How to Install a Pet Door or Dog Door
Get the necessary tools and pet door parts of the appropriate size., Trace the template onto the door., Drill a hole at each corner., Insert your jigsaw in the lower left corner., Continue cutting out the outline., Sandwich the two halves of the pet...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get the necessary tools and pet door parts of the appropriate size.
Pet doors are sold at most retail outlets of a variety of sizes to accommodate for different animals and different door spaces.
Typically, they'll be relatively simple to install, made up of only a few parts and a paper of plastic template to mark the hole you'll cut through the door.
Other than the pet door kit itself, to do the job properly you'll also need:
Carpenter's level Pencil or Sharpie marker Drill and half-inch drill bit Jigsaw Screwdriver Masking tape -
Step 2: Trace the template onto the door.
Decide where on the door you'd like the opening to be and attach the template to the door in that location.
It needs to be low enough to the ground that the animal can get through it, so shorter than the pet's legs.
For the most part, pet doors will be low and to the side opposite the door handle, though it depends largely on what's on the other side of the door and how you want the pet door to look.
Use masking tape to attach the template to the door in the desired location, using your level to make sure the door is oriented straight and flush with the rest of the door.
Use your pencil or marker to trace around the template to create the shape that you'll cut out to make room for the door.
Remove the template and discard it. , To get your cut started, drill completely through the door at each corner of the outline, using a half-inch drill bit.
You want the hole to be big enough to maneuver your jigsaw through and cut out the space you outlined with the template.
In some cases, you may have to remove the door entirely from the hinge to cut through it properly, depending on the space and the maneuverability you need.
If so, you'll have to remove the hinges from the door and lay it out on some sawhorses, probably, to make the cut.
Most of the time, you should be able to leave the door on the hinges. , If you're right-handed, the easiest way to make the cut is usually to start in the bottom left and work counter-clockwise, going from your drill-hole to drill-hole.
Insert the jigsaw in the bottom left hole and turn it on.
Start making your cut across the bottom, going slowly and as smoothly as possible, from the left to the right.
Don't slow down so much you start to scorch the wood.
Keep it moving at a comfortable pace, but don't go so fast you bog down the motor.
Let the saw do the work. , Continue cutting until you get to the next hole you drilled in the bottom right corner.
Turn your saw up and cut vertically, then cut back across to the left and down until you've removed the wood in the outline.
With the right tool, it should be a snap and you should be left with a nice, neat, clean hole for the door. , Most pet doors should come with a small ledge that you can slot through the hole, and a covering that will attach to it, sandwiching the door into the hole securely.
The front side of the door frame should have a plastic flap hanging down, which will cover the hole and keep the door "closed." On the back side, the covering should have four holes around the perimeter, through which you'll attach the two sides using the screws provided. , After sandwiching the frame pieces for the pet door into the hole provided, insert the screws one at a time, tightening them loosely with your fingers, before going back around to tighten them.
Work your way around, tightening each screw four or five turns at a time, to clamp the two pieces together securely.
Keep working until they're tight and the door won't jiggle around. -
Step 3: Drill a hole at each corner.
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Step 4: Insert your jigsaw in the lower left corner.
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Step 5: Continue cutting out the outline.
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Step 6: Sandwich the two halves of the pet door through the hole.
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Step 7: Use the provided screws to fix the door in the hole.
Detailed Guide
Pet doors are sold at most retail outlets of a variety of sizes to accommodate for different animals and different door spaces.
Typically, they'll be relatively simple to install, made up of only a few parts and a paper of plastic template to mark the hole you'll cut through the door.
Other than the pet door kit itself, to do the job properly you'll also need:
Carpenter's level Pencil or Sharpie marker Drill and half-inch drill bit Jigsaw Screwdriver Masking tape
Decide where on the door you'd like the opening to be and attach the template to the door in that location.
It needs to be low enough to the ground that the animal can get through it, so shorter than the pet's legs.
For the most part, pet doors will be low and to the side opposite the door handle, though it depends largely on what's on the other side of the door and how you want the pet door to look.
Use masking tape to attach the template to the door in the desired location, using your level to make sure the door is oriented straight and flush with the rest of the door.
Use your pencil or marker to trace around the template to create the shape that you'll cut out to make room for the door.
Remove the template and discard it. , To get your cut started, drill completely through the door at each corner of the outline, using a half-inch drill bit.
You want the hole to be big enough to maneuver your jigsaw through and cut out the space you outlined with the template.
In some cases, you may have to remove the door entirely from the hinge to cut through it properly, depending on the space and the maneuverability you need.
If so, you'll have to remove the hinges from the door and lay it out on some sawhorses, probably, to make the cut.
Most of the time, you should be able to leave the door on the hinges. , If you're right-handed, the easiest way to make the cut is usually to start in the bottom left and work counter-clockwise, going from your drill-hole to drill-hole.
Insert the jigsaw in the bottom left hole and turn it on.
Start making your cut across the bottom, going slowly and as smoothly as possible, from the left to the right.
Don't slow down so much you start to scorch the wood.
Keep it moving at a comfortable pace, but don't go so fast you bog down the motor.
Let the saw do the work. , Continue cutting until you get to the next hole you drilled in the bottom right corner.
Turn your saw up and cut vertically, then cut back across to the left and down until you've removed the wood in the outline.
With the right tool, it should be a snap and you should be left with a nice, neat, clean hole for the door. , Most pet doors should come with a small ledge that you can slot through the hole, and a covering that will attach to it, sandwiching the door into the hole securely.
The front side of the door frame should have a plastic flap hanging down, which will cover the hole and keep the door "closed." On the back side, the covering should have four holes around the perimeter, through which you'll attach the two sides using the screws provided. , After sandwiching the frame pieces for the pet door into the hole provided, insert the screws one at a time, tightening them loosely with your fingers, before going back around to tighten them.
Work your way around, tightening each screw four or five turns at a time, to clamp the two pieces together securely.
Keep working until they're tight and the door won't jiggle around.
About the Author
Deborah Kelly
Specializes in breaking down complex organization topics into simple steps.
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