Cat flap in pine door - Woodworking Talk

The Mind Train · 04-12-2009, 06:21 AM

Hi guys

I am having a lot of work done to the house right now to give me a new and separate consulting room for my Hypnotherapy practice.

As part of that work I have had several new internal knotty-pine doors fitted. I would like to put cat-flaps in the bottom panels but dont want to use cheap plastic ones and so far I have not found any wooden or wood-effect products in the UK.

I am going to have to make them myself so I wondered if any of you guys have any advice or plans? The flaps dont have to be lockable as they are internal doors.

I have attached some pics of the raised panel detail of one of the doors. I have not yet sanded or sealed them hence the tatty look.

Thanks
Bob

firefighteremt153 · 04-12-2009, 07:13 AM

I made one for my dog but its not out of wood. What i did was cut the appropriate size hole in my door and i got a piece of 1/4" rubber that fits inside the hole. i attached the rubber at the top of the door and on the bottom i attached a chrome bar and on the bottom of the hole i cut some mortises and glued in some magnets. It really works well but like i said it's not wood.

Just Bill · 04-12-2009, 08:59 AM

Not a big fan of pet doors, since anything can go in/out of them, not just the pets. Ever had a skunk loose in the house??? But my recommendation would be to trim out the molding on the one side of the door, and remove the panel. Then fab a panel with the pet door included to fit the space. That way, the door can be returned to normal if/when needed.

The Mind Train · 04-13-2009, 08:50 AM

Thanks guys

The rubber idea sounds great although I want something that blends in with the doors. I like the idea of removing a panel and making a new one with a flap in as that would get round the problem of fitting a frame to the rounded depressions on the edges of the existing raised panels. I cant quite picture how I am going to form hinges yet so any further ideas welcome.

Hey Bill, scary moment getting a skunk in the kitchen, hope you had good air-freshener

- luckily we don't have those in the UK although I do know people who have had squirrels running riot in the house.

phinds · 04-13-2009, 09:08 AM

If you do go with a solid wood hinged panel I recommend painted or even veneered balsa wood unless you've got a pretty hefty cat. The rubber is a better idea.

LarrySch · 04-13-2009, 10:14 AM

Bob - I am not sure this would work for you but for our dog and cat - instead of going through the door - we made the opening in the wall. I figured that if we moved or the little critters passes away and we did not get anymore animals - it would be easier to fix the wall than the door. I used a commercial dog door - metal with a heavy rubber flap - framed the opening out - inserted the dog door into the middle of the wall and then framed around the metal dog door. Looks very professional and does not distract from the wall itself. Plus with the removal of a few screws - the flap can be replaced if needed. This would be less expensive patching this hole - rather than having to replace a door. After 3 years - dog passed on but the cat is still using the door and the flap is still working great. (bye the bye - get an expensive animal door - it is very well worth the value.) On another note - we installed a dog door in the door for my son - his dog - a golden lab - made short order of the door going in and out - as when excited the dog did not hit the door squarely to make his exit and entrance - so after replacing the door - we did the same for him and the door went into the wall - no problem now.

The Mind Train · 04-13-2009, 06:41 PM

Interesting idea about the walls. They are certainly easier to fix than doors and dont need fully replacing. The doors I need to sort out are all internal. I have a commercial, lockable, flap in the external door and it works fine.

I think I am beginning to form an amalgam of some of your ideas. I am coming round to thinking I need to remove the existing raised panel by easing out the beads and then replace it with suitable size ply panel with a hole cut for pussy access. Then a variation on the rubber idea - hang a small fabric curtain over the hole or possibly go for the balsa panel idea. The raised panel can then be refitted if I ever want to re-instate the door to original condition.

Thanks guys
Bob

pjl · 05-19-2009, 12:37 AM

Hi Bob
I did the same project for my aunt, by making one of the lower panels swing. With a thin blade in a jig saw, I cut the panel were it meets the molding on both sides and the bottom. Then push the bottom out enought to clear and pull down. Then cut a piece of wood that will fill the top slot that the panel came out of. Next trim the top of the panel so it will have the same gap as the sides and bottom. I used two small hinges tie the panel and filler strip together, then slip the filler strip up into the top and hold it with a little glue or small brads. This has been working very well for her for many years and is almost invisible, good luck
Paul

The Mind Train · 05-19-2009, 04:34 AM

Thanks Paul - excellent idea. It was the hinging arrangement that I was stuck on. Not done anything about the flaps yet because the weather is still mild and the doors can be left open but it will definitely have to be done before winter.
Bob

mikeswoods · 05-19-2009, 07:53 AM

Going through the wall is a fine way to go.I've done it a few times.Looks nice ,few people even notice .In twenty odd years that I've had my hole only two people have commented. MIKE

The Mind Train · 05-20-2009, 05:41 AM

Going through the wall is not so easy in the UK. Whereas in the USA buildings are largely wood framed, in the UK we tend more to have cavity walls with hard brick on the outside and breeze-block (cinder-block) on the inside and some form of insulation in between - which is how my house is constructed. So less of a woodworking job more of a masonry job. It can be done of course, but in my house there is very little of the wall exposed on the inside with kitchen units and so forth on the walls so, realistically, I am left with the option of the doors.