Dog Door
Pet lovers now have a new ally: pet door. Installing a pet door (cat or dog door) into your front house door, will ease your life, allowing your pet to go and come when it wants, with no need for you personally to be forced to open the door. This little door allows your pet to get out without help at any time of day or night. Cats and dogs are very intelligent animals and assertive, so no need to worry that they will not find the way to home. They just need a way to access inside the house and nothing else.
Usually, a pet door comes as a kit with all the necessary hardware. In this kit is included a frame that can be installed over the hole cut into your front door. Of course, models and types vary widely, but in principle, the system is everywhere the same. Such a door is actually a flap-hinged door that is mounted at the entrance of the house. Your pet will push up this flap in its way out, and the flap will automatically swing back into its place once your little quadruped friend is through. This device is generally, found in any pet shop or hardware store in a wide range of shapes, sizes and colors, depending on your pet (cat or dog).
The installation is not difficult and you can do it yourself with some common hand tools.
Materials & Tools
- Pet Door Kit; Level; Pencil; Masking Tape; Metal File;
- Jig Saw; Drill; Drill Bits; Wrench; Hacksaw.
1| So the first thing you must consider is the size of the animal. Make sure that it fits the body relatively easily by opening the door. Measure your pet size, especially its height. The bottom of the pet door should be two inches below the animal’s chest. Make a sign with your pencil at this height in the middle of your wooden front door.
NOTE: If your pet door is installed on a wood door with a panel, set the pet door bottom several inches over the rail at the bottom of your wood door.
2| Place the template bottom that came with the kit with its center to the front door at the mark made by you. However, make sure the template is level. Trace the inside outline of this template and then remove it from your front door.
Cat Door
3| Take your drill and make ½-inch holes in all the four corners of the contour made by you. Make sure the holes do not go outside of the lines. Use a jigsaw and carefully cut along the outline.
4| Nest step is the installation of the inside frame of the pet door over the created hole. Use your level, square it, and then tape it in its place. Make the marks for the boltholes and remove the inside frame. Use a drill bit slightly bigger than the bolts, and drill the holes.
5| Finally, install the pet door-frame. Place the bolts through the holes. Place the outside door-frame over the door bolts and secure it using a wrench. Cut off the door bolts, which protrudes past the nuts. Use a hacksaw to do that. Now the door is ready to be used by your little friend.
