PHOTOS BY NANCY HILL

"That's cool — that's very cool," said a friend about the 8ft.wide retractable screen I had just installed on the doors of my new workshop. Considering how little effort it took to raise and lower the screen, I had to agree. This system, made by HideAway Screens in Atlanta, works like a window shade. The fiberglass screening rolls up on a springloaded spindle inside a weatherproof aluminum housing, which is mounted to the side or top of the jamb, depending upon the application (doors or windows).

For instance, unlike a conventional sliding screen on a patio door, which always veils half the view, when the screen is not in use, it is out of sight. The screen housing, which is attached to the edge of the fixed panel of a sliding door or the center stile on a hinged door, is barely noticeable from a distance. Its slim profile is particularly important for front doors. After all, why cover up your beautiful entry door with a conventional screen?

Besides retractable screens for doors, HideAway has a model for virtually every type of window, including one that opens and closes automatically as the top sash of a doublehung window is lowered or raised.

Durability
Because a retractable screen is shielded from sunlight and weather when it's not in use, it will last much longer than a traditional screen. In addition, it resists tears and stretching because if you accidentally push against it, more screen just unwinds off the spool. On a traditional door, the screen would more likely tear or be pulled out of its channel. I found this advantage particularly appealing for my vacation home, where I have had to repair the screen door every year.

Versatility
A retractable screen is often the best solution for difficult to screen openings. HideAway's single door model spans openings as wide as 5 ft., and a pair of them will cover openings as wide as 10 ft. — perfect for French doors. The screen is also ideal for openings with too little room for a swinging screen door.

When you want temporary screening for large openings, such as for my workshop door, a retractable system is the only way to go. By using pulldown screens, you can instantly enclose a patio or porch when insects come around. Then when you don't need the screening, it disappears. When compared with the traditional approach that involves building a framework, annual assembly and disassembly and storage, the benefits become obvious.

Installation
Installation of the HideAway system is fairly straightforward, and you'll save about $150 per opening by doing it yourself compared with dealer installation. A typical singledoor kit costs about $150, while an overhead unit (like the one shown here) costs $252.

The installation procedure is nearly identical for the various models and basically consists of measuring the opening, cutting the aluminum housing and guides, assembling the components and then attaching the housing and guides to the door or window jamb with screws. Each unit comes with precise instructions, and you can even view installation videos at the company's Web site (see SOURCES).

The best tool for cutting the unit is a miter saw equipped with a nonferrous metal cutting blade. You must cut through the housing, screening and aluminum spindle all at once, so use a blade with lots of carbide teeth, such as Freud's 100tooth Model LU90M010. Avoid using more readily available 40or 60tooth blades, which might snag the screening.

To make the cut, stand the housing assembly on end and tap it lightly on the floor to align the screening, spindle, pull bar and housing. Grasp the assembly to prevent the screening and spindle from sliding inside the housing as you clamp the work to the miter saw. Make a steady, single motion cut, as you would when cutting a 2x4. Many people tend to cut too slowly, and the resulting heat could ruin the finish and melt the fiberglass screening.

If you don't own a miter saw, you can cut the assembly with a hacksaw and miter box. Just make sure to clamp the screen unit securely, and use a good quality hacksaw equipped with a professional blade (32 teeth per inch).


The installation of my garage door unit went without a hitch. But be aware that on early versions of this product, there's no easy way to open the screen from the outside — you must bend over and twist the pull bar at each side to make the door spring up. Atlanta dealer Mike Winn of Energy Control Systems says the garage door units are “works in progress” and also points out that you can get in from the outside only if you don't lock the operating chain. HideAway Vice President Chip Ware says that the second generation model, expected to be available this fall, will address this problem. And while I've focused here on the units from HideAway because of their versatility and affordability, other manufacturers offer retractable screens (see below), so shop around.

SOURCES
HideAway Screens, Atlanta, GA 877-310-3334 www.hideawayscreens.com
Phantom Screens, Abbotsford, B.C., Canada, 888-742-6866 www.phantomscreens.com
Williams Mfg. Corp., Anderson, IN 800-646-6284 www.garagedoorscreen.com


STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Clamp the workpiece onto a miter saw and make a deliberate, single-motion cut as you would when cutting a 2x4.
 
Step 2: To extend the life of the blade, lubricate the teeth with a wax such as Porter-Cable’s Lube-Wax.

Step 3: If you don't have a miter saw, use a miter box and a good-quality hacksaw with a 32-tooth-per-in. blade.

Step 4: Insert the brush piles into the channels of the pull bar and guides; use needle-nose pliers to crimp the aluminum over the brush pile to hold it in place.

Step 5: Insert the spring assembly into the spindle and wind it the specified number of times. Be careful — if it
slips, you can injure your hand.
 
Step 6: Insert the plastic end caps into the pull bar and housing assembly and tap lightly with a rubber mallet
until flush.

Step 7: After attaching the mounting clips to the head jamb with screws, hook the housing over the back edge of the clips and rotate it to snap it into place.
 
Step 8: After attaching the side guides to the side jambs with screws, the final step is to attach the operating-chain holder.