A Magnetic Screen Door That Finally Solved Our Back Door Problem

An honest review from someone who tried everything

Our back door has always been a problem. It opens outward, which meant a traditional screen door was never an option. For years, we just dealt with either keeping the door shut (stuffy, no airflow) or leaving it open (hello, mosquitoes). Neither was a good choice.

Then we found the perfect, easy solution — a magnetic screen door. And it completely solved our airflow problem.

It Fits Where Nothing Else Would

Our door is narrow — not the standard size you find at most hardware stores. But this screen adjusted to fit perfectly. During installation, we could shift it left or right within the door frame, which made all the difference.

One tip: we skipped the included Velcro tape and used upholstery tacks instead. Velcro can be hard to remove later, especially if it's been up for a while. Tacks hold just as well and come off cleanly when you need them to.

Surprisingly Well-Made

I expected something flimsy. This screen is not that. It's sturdy, well-constructed, and looks genuinely good on the door. The magnets are strong — they snap shut with authority.

A quick install tip: follow the instructions and make the middle section slightly higher than the sides. That little detail really does help the door close smoothly every time.

There are also two small Velcro tabs placed strategically down the center seam. They're a smart addition — they keep small critters from sneaking through any tiny gap.

The bottom of the screen hangs about an inch longer than the door opening. At first I wasn't sure about this, but it's actually great. That extra length seals against the floor and gives critters and bugs one less way to get in.

And the price? Amazing for what you get.

Two Screens, Perfect Fit, Better Look

I ended up buying two of these white screens. Our house is old — 32‑inch doors everywhere — and both screens hang perfectly. The doors face a covered patio, and because our house has light‑colored paint, the white screens look much better than black ones would have. Black would have made the interior feel gloomy. White keeps it bright and open.

The doors themselves are wood with divided glass panels and traditional knobs. The screens work beautifully with this style — they don't clash at all. I should mention the doors are painted white, which helps the screens blend right in.

Center Opening vs. Side Opening

These screens open down the middle. Personally, I find the center opening much easier to walk through, especially when my hands are full. A side‑opening screen might look a little more seamless and minimalist, but for ease of use, center opening wins.

For only twenty bucks, you really can't go wrong.

An Unexpected Bonus: Bird Watching

We feed birds on the back patio. Since installing the screen, something interesting happened — the birds don't seem to see us through the mesh. We can stand right next to them now and watch up close. It's turned into an incredible little bird‑watching setup that we never expected.

Pets? No Problem

We have a tiny old dog. She still doesn't believe she can push through the screen on her own — even though she easily could. Most dogs and cats will have no trouble at all. The magnets seal back up the second you pass through, so nothing gets in behind them.

Picky About How Your House Looks? Me Too.

I'll be honest — I care about how my house looks. For years, I refused to put up any screen door because I thought they were all ugly. Then I saw these. I was blown away.

They look good. They work well. And they're cheap. That combination is rare.

We've had them installed all summer. Zero sagging. Zero problems.

A Different Installation Method That Works Better

I put one of these screens on a back door that also has a dog door installed. They work great together. I knew my dogs would have no problem going out through the screen, but I worried they wouldn't be able to get back in — that the screen wouldn't have enough give from the outside.

Here's what I did differently. I bought 2‑inch Velcro strips — white ones. I put the hook side on three sides of the door frame. Then I installed the screen onto that.

Why? Two reasons. First, it lets me adjust the height easily for the best seal. Second, I can take the whole screen down whenever I want — like if I ever decide to install proper screen doors on all six of my exterior doors. (And yes, this house really does have too many entry points.)

The screen itself isn't the most durable thing on earth. I know that. But I don't have kids, and my dogs aren't rough with it. For our mild use, it's more than enough. And with my Velcro‑strip method, if it ever does get damaged, I can take it down and put up a new one in seconds.

Installation this time took maybe two minutes total. A good twenty seconds of that was just me lining up the top perfectly. The rest was pressing it into place. The fit is secure — it takes real, intentional force to pull it off.

Not Rainproof — But Still Impressive

This screen isn't rainproof. Let me be clear about that. But it does a decent job repelling rain, which surprised me.

We had a massive storm recently. The dog door on that same entry is supposed to be storm‑rated — it's not. Not even close. But having the magnetic screen added a fourth layer of protection. It actually helped keep the house cooler during the storm, and it allowed me to open that door and create a nice cross‑breeze with the front door — which has a side‑opening magnetic mesh from the same company installed.

On the front door, I use a baby gate so my dogs can't escape. That setup works well enough for us.

Bottom Line: Quick, Cheap, and Surprisingly Good

If you need a fast, inexpensive fix for a screen door — especially on a door that can't take a traditional screen — I genuinely recommend these.

This screen feels more durable and substantial than others I've used in the past. It's held up all summer with no sagging. It looks good. It works. And for twenty bucks, you really have nothing to lose.