PVC Door Panel (cat flap)

Mint_Sauce · 12 Apr 2017 at 13:03

Ok, so this is going in to the realms of the mundane but we wanted to know if it's possible to swap out a panel in a door to put in another panel with cat flap. I'm getting bored of constantly getting up and opening the door to let the two of them in and out!

Not sure if it's possible, but it looks like the panel may be removable. I'd like to swap it over while we're here then put the plain panel back in when we move. Is this possible? I thought of all the places, OcUK is the place where someone will actually know!

Door pics! https://goo.gl/photos/uN51sfHeEkqNM3XN9 (the black lining feels like firm rubber)

McGray · 12 Apr 2017 at 13:12

Yes.

We had someone local come out and replace with a new panel with cat flap.

Get one of the flaps that registers your cat by it's chip so you don't get other neighbourhood moggies wandering in and ******* everywhere.

jonessa · 12 Apr 2017 at 13:20

Yeah, that'll be an easy job mate.

The seals should pop and the whole panel should come out. Get a sureflap microchip cat flap - very good!

Mint_Sauce · 12 Apr 2017 at 13:20

How much I should I pay for a new panel? Can I get it myself or better to just get someone out to swap it over?

We had a chip reading one before but had to leave it in the door when we left. It wasn't cheap either!

ubern00b · 12 Apr 2017 at 13:27

Yup this is what I did in my old rental property. It had a full length double glazed window in it that I replaced with uPVC and put a SureFlap in that. Simply replaced the double glazing panel when I moved out. In my new house the door has an upper and lower panel so I just cut the existing uPVC panel I had down to size and put it in place in the lower panel. The sides where the black rubber is should come off from the inside of the door with a flat head screwdriver and a little force.

I got a full length panel from eBay for £60 but you only need a half one so will be less. Make sure you get the right thickness panel too so that it fits in your door.

Just realised I actually have the other half of the panel still that you would be welcome to have but you are a little far away to make that feasible

enigma27 · 12 Apr 2017 at 14:10

Dont understand why you need to buy a new panel..

Just pop the old one out cut out a hole and insert cat flap.. I have done it with two doors in our new house. takes 15 mins tops.

P.S this should be in house and garden

Werewolf · 12 Apr 2017 at 14:19

enigma27 said:
Dont understand why you need to buy a new panel..

Just pop the old one out cut out a hole and insert cat flap.. I have done it with two doors in our new house. takes 15 mins tops.

P.S this should be in house and garden

If you rent buying a panel means that the door can be returned to it's original state in minutes.

Mark A · 12 Apr 2017 at 14:20

Mint_Sauce said:
How much I should I pay for a new panel? Can I get it myself or better to just get someone out to swap it over?

We had a chip reading one before but had to leave it in the door when we left. It wasn't cheap either!

You'll save a bunch of cash if you do it yourself, it's very easy to do.

Just pop the beads out with a sharp chisel, or a sharp wallpaper scraper. Start in the middle and carefully press the blade in the gap and then lever it gently and it should pop out. Then you just work your way along until the whole bead comes out. If you can do this then the rest is just a case of measuring and cutting the panel.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/White-UPV...hash=item35e650f130:m:mo-5bb4FLQur_Frcmdx4Lbg

This is just one seller I found with a quick search to give an idea of cost, but you might find them cheaper, or even a local place will beat the price and save delivery. You just need to find out the thickness of your current panel (it'll most likely be 28mm if its a modern door) and a rough size, then order a panel thats larger. Make sure its reinforced and not the cheaper solid foam cores. Then when it arrives its just a case of removing the old panel and cutting the new one to size with a hand saw and then cutting out the hole for the cat flap. Probably a 1-2h job at most i'd say.

Dont understand why you need to buy a new panel..

Its a raised panel and it doesnt look like there would be room for a catflap in the middle flat bit.

Mint_Sauce · 12 Apr 2017 at 15:05

Great, thanks everyone. I quickly popped the old panel out, measured it up and I've ordered a new panel (they actually pre-cut if you ask, so they will be cutting it to size).

I've also managed to get a new Sureflap with microchip reader and curfew modes for £22 ( http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112336354335?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT ), paid by Paypal as it's most likely a scam.

I've installed one of these Sureflaps before so hopefully it will be a ~40 minute job when everything is here. I'm getting another panel as it's a rented place, I can swap it back to original in no time when we leave.

Thanks again!

andicole0 · 12 Apr 2017 at 15:12

£22 delivered from the US? Wow that looks too good to be true.
Andi.

Mint_Sauce · 12 Apr 2017 at 15:13

andicole0 said:
£22 delivered from the US? Wow that looks too good to be true.
Andi.

Yeah, it's almost certainly a scam but I'm in no rush.

Kronos · 12 Apr 2017 at 17:54

I bought the Sureflap cat door as my Millie is a bit of a beast. Installed myself on my solid wood front door and although it should have been pretty straightforward with pilot hole and jig saw I found that the template supplied with the door gave very little clearance which was silly as the hole could have been a fair bit bigger given the way that the front and back of the flap join. And trimming a solid wood door of a few more mil is not funny.

then it took about three days to teach her what it was for but she is quite happy to peer through hoping to catch my eye whereupon I will of course open the door for her ladyship after all what are butlers for?

ubern00b · 13 Apr 2017 at 09:54

Well, I'm not all that impressed with the SureFlap. Maybe I should have done more research or something but of all the videos I watched and literature I read it wasn't blindingly obvious to me. The SureFlap is a one way only mechanism. Meaning, it will allow ANY animal to exit your house but only your animals to enter. I have just moved house and wanted to allow my dog out whilst keeping the cats in. Can't do it. Bah

Kronos · 13 Apr 2017 at 10:40

ubern00b said:
Well, I'm not all that impressed with the SureFlap. Maybe I should have done more research or something but of all the videos I watched and literature I read it wasn't blindingly obvious to me. The SureFlap is a one way only mechanism. Meaning, it will allow ANY animal to exit your house but only your animals to enter. I have just moved house and wanted to allow my dog out whilst keeping the cats in. Can't do it. Bah

Should have got the DualScan™ Microchip Cat Door https://www.sureflap.co.uk/en-gb/pet-doors/dualscan-microchip-cat-flap

ubern00b · 13 Apr 2017 at 11:23

Gah! Yes, that is exactly what I should have got. Nevermind, only need to keep the cats in another week and they can go out.

Mint_Sauce · 13 Apr 2017 at 12:49

Can you mount it the other way around? I guess you'd have to be wary about other cats entering but it would stop yours from getting out.

Kronos · 13 Apr 2017 at 12:56

Certainly could mount it the other way round but then the dog would not get out. I have never had another cat come though though one did peer through one early morning. I have seen this cat out all the time and though it looked well fed and in good shape I felt a little concerned but it may just be that he likes to wander, I had a black cat that did that so although I left food out I let it go, I don't think any of the food went either.

Mint_Sauce · 13 Apr 2017 at 13:12

The dog could get out with his chip though? Or if he's not chipped then use a tag on his collar (they put two in the box I think) to enable him to get out but not the cats.

ubern00b · 13 Apr 2017 at 15:31

Turning it round is an option but then the bits that screw into the door panel etc are on the outside, making it super easy for a potential intruder to dismantle and gain access. Unlikely to happen but then I am out of the house 8am-6pm during week days so given enough time anything is possible.

Storm in a tea cup anyway, the cats are free to roam after their 2-3 week "staying in period". I was just disappointed when I discovered this fact that's all!