Fitting Cat Flap In UPVC Door Panel

Cat flaps let your pet move around at their own pace without you needing to let them in or out. They can also help prevent your cat from peeing in the house.

Fitting a cat flap in the door panel made of upvc is much easier than in glass doors, however it requires some knowledge and the appropriate tools.

Take a measurement of the door

Fitting a cat flap in a door can be tricky but if you use the correct type of cat flap be patient and follow the instructions provided it shouldn't be too difficult. We will show you how to mark the shape and use an jigsaw to cut the door area. Then we'll complete the job by attaching the flap. This will ensure the flap remains in place and also protects the doors from damage caused by wind and rain.

The first step is measure the width of your pet in order to get a precise measurement of what size of cat flap you'll need. This will allow you to choose a cat flap insulation flap that is large enough for your pet to enter the house and exit without needing to open the back door with cat flap fitted every time.

If your kit comes with an illustration of where to drill, you can stick it on the door and then draw around it. If your door has sill or moulding along the bottom edge of it ensure you have enough space to keep your cat flap installer safe and prevent them gaining access to your home.

Then put on your eye protection and a dust mask, and using a jigsaw begin to cut along the line that you penciled in, don't try to press the blade too hard because this could cause it to cut faster than you want it to. If you have a set square then use it to check whether you're cutting in the right way and to make sure the hole is a proper rectangle shape, once you are satisfied with this you can begin to remove the rest of the door material.

Draw a Line

The cat flap is a great way to allow your pet to go in and out without worrying about them being a nuisance to guests or leaving unwelcome gifts in the home. It also reduces drafts and helps keep the temperature inside your home in a stable manner. Fitting a cat flap to your door may seem daunting to those who haven't done it before. Many people will call a professional carpenter or joiner to complete the work. It is an option, but you can do it yourself if the tools are in order and the steps are adhered to.

While this is far simpler to accomplish when using a timber door it is still possible in uPVC doors, but you must be careful not to scratch the doors as this will invalidate your warranty. The first step in the process is to take measurements of the door, making sure that it can accommodate the new cat flap. If you have an ordinary upvc door panel replacement cat flap panel it should be a breeze. However, if your door is made of composite or another kind of door, you may have to be more cautious.

The next step is to determine the height of your belly for your cat. This is the distance from the floor to the underside of the cat's stomach, and you will need to find a spot in the door where this measurement is within the range your pet can comfortably go through. Once you have the information you'll need to mark the area with a spirit-level and a pencil so you are certain that the opening will fit your cat.

After you have marked the area, it's time to cut the hole. It is important to take your time and use a jigsaw in order to ensure that the cuts are smooth and clean not uneven and rough. This could damage your door. You should also remember to wear safety glasses and a dust mask when working with the jigsaw as breathing in the dust can be dangerous to your health. After you have finished cutting the hole, you will require sandpaper for smoothing the edges so that the cat flap is easily fitted into place.

Cut a hole

The process of fitting a cat flap to an existing door panel or double glazing sealed unit can be quite difficult. You may be tempted to do it yourself, but unless you have experience with DIY, it's likely to be best to have a professional to do the task for you. A botched job may not only look ugly, but also an issue for security as well as allowing cold air to enter when the cat is outside, and hot air to escape once inside.

The hole's location should be marked on the door with the help of a pencil and a spirit level. This will ensure it is positioned correctly and runs flush with the door's other parts. Make sure you have some sandpaper on hand to smooth any rough edges.

Once the line has been traced, you must cut the hole using the jigsaw. Remember to wear any safety gear for working with the power tool. If you're concerned about the noise, you can get an electric jigsaw that is more quiet and easy to use.

It is best to only remove the material that is required to create the flap. A little bit of extra material will be needed to cover the thickness of the the flap but cutting off more than this can cause problems or damage the doors frame.

If the upvc door has a metal panel or frame, it may interfere with the microchip flap. In this scenario you'll need create an over-sized hole to ensure that the metal doesn't touch the wall of the flap.

If you want to install a cat flap inside a upvc or double-glazed window with metal frames it is necessary to speak with a specialist. They will provide you with a brand new piece of glass with the hole that is already designed for the cat flap. It is much less expensive to get this done rather than trying to fix the cat flap onto an existing pane of glass that was not designed specifically for this purpose.

Install the Flap

Cat flaps allow your pet to come and go whenever they want, allowing them the freedom to lounge in the home whenever they want to. However, if you have a uPVC door, it may be difficult to fit an animal flap, especially in the absence of a glass pane that can be cut for one. Luckily, if you're happy to purchase and install a new half-glazed uPVC panel, it's possible to fit a cat flap to these doors. It's not as simple as making a hole in the door though and there are a few things you'll need to take care of first to ensure that it's safe.

A composite, uPVC, or GRP door panel is typically made up of a flimsy plastic outer skin that is bonded to a soft, polystyrene core that is insulating. The material is quite fragile and care must be taken when cutting through it to avoid causing damage. This type of door typically has a template that you can use as a reference to cut the hole into your door.

Once you've determined the position of the hole in your door, it's now time to fit the cat flap itself. You can choose from a range of designs, from simple push-button flaps to microchip-activated ones that allow your pet in. Whatever kind of cat flaps you select, it's vital that your cat is able to utilize the flap with ease without getting stuck outside in bad weather.

It is a good idea to opt for circular fittings instead of a square one, as circles are more securely cut into the door glass. This is because square holes are more likely to crack the glass when drilled. This is also a safer choice because you won't need to drill into the toughened glass, which could break and hurt your pet or family members. This is particularly important if you have child or an elderly person living at home who could be hurt by shards of glass.