Screen door hardware buying guide
Screen door hardware covers the parts that open, latch, lock and close a screen door: the lock set, the handle, the closer and the accessories that go with them. What you need depends on the door. A fly screen door keeps insects out and needs a latch and a closer. A security screen door keeps people out, and its lock is part of what makes it secure. This collection holds security screen door locks, a three-point lock accessory kit and hydraulic screen door closers. This guide sets out how the two kinds of door differ, what a lock set includes, which parts to check before you replace a handle or lock, and where each part sits on this site. For other door hardware, see door hardware and door handles.
Fly screen door or security screen door
The two are different products. A door should only be called a security screen door if it meets Australian Standard AS 5039, and otherwise it may only protect against flies. A security door must pass AS 5039 and AS 5041, which test the frame, mesh and lock, and installation falls under AS 5040, while a screen door is not held to those standards. Security doors use mesh with a small aperture, and diamond-pattern screens have wide gaps designed to keep out insects. Adding a pet door takes a door out of the standard. Check which kind of door you have before you choose hardware, because a security screen door needs a lock made for it.
Locks on a security screen door
Key locks on a security screen door should be five-pin cylinders or the equivalent, since wafer locks are more vulnerable. A three-point lock helps stop the top or bottom of the door being wrenched back and spreads the force of an attack. Security doors are fitted with a three-point locking system that engages the door at the top, middle and bottom of the frame, and with deadbolts. Use at least three hinges with fixed pins that cannot be removed. The product pages in this collection reflect this: the Yale Quattro hinged security door lock has an accessory kit that adds the three-point locking.
The Yale Quattro hinged security door lock
The Yale Quattro lock suits left or right hand opening hinged security and screen doors. It is compatible with industry standard door preparations and retrofits in place of the Tasman MK3 lockset it can be used with legacy Tasman MK3 accessories such as the cylinder, strikers, furniture and three-point locking kits. It has a DualSelect function. Turning the key to the first position engages the privacy lock, which gives security from outside while letting occupants unlock with the inside snib. Turning it to the second position engages the deadlock, which locks both handles and the snib so the key is needed from both sides. An extra wide serrated locking bolt, automatic latching it conforms with level D8 of AS 4145.2-2008. It suits a standard 20mm door and slides into metal security door frames. It comes in four colours.
The three-point lock accessory kit
The Yale Quattro 3 Point Lock Accessory Kit is a separate product. It works with the Quattro hinged security door lock, that the snib operates all three locks it retrofits the previous Tasman MK3. The kit lists remote locks, 600mm connecting rods, a connecting bar, strikers and fixing screws in the box, and a length of 1594mm. The lock and the kit are sold separately, so a door that needs three-point locking needs both. Check the height of the door against the kit length.
The Yale Unity security screen door lock
The Yale Unity is the electronic option. It is controlled through the Yale Home App, a contactless key tag or a Yale Smart Keypad, with temporary access for others, activity tracking, an auto unlock function that uses Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS, and a built-in door position sensor. It complies with AS4145.2:2008 at SL6 and D7, and has an optional three-point lock kit. For more on keyless options, see smart screen door locks and smart door locks.
Screen door closers
A closer pulls the door shut after you pass. The Lockwood 404 hydraulic screen door closer comes with a weight capacity of up to 29kg for heavier screen doors. It has a spring loaded piston in a hydraulic unit, a closing speed that you adjust by hand by spinning the cylinder, a hold-open function and an automatic latch. It is aluminium with a powdercoated finish, 361mm long and 64mm wide, and the box lists the fixing brackets and hardware. It comes in black, white and silver. See screen door closers.
Replacing a screen door handle
A handle is often the first part of an older screen door to fail. The steps are simple. Find and remove the screws holding the old handle, then remove the strike plate or latch box keeper. Clean the door, hold the new handle in position with painter's tape, and mark the screw holes. If the holes do not line up with the old ones, drill new holes with the correct drill bit. Attach the handle, fit the strike plate, which may need some wood chiselled or routed from the frame, and test that the door closes properly. The screw hole pattern is the key measurement, so compare the old handle with the new before you buy.
Are screen door handles universal
No. Handles come for sliding and hinged screen doors, as complete sets or single latches, and that they are designed to work with matching rollers on sliding doors and with compatible locks on hinged doors. A photo of the part helps identify it. The lock should match your door's design and specifications. Measure the hole pattern, note whether the door slides or swings, and identify the lock before you order.
Frame, infill and hinges
The lock is only part of a security screen door. A steel frame is the most effective when properly built and installed, and an aluminium frame is less prone to corrosion. For the infill, steel bars or motifs are the most secure, stainless steel mesh keeps the view clear, and basic aluminium grilles are little more than flyscreens. Use at least three hinges with fixed pins. A steel pin welded into the hinge leaf is stronger than one that is pressed in, and recessed or full-length hinges reduce jimmying access. A lock on a weak frame or a door with gaps that allow leverage gives less protection, because the installation affects the result.
What the standards statements mean
Lock standards are given as ratings, for example S7 and D8. It meets or exceeds AS 4145.2-2008 at level S7 and D8, it conforms with level D8 of AS 4145.2-2008, and it complies with AS4145.2:2008 at SL6 and D7. AS 4145.2 is the Australian standard for mechanical locksets, and a standards statement covers mechanical performance only. It has no app features and does not need the door modified. The door's own compliance is a separate question that the door maker or installer answers.
Hinged and sliding screen doors
Hinged and sliding screen doors use different parts. Handles for sliding and hinged screen doors are different: sliding door handles are designed to work with matching rollers while hinged door handles pair with compatible locks. The Yale Quattro lock suits hinged security and screen doors. For sliding screen doors, the parts are the handle or latch, the rollers and the track hardware, and a photo of the old part is the fastest way to identify the replacement. See sliding door handles for sliding hardware in general.
