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Fitting Cat Flap in UPVC Door Panel
Cat flaps allow your pet to go inside and out whenever they want without having to let them in or out. They also prevent your cat from peeing in the home.

Fitting a cat flap in the door panel made of upvc is much simpler than installing one in a glass door, but it does require some skills and the right tools.

Take a measurement of the door

Installing a cat door into a front door could be difficult however, so long as the cat flap is the right type and you follow the guidelines, it shouldn't be too difficult. We will show you how to draw the shape, then use an jigsaw for cutting out the door's area and then finish the job by securing the flap to the door. This will ensure that the flap is in place and protects the doors from damage caused by wind and rain.

To determine the size of the cat flap you require, measure your pet's width. This will ensure that the flap is large enough to allow your pet to leave and enter the home without having to open and close the door each time, yet small enough to prevent the pet from straying too far in either direction.

Once cat flaps for french doors have the measurements, you can mark the area on the door where the template should be placed. usually, this is done using an X, but some kits come with a drawing that shows where to drill, if yours does then stick it to the door and draw a line around it. If your door has a sill or moulding on the bottom edge of it then make sure you have clearance from these as this will keep your cat safe and stop them from gaining access to your home.


Next put on through wall cat flap as well as a dust mask, and using a jigsaw, begin to cut according to the lines you've drawn in, don't try to push the blade too hard because this will cause it to cut more quickly than you want it to. Set the square with a ruler to ensure that you're cutting the material properly and that the hole is a rectangle shape. When you are satisfied with the final result, you can remove the remaining door material.

Draw a Line

The cat flap allows you to let your pet in and outside without worrying about unwanted visitors or unwelcome gifts. It also reduces drafts and helps to 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 done it before. Many people will call a professional carpenter or joiner to do the job. This is an option but you can do it yourself, provided the tools are in order and the directions are adhered to.

It is much easier to do on doors made of wood, however it is possible with uPVC. However, you must be careful not to scratch the doors since this could invalidate your guarantee. First, you need to examine the door's measurements to ensure it will accommodate the new cat-flap. If you have an ordinary uPVC panel it's easy. However, if your door is composite or another type of door, you may need to be more careful.

The next step is to determine the height of your belly for your cat. This is the height from the floor to the lower part of the cat's stomach, and you'll need locate a place on the door where this measurement will fall within the range your pet can comfortably go through. Once you have this information you'll be required to mark the area using pencil and a spirit level to ensure that the hole you make will be a good fit for your cat.

Once you've marked the area, it's time to cut the hole. You will need a jigsaw and it is crucial to take your time to ensure that the cuts are clean and smooth, rather than rough and uneven, as it could cause damage to your door. Wear safety glasses and a dust mask when using the Jigsaw. Inhaling sawdust is dangerous for your health. After you have finished cutting the hole, you'll require sandpaper to smooth the edges so that the cat flap is easily fitted into place.

Cut a hole

It isn't easy to put the cat flap onto a door panel or a sealed double glazing unit. It is tempting to tackle the task yourself, but unless you have expertise in DIY, it's likely to be best to have a professional to do the task for you. A faulty job can not only be ugly, but also pose an security risk. It could let cold air to enter when the cat is outdoors and hot air out when the cat is inside.

The first thing to do is mark out the position of the hole in the door with an eraser and a spirit level, this will ensure that it is properly located and is parallel to the other parts of the door. Make sure you have some sandpaper on the ready for any rough edges.

Wear any safety equipment you need to work with the power tool. If you're worried about noise, you can purchase an electric jigsaw that is quieter and more user-friendly.

It is crucial to only remove the material required to make the cat flap. A little bit of extra material will be needed to cover the thickness of the wall of the cat flap itself but removing more than this can cause problems or damage the doors frame.

A door made of upvc may contain a metal frame or a panel inside that could interfere with the microchip cat flap and in this case you'll need to make an oversize hole so that the metal does not come into contact with the wall of the cat flap, if this is done it is crucial to fill in the gap and seal it with water.

If you are fitting the cat flap onto the frame of a double glazed window with a metal frame then you'll need to speak to a professional who can provide you with a brand new pane of glass that already has the hole for the cat flap already drilled in it. It will be much cheaper to have this done than trying to fix a cat flap into an existing pane of glass that hasn't been designed specifically for the purpose.

Install the Flap

Cat flaps allow your pet the freedom to come and go whenever they want and allow them to be comfortable in the home whenever they want to. However, if you have an uPVC door, it may be difficult to fit an animal flap, especially if you don't own glass panes that can be cut to fit one. If you're willing to buy and install a replacement half-glazed uPVC panel, then it's possible to install a cat flap to the doors. It's not as simple as cutting a hole through the door, however there are some 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 bonded to a soft insulating polystyrene core. The material is extremely fragile and care must be taken when cutting through it to avoid causing damage. This type of door usually has a template which you can use as a reference for cutting the hole in the door.

After you have marked out the hole in your front door, it is time to install the cat flap. You can buy and fit various models, from basic push-button operated ones to microchip-activated ones that allow only your pet. However, regardless of what type of cat flap you choose it is essential to ensure that your cat is able to use the flap and not get trapped in the weather.

A circular fitting is better than a square because circles can be cut more securely into glass. This is because square holes can make glass more vulnerable to cracking when drilling is applied to it. It's also a much safer option as you're not at risk of having to drill into toughened glass that could shatter and cause injury to your pet or family members. This is particularly crucial if you have a child or elderly person in your home who could be injured by shards glass.

Read More: https://www.openlearning.com/u/gamblebrask-smhoy6/blog/GetAUpvcDoorPanelWithCatFlapFitted