max width |
| Stoett StowAway | Roll-up, custom | 4 ft (1.22 m) wide; 3 ft (0.91 m) for doorways over 8 ft tall | "A doorway up to 8 feet wide" (configuration not stated) | Height limit not stated |
| Phantom oversized door screen | Large-opening, horizontal, custom | 180 x 144 in (15 x 12 ft; 4.57 x 3.66 m) | 360 x 144 in (30 x 12 ft; 9.14 x 3.66 m) | For sliding, stacking and lift and slide doors |
| Genius ZigZag Two | Pleated, two panels meeting in the center | Not applicable | Width options to 276 in (23 ft; 7.0 m) on the order form, with "call for larger sizes"; heights 42 to 118 in | Bottom guide must sit on a flat, solid surface |
| Genius Sheer Classic | Pleated, 1 to 6 panels | 1 panel: 20 to 80 in (0.51 to 2.03 m) wide | 6 panels: up to 480 in (40 ft; 12.2 m) wide; up to 125 in (3.18 m) tall | Panel count is set by width (see below) |
The retailer Metro Screenworks gives a general ceiling in its retractable screen door FAQ of 60 x 100 in for single retractable screen doors and 108 x 100 in (2.74 x 2.54 m) for French door screens.
Note what is missing: there is no roll-up single screen in these documents wider than 60 in. Our French door page previously allowed a single roll-up up to about 6 ft; no sheet we read supports that, and the page now says about 5 ft. For anything wider, the choice is two cassettes or a pleated or oversized system, compared in retractable screens for French doors.
Why a taller door gets a narrower screen
A roll-up screen is a sheet of mesh wound on a spring-loaded roller standing on end beside the door, and the spring has to pull the whole sheet back into the housing. Phantom's chart trades width for height so that the area of that sheet stays about the same: 48 x 100 in is about 33.3 sq ft (3.10 m²), and 36 x 120 in is 30 sq ft (2.79 m²). So a 10 ft door does not get a 48 in screen, even though both the 48 in width and a 120 in height appear on the chart. Stoett states the same trade, 4 ft wide on a normal door but 3 ft once the doorway passes 8 ft. How the roller and spring carry that load is explained in retractable screen spring tension.
Mesh choice can shrink the maximum
The limit printed for standard mesh is not always the limit for the mesh you want. Genius limits the Milano 100 to 50 in wide with No-See-Um mesh, against 60 in for its standard choices. Metro Screenworks lists BetterVue high-visibility mesh and 17x20 Super Screen at up to 42 in per cassette, and heavy-duty pet mesh at up to 44 in per cassette. If you are choosing a mesh for bugs, pets or sun, read the width cap alongside the mesh, and see screen mesh types for what each one is.
Which kind of screen your opening needs
Take the smallest measured width and height and read across. The breakpoints are the product limits above, not rules of thumb.
| Opening width | Height up to about 84 in | Height 85 to 100 in | Height over 100 in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 36-3/8 in | Kit (match the height class) | Brisa tall at 96 in, or custom single | Custom single (Phantom to 36 in wide at 120 in), or pleated |
| 37 to 48 in | Custom single roll-up | Custom single roll-up | Double roll-up or pleated |
| 49 to 60 in | Custom single (Genius-class 60 in), or double | As left; check the mesh cap | Double roll-up or pleated |
| 61 to 72 in | Double kit (68 to 72 in) or custom double | Brisa double at 96 in, or custom double | Phantom double to 72 in at 120 in, or pleated |
| 73 to 108 in | Custom double (Phantom to 96 in, retailer figure 108 in) | Custom double | Pleated or oversized |
| Over 108 in (9 ft) | Oversized single to 15 ft, oversized double to 30 ft, multi-panel pleated to 40 ft, or a motorized vertical screen | ||
The ZigZag trade listing puts Genius pleated openings at up to 26.25 ft (8.0 m) wide by 9.8 ft (3.0 m) tall. The Sheer Classic's panel table shows how pleated systems scale: each panel adds 20 in to the minimum width and 80 in to the maximum, from 20 to 80 in for one panel up to 120 to 480 in for six. Vertical motorized screens that drop from a head box are a different family; see motorized patio screens. Brands that make each type are covered in our retractable screen brands guide.
Where these numbers stop applying
They are maximums for the products named, not promises for your opening. Product lines change; confirm the limit for the exact mesh you order. An opening out of square by more than about 1/4 in (6 mm), a sloped sill, or trim too narrow to mount on can rule out a size the chart allows. The mounting checks are in retractable screen doors, and the install sequence in how to install a retractable screen door.
Size moves the price. Moving from a kit to a custom screen, or from a single to a double, changes the budget; ranges are in retractable screen cost.
Frequently asked questions
Can one retractable screen cover a 6 ft wide door?
Not as a single roll-up in any maker document we read, where the widest single cassette is 60 in. A 72 in opening takes a double roll-up (kits cover 68 to 72 in), a single pleated panel (the Sheer Classic single panel goes to 80 in) or an oversized horizontal screen.
Does a retractable screen kit fit an outswing door?
Andersen says the LuminAire is designed for the exterior but can be installed on the interior for outswing door openings, as long as the opening meets the sizing and mounting surface requirements, and that it suits left- or right-handed doors by rotating the unit. The mounting side for each door swing is explained in retractable screens for French doors.
Sources and standards consulted
- EN 13561:2015, External blinds and awnings (covers vertical external screens and wind classes) (CEN)
- Screen mesh specification sheets (fiberglass, polyester and PVC-coated meshes) (manufacturer documentation)
- Energy Efficient Window Attachments (U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver)
- Attachments Energy Rating Council (AERC) rating program (AERC)
See how we research for our sourcing and verification process.