Maintenance
Oil the moving parts of a screen door lock regularly and replace worn components so the lock keeps working. Steel or brass resists rust better in the weather, and adjustable screws allow fine-tuning of the fit between the door and the frame. The Lockwood closer lists a closing speed that is adjusted by hand, so a door that slams or fails to latch can be tuned without removing the closer.
Finishes
Screen door hardware comes in traditional and plain finishes. Handles come in traditional, antique brass, antique copper, black, chrome, polished brass and satin chrome, so choose one that closely matches the existing door. The Yale Quattro lock comes in four colours (black, white, primrose and brown), and the Lockwood closer in black, white and silver. See matte black door handles and white door handles for the door itself.
Installation and compliance
Security doors should almost always be custom made, because compliance can depend on a few millimetres, so ask the installer for written confirmation that the installation complies with AS 5040. It also advises checking that the door does not compromise escape in a fire or other emergency. The standards cover installation as well as the door. If you are fitting a lock to an existing security screen door, confirm that the lock suits the door and that the change does not affect its compliance.
Before you order, check these
Five checks apply to nearly every screen door part. First, identify the door: fly screen or security screen, hinged or sliding. Second, identify the existing lock or handle, and photograph it from both sides. Third, measure the screw hole pattern and the door thickness; a standard 20mm door. Fourth, note the hand of the door, because the Quattro lock suits left or right hand opening and other locks are not. Fifth, check whether the part is a complete lock set or only a component, because the three-point kit and the cylinder in a legacy set are separate items. Work through them in that order and the right part is usually clear.
Common mistakes
These are the mistakes to avoid. The first is treating a fly screen door as a security door, or the reverse. The second is fitting a lock without checking it against the door's frame and standard. The third is ordering a handle by appearance when the screw hole pattern does not match, which forces new holes. The fourth is leaving out the three-point kit on a door that needs it, or the fixing hardware that the closer needs. The fifth is adding a pet door to a door sold as a security door, which takes it outside the standard. Each is avoided by identifying the door and reading the product page.
Where each part sits on this site
Screen door hardware is spread across several pages. For lock sets, see screen door locks and entry door lock sets. For deadbolts, see deadbolts. For handles on the main door behind the screen, see exterior door levers and exterior door handles and hardware. For sliding screen doors, see sliding door handles. For hinges and stops, see hinges and door stops. For small parts and accessories, see door accessories.
Our recommendation
Identify the door first. If it is a security screen door, choose a lock made for it, with a five-pin cylinder or equivalent and three-point locking where the door calls for it, and check the lock against the door's standard. If it is a fly screen door, choose a latch and a closer that suit the door's weight. Measure the screw hole pattern, note whether the door swings or slides, and photograph the old part. That order avoids the common mistakes: a lock that does not fit the frame, a missing three-point kit, and a closer that cannot carry the door.
Choosing between the Quattro and the Unity
The two locks do different jobs. The Yale Quattro is a keyed mortise lock for hinged security and screen doors, written as a replacement for the Tasman MK3. It uses a 5 pin lazy cam cylinder, fits a standard 20mm door with a 28mm backset, and the box holds the lock body, furniture for both faces, a standard strike, fixings, the cylinder and two keys. The lock mechanism is zinc diecast with stainless steel strikes. The Yale Unity is a smart lock for a security screen door, controlled by an app, key tag or keypad.
The Quattro is the pick for a mechanical lock that matches an existing MK3 and its accessories. The Unity is the pick when you want to share access and see who has used the door. Standards under AS 4145.2-2008: the Quattro is rated D8 for durability, and the Unity is rated SL6 and D7.
Questions about screen door hardware
Are all screen door handles universal?
No. Hinged and sliding screen doors use different handles, and sliding doors also use matching rollers. The key measure on a replacement is the screw hole pattern of the old handle, so keep the old one, compare it with the product page and measure the backset and door thickness. The Quattro product page here gives a 28mm backset for a standard 20mm door.
Can you replace the door handle or lock on a screen door?
Yes. To replace a handle, remove the screws and the strike plate, hold the new handle in place with tape, mark the holes and drill if they do not line up, then fit the strike plate and test the closing. If the new lock is a different design from the old one, the holes will not match, which is why the Quattro is written to suit the MK3 preparation.
Does a screen door closer fit any screen door?
It fits a door within its weight rating and with room for its arm. The Lockwood 404 takes doors up to 29kg, is 361mm long and comes with fixing brackets in the box. It has a hold-open function and an automatic latch, and you set the speed by hand by spinning the cylinder. For fitting and fault finding, see screen door closers.
The products on this page are the Yale Quattro hinged screen door locks, the Quattro 3 kit, the Yale Unity security lock and the Lockwood hydraulic screen door closer. Match each part to the job it does: the Quattro and Unity are locks, and the Lockwood is a closer, so a door that needs both will need an order from each group.
Ordering a security screen door
Hardware is one part of a security screen door, and the door itself is held to standards. A door should only be called a security screen door if it meets AS 5039, with tests under AS 5041 and installation under AS 5040. Security doors are usually made to measure, so ask for written confirmation that the installation complies with AS 5040. A pet door in the panel takes the door out of the standard range. A plain flyscreen door is not held to these standards.
Before you replace screen door hardware, check the door. A screen door that has dropped on its hinges, rubs on the frame or has a bent latch edge will make any new handle or lock feel faulty. Fix the hinges and square the door first, then fit the new hardware. Measure the stile width and the lock hole before you order, because screen door frames vary and slimline stiles limit the choice.
