Storm Doors for Arkansas: Full View vs Retractable Screen Guide (2026)

A storm door is the cheapest way to add 5–10% energy efficiency to your front door, protect a $4,000 entry door from weather, and extend ventilation to your home in spring and fall. It's also the most-misunderstood add-on we install in Central Arkansas — most homeowners either pick the wrong style for how they use the door, or pay way too much for marketing names.

This guide cuts through it. We'll walk through the three main storm door styles, real Arkansas-installed prices, and what to spec for our climate.

Storm doors: the 30-second answer

Pick a full-view storm door if you:

• Want to show off a premium entry door behind it

• Need maximum natural light through the entry

• Don't need ventilation often (use AC most of the year)

Pick a retractable screen storm door if you:

• Want ventilation 6+ months of the year (Central Arkansas spring + fall)

• Hate looking through a permanent screen

• Want both full glass AND screen functionality in one door

Pick a solid-panel or partial-view storm door if you:

• Have a north-facing or shaded entry where light isn't the goal

• Want extra security (less glass to break through)

• Need maximum insulation value on a cold-side entry

Real Arkansas installed prices

For a standard 36"×80" prehung storm door:

• Basic aluminum full-view storm door (big-box brand): $400–$650 installed

• Mid-range full-view (Larson, Andersen Series 2000): $650–$950 installed

• Premium full-view (ProVia Spectrum, ProVia Deluxe): $850–$1,400 installed

• Retractable screen (ProVia Deluxe with retractable screen, Larson Tradewinds Selection): $750–$1,300 installed

• Custom color or oversized (8-foot or 40-inch wide): Add $150–$400

Installed pricing includes the storm door itself, removal of existing storm door (if any), frame trim and installation, closer (door doesn't slam), lockset, weatherstripping at the jamb, and sweep at the threshold.

If you're going from "no storm door" to "first storm door," there's no rough opening modification — install is straightforward and usually done in 1–2 hours.

Full-view storm doors: what to know

A full-view storm door has a single large glass panel filling 90%+ of the door. Most premium full-view doors have an interchangeable glass insert that swaps for a screen (some seasonal storage in your garage required).

Pros for Arkansas:

• Maximum natural light through your entry

• Showcases a premium entry door behind it (worth doing if you spent $4K+ on the front door)

• Easy to clean — one large pane

• Modern aesthetic

Cons / tradeoffs:

• The seasonal glass-to-screen swap is a chore. Most homeowners do it 2–3 times, then give up and leave whichever insert is in.

• All that glass means more solar heat gain on west or south-facing exposures

• Children and dogs are hard on glass storm doors

• Large glass panel = larger replacement cost if it breaks (vs a smaller panel storm door)

Brands we install:

• ProVia Spectrum 291 / Spectrum 491 — Premium full-view, multiple glass color options

• ProVia Deluxe 397 — Higher-tier with better frame and hardware

• Larson Tradewinds Selection — Mid-range value

• Andersen Series 2500 — Solid mid-range option

Retractable screen storm doors: what to know

This is the storm door style that's grown most in Central Arkansas over the past 5–10 years. Instead of swapping glass for screen seasonally, the screen retracts into a small housing at the top or side when not in use. You get both functions in one door, year-round.

Pros for Arkansas:

• Full-view glass when retracted, full screen when extended — no seasonal swap

• Use the screen for ventilation during 6+ months a year of comfortable Arkansas weather (spring and fall especially)

• Cleaner look than fixed-screen doors

• Worth the upcharge for active families who use the front door a lot

Cons / tradeoffs:

• The retractable mechanism is the most-frequently-serviced part. Premium brands (ProVia) have replaceable mechanisms; cheap retractable screens jam after 2–3 years

• Slightly more expensive than fixed-glass full-view (typically +$100–$300)

• The retracted screen housing is visible at the top or side — some homeowners find it visually busy

Brands we install:

• ProVia Deluxe with Retractable Screen — our most-installed retractable screen storm door

• Larson Tradewinds Selection with Screen Away — good mid-range option

• Andersen Storm Door 4000 Series with retractable screen — premium aluminum frame

Solid-panel and partial-view storm doors: where they fit

Less common in newer construction but still relevant for specific use cases:

Solid-panel storm doors (no view):

• Maximum insulation, no light through

• Best for entries that have a screened porch already, or back/side doors that don't need to be presentable

• Cost: $400–$800 installed

Partial-view storm doors (window in upper or middle):

• Compromise between solid and full-view

• More common in older homes or traditional architectural styles

• Cost: $500–$900 installed

These are minority installs for us — most Arkansas homes go full-view or retractable screen.

