Well I have got this question too!! This is a great question for sure. Most people think it is a sacrifice getting a screen door. “I have too get one of those metal screen doors” or ” I got one of those invisible screen doors and it just fell apart after a year” or “I would love to get a wooden screen door but they just fall apart after a couple years”. But really a wood screen door is not only practical but it truly can add to the architectural value of your house. If you choose the correct solid wood screen door that is not manufactured over seas and has a solid warranty from defects you will end up with a product that not only serves that practical element but has something to say as well and will last for many many years. A wooden screen door does last if taken care of and I know what your thinking, You do not want to have to take care of another thing around the house but if you get a nice product and get a great finish on it you will not have to bother with it for years to come. The best part when choosing a wood screen door is picking out the design! You have plenty of designs to choose from and if you have to have a custom door size that should be no problem either. There are plenty of designs to choose from at http://www.mtviewwoodworks.com/ and lots of info as well.
I get the question of how long will or should a wooden screen door last and in truth it will last as long as you want it too. It really depends on how well you keep up on the finish and protect it from the elements like the sun. If you are choosing a cedar screen door than the rain and snow is not the big worry like with most wood screen doors. The biggest worry in my opinion is the direct sun. Now with the quality with the finishes today and the UV protection the problems of doors taking the brunt of abuse from the sun is no longer an issue. A solid wood screen door will add to the beauty of the house and will stand the test of time. All doors are constructed differently and this will tell you how long they will last. For example some doors are built with a tenon such as a cope and tenon style and this technique can vary depending on the company. This is a strong method but over time if not engineered properly the door will become tired and sag. Another method as used at Mountain view woodwork is the Festool Domino that is glued with titebond III. This is not only efficient for the craftsman but makes for a very strong door as well. Other engineering aspects you should consider are designs of the screen door. The strongest design is probably the Traditional design series http://www.mtviewwoodworks.com/index.php/arched-traditional . These doors not only have the strength with the 7″ push in the middle but but give you a nice sized kick on the bottom panel. You can also have a little fun with this design by changing up the center push with an engraving that we have or something custom that you have in mind. Making sure that the screen doors are handcrafted and not mass produced will help insure that your product is carefully built and with quality and strength in mind so that your wooden screen door will stand the test of time.