Fitting Cat Flap in UPVC Door Panel

Fitting Cat Flap in UPVC Door Panel

Lien Smyth 0 22 03.08 09:37
Cat flaps let your cat leave and come back as they please without you having to let them in or out. They also prevent your cat from peeing in the home.

doorpanels-300x200.jpgIt is easier to install a cat flap on a Upvc panel than one made of glass but you'll require some knowledge and correct tools.

Take a look at the Door

Fitting a cat flap in the door can be a challenge however, as long as you select the right kind of cat flap be patient and follow the steps provided it should not prove to be a problem. We will demonstrate how much to install a cat flap to draw the shape and then use the jigsaw to cut out the door's area. Then we'll complete the job by affixing the cat flap in upvc Door panel flap. This will ensure that the flap stays in place and protects the door from wind and rain damaging the door.

The first step is take a measurement of the width of your pet to determine an accurate estimate of the size of cat flap you will need. This will allow you to select a flap that is large enough to allow your pet to enter the home and exit without needing to open the door every time.

If your kit comes with an illustration of where to drill, you can put it on the door, and then draw around it. If your door has moulding or a sill at the bottom, make sure you leave enough space between your cat and the moulding or sill.

Then put on your eye protection and dust mask and using a jigsaw begin to cut along the line that you penciled in. Don't press the blade too hard as this will cause it to cut more quickly than you'd like it to. Set the square with a ruler to ensure that you are cutting the material correctly and that the hole is a rectangle shape. When you are satisfied with the result, you can remove the remaining door material.

Draw a Line

The cat flap is a great method to let your pet in and out without worrying about them being in the house with guests or leaving unwanted gifts inside the house. It also reduces drafts and helps keep the temperature of your home steady. However, installing a cat flap in your door can seem like an overwhelming task for those who haven't done it before, which is why many people to seek out a professional joiner or carpenter to do the job. This is an option but you can do it yourself if the tools are right and the steps are adhered to.

While this is much simpler to accomplish when using a timber door it is still possible to do this in uPVC doors - although you must be cautious not to damage the doors, as this can invalidate the warranty. The first step in the process is to measure the door, ensuring that it will accommodate the new cat flap. If you have an ordinary uPVC panel it should be a breeze. However, if your door is made of composite or another kind of door, you may need to be more careful.

The next step is to determine the height of your cat's stomach. This is the measurement from the floor to the underside of the cat's stomach and you will need to locate a place near the door where this measurement will fall within the range your cat can comfortably pass through. Once you have this information, you will need to mark out the area with pencil and a spirit level so that you can be sure that the hole you will create will fit your cat.

After you have marked the area, you're now ready to cut the hole. It is crucial to take your time and use a jigsaw in order to ensure that the cuts are smooth and clean not rough and uneven. This could cause damage to your door. You should also remember to wear safety glasses and cat flap in upvc door panel a dust mask when working with the jigsaw as inhaling the sawdust could be harmful to your health. After you've cut the hole, you will require sandpaper to smooth the edges so that the cat flap in upvc door panel flap can be easily inserted into the hole.

Make a hole

It can be difficult to fit the cat flap onto a door panel or a sealed double glazing unit. You might be tempted to tackle the job yourself, but unless you have plenty of expertise in DIY, it's likely to be best to have an expert to complete the job for you. A botched job may not only be unsightly but it could also be a security risk as well as allowing cold air to enter when the cat is outside and hot air to escape when inside.

The first thing you have to do is mark the position of the hole in the door using pencil and a spirit level, this will ensure that it is correctly positioned and that it runs flush with all other parts of the door. Make sure to have sandpaper to smooth out any rough edges.

Once the line has been drawn, you can cut the hole with a jigsaw. Be sure to wear any necessary safety equipment for working with the power tool. If you're concerned about the noise, you can purchase an electric jigsaw that is more quiet and easy to use.

It is important that you only remove the material needed for the fitment of the cat flap. A small amount of material is required to increase the thickness of the wall of the cat flap itself but removing more than this can cause problems and even harm the frame of the door.

A door made of upvc may contain a metal frame or panel within it which could block the microchip cat flap in this case you'll need to cut an over-sized hole to ensure that the metal does not touch the wall of the cat flap, if this is done, it is important to fill in the oversize gap and make it watertight.

If you are fitting the cat flap onto a upvc door or double glazed windows with a frame made of metal, you will need to speak to a specialist who can provide you with a new glass pane that already has the hole for the cat flap installation in glass doors near me flap premade inside. This will be cheaper than trying to fit a cat flap inside an existing pane that wasn't designed for this purpose.

Install the Flap

Cat flaps let your pet leave and come as they please, giving them the freedom to relax inside the house whenever they want to. However, if you own an uPVC door it can be difficult to put in a cat flap, especially if you don't own a glass pane that can be cut to fit one. Luckily, if you're happy to buy and install a half-glazed replacement uPVC panel then it is possible to fit a cat flap to these doors. It's not as simple as cutting a hole through the door though and there are some things you'll need to take care of first to make sure it's secure.

A composite, uPVC, or GRP door panel is generally comprised of a plastic skin which is bonded to an insulating polystyrene base. The material is fairly fragile and care should be taken when cutting through it to avoid causing damage. This kind of door typically includes a template which you can use as a guide to cut the hole into your door.

Once you've determined the position of the hole in your door, now it's time to install the flap. You can choose from a variety of options, from simple push-button units to ones that are microchip-activated and only let your pet in. Whatever kind of cat flaps you select, it's vital that your cat can utilize the flap with ease without getting stuck in the rain.

A circular fitting cat flap in upvc door panel is better than a square one, as circles can be cut more securely into glass. It's because square holes are more likely to break the glass when they are drilled. This is also a safer option since you don't have to drill into the toughened glass that could break and hurt your pet or your family members. This is especially important if there are elderly or children at home who could be hurt by glass fragments.

Comments