Fitting Cat Flap in UPVC Door Panel
Cat flaps allow your pet to go inside and out at their own pace, without having to let them in or out. They also prevent your cat from peeing in the house.
Fitting a cat flap in a upvc door panel is much easier than in glass doors, however it does require some skills and the right tools.
Take a measurement of the door
The installation of a cat flap inside a door can be tricky but if you select the right kind of cat flap make sure you take your time and follow the steps provided it shouldn't be too much trouble. We will show you how to draw the shape, use a jigsaw to cut out the door's area and then finish off the job by securing the flap to the door. This will ensure that the flap stays in position and shields the doors from the damage caused by rain and wind.
The first thing you need to do is take a measurement of the width of your pet in order to get a precise measurement of what size of cat flap you'll require. This will ensure that the flap is big enough that your pet can enter and leave the house without needing to open and close the door every time, yet small enough to prevent the pet from straying too far in either direction.
If your kit has an illustration of the location to drill then you can put it on the door, and then draw around it. If cat flap fitting near me has sill or moulding along the bottom edge of it then make sure you have enough clearance from these as this will keep your cat safe and prevent them gaining access to your home.
Use a set square to ensure that you're cutting correctly and to ensure the hole is a perfect rectangle shape. Once you are happy with this, you are able to begin to remove the remaining door material. If you have a square that you have cut, make use of it to verify whether you're cutting in the right way and also to ensure that the hole is a proper rectangle shape, once you are happy with this you can begin to remove the rest of the door material.
Draw a Line
The cat flap lets you to let your pet inside and outside without having to worry about unwanted visitors or unwanted gifts. It also helps prevent draughts and helps keep your home's temperature in check. Installing a cat flap on your door may seem daunting to those who haven't done it before. Many people call a professional carpenter or joiner to do the work. While this is certainly an option, it's possible to complete the task yourself if you own the appropriate tools and follow the instructions with care.
It is much easier to do on wooden doors, but it is possible with uPVC. However it is important to be cautious not to harm the doors since this could cause the door to be damaged and invalidate your warranty. The first step is to measure the door and ensure that it can fit the new cat flap. If you have an ordinary uPVC panel it should be a breeze. However in the case of composite or another type of door, you may need to be more careful.
The next step is to determine the belly height of your cat. This is the distance from the floor to the underside of the cat's stomach, and you'll need locate a place on the door where this measurement is within the range that your cat can comfortably pass through. Once you know this then you have to draw the area using an eraser and a spirit level so that you can be certain that the hole you will create will fit your cat.
Once you have marked out the area, it's time to cut out the hole. It is essential to be patient and use a jigsaw to ensure the cuts are clean and smooth not rough and uneven. This could cause damage to your door. Wear safety glasses and a dust mask when working with a jigsaw. Inhaling sawdust is dangerous for your health. After you've cut the hole, you'll need sandpaper to smooth the edges so that the cat flap can be easily inserted into the hole.
Cut a hole
Installing a cat flap to an existing door panel or double glazing sealed unit can be difficult. If you are not very skilled in DIY, it's best to employ a professional to complete the work for you. A faulty job can not only be ugly and unattractive, but could also be security risks. It could let cold air to enter when the cat is outside and hot air out when the cat is inside.
The first thing to do is mark out the location of the hole in the door using pencil and a spirit level. This will ensure that it is located and is in a straight line with the other components of the door. Make sure you have sandpaper on hand to smooth any rough edges.
Wear any safety equipment you need to work with a power tool. If you're worried about the noise, you can buy a cordless jigsaw which is more quiet and easy to use.
You should only remove the material that is required to fit the flap. A small amount of material is required to increase the thickness of the wall of the flap, but cutting off more than this could cause issues and harm the frame of the door.
A door made of upvc could contain a metal frame or panel within it which could block the microchip cat flap and if this is the case, you'll need to cut an oversize hole so that the metal does not come into contact with the the cat flap. If this is the case, it is crucial to fill in the gap and make it watertight.
If you're looking to install a cat flap inside a upvc or double-glazed window with metal frames, you'll need to consult an expert. They will offer you a brand new piece of glass with the hole already pre-made for the cat flap. It is cheaper to get this done rather than trying to fix a cat flap into an existing glass pane that hasn't been designed specifically for this purpose.
Install the Flap
Cat flaps let your pet come and go at their own pace, giving them the freedom to lounge inside the house when they feel like it. If you have a uPVC front door, it might be hard to install a cat flap. This is particularly true in the event that you don't own glass panels which can be cut. If you're able to buy and install a half-glazed replacement uPVC panel then it is possible to install an animal flap onto these doors. It's not as easy 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 safe.
A uPVC, GRP or composite door panel is typically made up of an flimsy plastic outer layer joined to a soft insulating polystyrene core. It is essential to be careful when cutting the material. This type of door usually has a template that you can use as a reference for cutting the hole in your door.
After you've marked the location of the hole in your door, it's time to install the flap itself. You can choose from a range of models, ranging from simple push-button models to ones that are microchip-activated and only let your pet in. But, regardless of the kind of cat flap you pick, it's important to make sure that your cat is able to use the flap and not get stuck outside in the rain.
It's a good idea to choose circular fittings instead of a square one, as circles can be more securely cut into the door glass. It's because square holes are more likely to break the glass when they're drilled. It's also a safer option to use as you're not at risk of drilling into toughened glass that could shatter and injure your pet or your family. This is especially important if you have child or an elderly person living in your home who may be injured by shards of glass.