New storm door for Heartland luxury line of fifth wheels.

rono

Active Member
We were at a local CedarCreek dealer and happened to notice what a nice screen/storm door they have. It has plexiglass panels the can be removed to only have the screen. Would be a great feature to have.
 

richheck

Seasoned Member
We were at a local CedarCreek dealer and happened to notice what a nice screen/storm door they have. It has plexiglass panels the can be removed to only have the screen. Would be a great feature to have.

I have installed the panels on my Landmark 365, I suggest you use Lexan instead of plexiglass - much stronger and does scratch nearly as easy. Great for both the summer to allow the door to be open without loosing the cool air and vice versa in the winter.
 

klindgren

Retired Virginia Chapter Leaders
Ditto what Richbeck said. I love my panels and for those days when you prefer a breeze, all it takes for me is to loosen a couple of screws and the panels are removed. We love them because we can have our door open which allow a whole lot more light into the camper, yet does not allow heat or a/c to escape.
 

franks1

Retired Alabama Chapter Leaders
I was wondering how to do that to my RV. How did you attach them to the door? Pictures please? Thanks Frank
 

Bones

Well-known member
We were at a local CedarCreek dealer and happened to notice what a nice screen/storm door they have. It has plexiglass panels the can be removed to only have the screen. Would be a great feature to have.
Do you have pictures of what the door looked like at the show?
 

Nabo

Southeast Region Director-Retired
DRVs are also now adding a very thin piece of Plexiglas to their screen doors. This Plexiglas is much thinner than the sheets that we bought at Lowes and installed on our door.

Frank - Lowes will cut a piece to fix your measurements of your bottom section of the door. Then you would pop them in the side grooves of the screen door. We secured the top and bottom with a small screw which keep the Plexiglas in place. Some people use velcro or glass clips. The top piece we made a template of the arcs of the door and with a craft knife, heavily scored the traced arc on the plexiglas and very carefully, with needle nose pliers, snap the arc off. Lowes will not cut the arc. I will take picture and post it for you.
 

Nabo

Southeast Region Director-Retired
Here some pictures of our door. I have also heard a couple of people take the screen door off, taking it to a glass company to have the plexiglas installed. The last picture is when we took the door off, took it to an auto tinting company and had the door tinted to block some of the sunlight coming in. You can also buy already tinted Lexan but we had a hard time finding sheets big enough to go into the door.
screen door bottom section.jpg screen door set screw.jpg screen door arc.jpg screen door tinted 6-'15.jpg

I tried to rotate the pictures but .... Sorry.
 

rono

Active Member
We had our door modified like yours Nabo on our old 3070 but the top glass removal was very clunky. The one we saw on the cedar creek worked just like a house storm door where the glass stored in the door.


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richheck

Seasoned Member
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This shows the necessary corner radius to allow the Lexan to fit into the channel


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richheck

Seasoned Member
In addition, being the thickness of the Lexan was smaller then the channel inserted into, I used string inserted between the Lexan and the outside of the channel to eliminate the rattle, stuffed it into place with a plastic razor blade as to not scratch the Lexan.


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richheck

Seasoned Member
I added 1/4 inch to top and sides of upper panel, just used actual height for lower panel. Both bottoms rest on ledge of door. I used small screws to eliminate further rattles of panels
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TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
"[FONT=&quot]the patented RV screen door conversion"

[/FONT]
I wonder how you get a patent for a window insert?

Wow, I don't know how much Lexan costs but over $200 for a Door Buddy seems a little steep.


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danemayer

Well-known member
Lexan can be pretty pricey. I think I found a 4x4' sheet for < $50 4 or 5 years ago. If you have to buy a 4x8' sheet, you may be well over $100.

Like many things, some people have skills to figure it out and do it themselves. Others not so much.

When I think about paying a dealer $125/hr to do something I can't do, this doesn't seem all that outrageous for a mom & pop garage business.

I'd guess they got some kind of patent for how it attaches to the door. Could they defend the patent? Probably not. But maybe they were planning on going on Shark Tank, and you know the sharks would have asked right off if it was patented.:)
 

porthole

Retired
Lexan averages about $160 for a 1/8" x 4 x 8 sheet.
And if you choose, there are suppliers that can deliver your sheet goods cut to your specs.
 

travelin2

Pennsylvania Chapter Leaders-retired
I had my local hardware cut a piece of plexiglass to fit the bottom half and I attached it with SS screws & washers over the existing screening. Left the top half open for ventilation.
Should have submitted for a patent myself earlier !!


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Bones

Well-known member
I will definitely look at my door when the weather gets a bit nicer. It would be nice to be able to keep the door open and still keep a little AC in or Heat in.
 

Rottiesmom

New York Chapter Leader - retired
We bought Plexiglas at home depot and did it our selves for the last 6 years keep door open when heat and A/C is on it is wonderful
 
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