The Arkansas storm door consideration

Despite the name, "storm doors" don't typically need to survive tornadoes or major hurricanes. Two-second wind gust survival is determined by your front door + jamb, not the storm door. But there ARE Arkansas-specific factors worth designing for:

Hail: Spring hailstorms can hit 1–2" or larger. Tempered glass (standard on premium storm doors) generally survives. Cheap annealed glass on builder-grade storm doors does not.

Wind direction: West-facing entries take the most wind exposure during spring storms. Premium storm doors have wind-rated installations that hold up to 110+ mph gusts when installed correctly.

Heat on south/west exposures: A south-facing storm door with full-view glass can reach 150°F surface temperature in July. Premium glass packages (low-iron, low-E coated) reduce this dramatically and prevent damage to the entry door behind it.

Humidity: Arkansas humidity means the seal between storm door and entry door matters. Cheap storm doors with bad weatherstrip can actually INCREASE moisture issues by trapping humid air against the entry door. Premium doors have better thermal management.

What you should pay more for

• Quality closer hardware — the #1 storm door failure point. Premium closers (ProVia, Larson select) are field-serviceable; cheap ones need full door replacement

• Tempered safety glass — required by some Arkansas city codes for storm doors below 60" sill height

• Color-matched paint — saves cost vs painting later, and warranty stays intact

• Brass or oil-rubbed bronze hardware — for traditional or premium entry door aesthetics

• Multi-point locking — rare but available on top-tier storm doors

What you don't need to spend extra on

• "Hurricane-rated" branding — for residential Arkansas use, marketing not real benefit

• Smart locks on storm doors — security advantage isn't there

• Custom etched glass — looks great in the showroom, ages poorly with daily use

Common Arkansas-specific questions

Will a storm door save energy?

Yes, modestly. A quality storm door over a quality entry door reduces air infiltration by 5–10% and adds about R-1 to R-2 of insulation. On a typical Central Arkansas home with a fiberglass front door, expect $40–$120/year energy savings. The bigger benefit is protecting the front door itself from weather, dramatically extending its life.

Does a storm door reduce noise from the street?

Yes, modestly — about 3–5 decibels of noise reduction. Not as much as a triple-pane glass insert, but noticeable for homes near busy streets.

Can I install a storm door over my existing entry door without removing the old jamb?

Yes — storm doors mount to the existing brick mold or trim around the entry door. The entry door itself stays in place.

How long does a storm door install take?

1–3 hours for a new install on an existing entry door. Faster if there's already a storm door we're replacing (same mounting hardware, often).

What about HOA approval?

Most HOAs allow basic storm doors without paperwork. Custom colors or unusual styles may need approval — verify before ordering.

Storm door swing direction — does it matter?

Yes. Match the swing direction of your entry door. If your entry door swings inward to the right (right-handed inswing), your storm door should swing outward to the right (right-handed outswing). Otherwise the doors collide when both are open.

Do I need a closer on my storm door?

Yes. Without a closer, wind will catch the door and damage either the storm door, the entry door, or both. Every storm door we install comes with a quality closer mechanism.

Get a quote for your storm door

We carry ProVia Spectrum, ProVia Deluxe, Larson Tradewinds, and Andersen storm doors in our Benton showroom. Visit to see the retractable screen mechanism in operation, feel the difference between aluminum and steel frames, and pick a color that matches your entry door.

📞 (501) 617-7024 or book a free estimate. We install storm doors across Little Rock, North Little Rock, Sherwood, Maumelle, Benton, Bryant, Hot Springs, Hot Springs Village, Conway, Cabot, and the rest of Central Arkansas.

Companion guides: see our Front Door Replacement Cost Guide for the entry door pricing context.