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  • How hard to install dogflap into UPVC/double glazed door?
  • IHN
    Full Member

    We’d like to put a dogflap into the back door so our little furry friend (Nelson) can let himself in and out to patrol the grounds/have a pee/scrounge peanuts under the birdfeeder.

    The flap doesn’t have to be massive as he’s only Jack Russel-sized. However, the back door is a UPVC job, with two double-glazed glass panels. I guess the options are:

    – replace the bottom panel with something ‘solid’ and put the flap in that
    – put the flap in the double glazed unit

    The forst option sounds a lot simpler, how hard is it to replace a panel in one of those doors?

    hammyuk
    Free Member

    Easy enough – you’ll need to know the size of the current glass one and as important – the thickness.
    Then it will either be internally or externally “glazed”.
    In other words which side the locking beads are located.
    Pop them out starting in the centre, change panel, knock strips back in.

    TPTcruiser
    Full Member

    First option is probably the only one. The bottom panel ought to be toughened glass so wouldn’t like being cut.
    You can get flaps tuned to the chip in the cat/dog so it only lets in yours.

    terrahawk
    Free Member

    the bottom pane should be toughened, but if it’s old it could be laminated (a bugger to cut) or 6mm plate (can be cut).
    I’d get a non-glass panel for the bottom pane and stick the flap in that.

    Or rather I wouldn’t, cos we had a catflap once and someone robbed our house, using it as a means of entry.

    terrahawk
    Free Member

    Stupid bloody double-post

    IHN
    Full Member

    In other words which side the locking beads are located.

    What am I looking for to determine that?

    And where can I get replacement (solid) panels from?

    Or rather I wouldn’t, cos we had a catflap once and someone robbed our house, using it as a means of entry.

    Really? Wow. How did they manage that?

    66deg
    Free Member

    You need to know how to toe & heel the panel properly otherwise the door will drop and cease to function.
    Another option is to make a tunnel through the wall , i did this for our cat flap and it was quite easy .We control the in’s and out’s of our JRT and she would be even more bonkers if we didn’t.
    Pics of your JRT are now required in payment for this info. 🙂
    Edit.
    You cutting a glass D/G unit is not possible a new one would have to be made(expensive) 😐

    nemesis
    Free Member

    We just got a new glass panel with hole cut in (and the gap between the two glass panes sealed still). Not cheap though – £190 for a full size door panel.

    IHN
    Full Member

    Pics of your JRT are now required in payment for this info

    My what now?

    66deg
    Free Member

    My what now?

    Dog 😯

    IHN
    Full Member

    Ah, Jack Russell Terrier. Gotcha 😳

    He’s not actually a Jack Russell, he’s a mongrel, but he’s about that big. Not sure I have a photo of him online anywhere…

    IHN
    Full Member

    EDIT – I can’t get Dropbox photos to work

    66deg
    Free Member

    Was he painted by Picasso?

    Edit .
    Joke ruined!!

    IHN
    Full Member

    Eh, did they work? They didn’t appear for me

    IHN
    Full Member

    [Img]https://www.dropbox.com/s/pmmxe7n0wr0t9e8/IMG_20141023_165938.jpg[/img]

    [Img]https://www.dropbox.com/s/5fe4kiaeoqg6nr3/IMG_20141206_213602~3.jpg[/img]

    66deg
    Free Member

    No ,i think you need to upload to a public place before transferring over to here.
    http://postimage.org/

    IHN
    Full Member

    midlifecrashes
    Full Member

    Take the bottom sealed unit out. Measure how wide(thick) it is. Buy one of these.

    ebay upvc solid panel

    Cut and fit the dog flap to it, and install. The panel cuts easily enough with a regular saw.

    Plenty of Youtube videos showing sealed unit removal.
    [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dV862oDMgc[/video]

    stumpy01
    Full Member

    We did this to our backdoor when having all the double glazing in the house replaced earlier this year. Kept the door & frame, but had a new skin put in it that was mainly solid.

    Cut a hole in it for a Sureflap and it’s been fine since.
    Sureflap works on the cat’s microchip so stops unwanted guests (unless they break the locking catch off, I suppose).
    I was going to have a look on their site and see if they did a dog-sized version, but it’s currently being renewed and will be back up on Monday.

    We had to put a small step on the outside.

    scaled
    Free Member

    I did a similar thing with my upvc door and a double glazed, toughened french door. You’re near Manchester now aren’t you?

    I got my replacement unit from Altrincham Glass, they can provide UPVC panels cut to fit or will do you a custom piece of glass with a circular hole cut in to it, then toughen the glass for you.

    Takes a couple of weeks for the glass as the toughening process takes a while.

    IHN
    Full Member

    You’re near Manchester now aren’t you?

    Not any more 🙁 Now in Cirencester

    terrahawk
    Free Member

    Really? Wow. How did they manage that?

    a pole with a hook on the end, some good fishing skillz.

    IHN
    Full Member

    So keeping the key some way away from the door is a good idea then. Noted.

    footflaps
    Full Member

    I removed the lower double glazed panel in the back door and replaced it with a sheet of 8mm Polycarbonate (riot shied stuff) and fitted the cat flap in that.

    [url=https://flic.kr/p/f27BY6]Pet Porte Cat Flap[/url] by brf, on Flickr

    Rubber_Buccaneer
    Full Member

    Can you not put some steps by the door so he can reach the handle?

Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 25 total)

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