Fitting Cat Flap in UPVC Door Panel

Cat flaps allow your pet leave and come as they please without you having to let them in or out. They also help prevent your cat from toileting in the house.
Installing a cat flap on a door panel made of Upvc is much easier than in glass doors, however it does require some skills and the right tools.
Take a measurement of the door
Fitting a cat flap in the door isn't easy however, as long as you use the correct type of cat flap make sure you take your time and follow the instructions provided it shouldn't be too difficult. We will demonstrate how to draw the shape and then use an jigsaw to cut the door area. Then we'll complete the job by attaching the cat flap. This will ensure that the flap remains in place and shields the doors from the damage caused by wind and rain.
Read the Full Article need to do is determine the width of your pet to get an accurate measurement of what size of cat flap you'll require. This will ensure that the flap is big enough to allow your pet to enter and leave the house without needing to open and close the door every time, but it is also small enough to keep them from going too far either way.
If your kit comes with a drawing showing where to drill, then place it on the door, and then draw a pencil around it. If your door has a sill or moulding on the bottom edge ensure that you have enough clearance from these to keep your cat safe and will prevent them from getting access to your home.
Then put on your eye protection as well as a dust mask, and using a jigsaw start cutting along the line you've drawn in. Don't press the blade too hard, as this could cause it to cut more quickly than you'd like it to. If you own a square that you have cut, use it to check whether you're cutting in the right way and to make sure the hole is a proper rectangle. 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 method to let your pet in and out without having to worry about them coming in with a visitor, or leaving unwanted gifts inside the house. It also reduces drafts and helps keep the temperature of your home in a stable manner. The installation of a cat flap your door may seem daunting to those who haven't tried it before. Many people call an expert carpenter or joiner to complete the job. This is an option but you can do it yourself if the tools are in order and the instructions are followed.
While this is far simpler to accomplish with a timber door, it is still possible to do this in uPVC doors - although you must be careful not to scratch the doors as this will end the warranty. First, you must take measurements of the door to make sure it will accommodate the new cat-flap. This should be simple enough for the standard uPVC door, but you might need to take more care if using a composite or other type of door since these can be more difficult to cut than solid uPVC panels.
Next, you will need to determine the belly height of your cat. This is the distance between the floor and the bottom of your cat's stomach. You'll need to locate an area at the entrance that allows your cat to move through easily. Once you know this, you will need to mark out the area with pencil and a spirit level to be sure that the hole you will make will be a good fit for your cat.
Once you have marked out the area, it is time to cut the hole. You will require the jigsaw, and it is crucial to be patient to ensure that the cuts are clean and smooth instead of uneven and rough, since it could cause damage to your door. Wear safety glasses and a dust mask while working with a Jigsaw. Inhaling sawdust can be harmful for your health. After you have finished cutting the hole, you will need sandpaper to smooth the edges so that the cat flap is easily fitted into place.
Cut a Hole
The process of fitting a cat flap into an existing door panel or double glazing sealed unit is quite difficult. If you're not proficient in DIY, it is recommended to hire a professional to do the job for you. A shoddy job might not only look ugly, but it could also be an enigma for security as well as allowing cold air to get in when the cat is outside, and hot air to escape inside.
The first thing you have to do is draw the position of the hole in the door using an eraser and a spirit level, this will ensure that it is placed and runs parallel to other parts of the door. Make sure you have some sandpaper on ready for any rough edges.
Wear any safety equipment you require when working with an electric tool. If you're worried about noise, you can get a cordless jigsaw which is quieter and more user-friendly.
It is best to only remove the material that is required to make the cat flap. A small amount of material is required to increase the thickness of the the flap but removing more than that can cause problems or harm the frame of the door.
A door made of upvc could contain a metal frame or panel that could interfere with the microchip cat flap, and if this is the case, you'll need to make an oversize hole so that the metal does not touch the wall of the cat flap. If this is the case, it is important to fill in the oversize gap and seal it with water.
If you're installing a cat flap into a upvc door or double-glazed window with a metal frame then you'll need to talk to a specialist who can provide you with a brand new pane of glass with the hole for the cat flap already drilled inside. This will be less expensive than trying to fit the flap into an existing pane of glass that was not made specifically for this purpose.
Install the Flap
Cat flaps allow your pet to move around at their own pace, giving them the freedom to lounge in the home whenever they're feeling like it. If you have an uPVC front door, it may be difficult to put in a cat flap. This is particularly true in the event that you don't own glass panels that can be cut. If you are willing to install a half-glazed uPVC replacement panel, it's possible to install an additional cat flap. It's not as easy as making a hole in the door, however there are a few things you'll need to do first to ensure that it's safe.
A composite, uPVC, or GRP door panel usually has an extremely thin plastic outer skin joined to a soft insulating polystyrene core. The material is fairly fragile and care should be taken when cutting through it to avoid damaging. This kind door has a template you can use to cut the hole.
After you've marked the location of the hole in your door, it's now time to fit the cat flap. You can pick from a range of designs, from simple push-button models to ones that are microchip-activated and allow only your pet to enter. Whatever type of cat flaps you select it's essential that your cat can utilize the flap with ease without getting caught in the rain.
It is a good idea to select circular fittings instead of one that is square, because circles are more securely cut into the door glass. This is because square holes are more likely to break the glass when they are drilled. It's also a safer choice to use since you're not putting yourself at risk by drilling into toughened glass that might break and cause injury to your pet or your family. This is especially crucial if you have elderly or children in your home who could be hurt by glass fragments.