Want new bottom panel for double glazed door???

[giveusaclue]

Hi All,

I currently have a cat flap in my back door but.... As I no longer have a cat, would like to replace the panel for a solid one!

I haven't got a clue even where to start looking for a new panel as internet serches only seem to bring up the standard double glazing companies.

The doors are only a year old (almost) so I'm hoping it won't be too much bother if only I knew where to look.

And.... Although this is a DIY forum, me being worse than usless at DIY, my ideal would be to get a supply and fit or something similar!

All help will be muchly appreciated (and just incase.... I'm in the North Sheffield Area)

Ta

 

[keveljay]

You will need to measure the thickness of the existing panel - it should be 28mm if its less than a year old, but could be 24mm dependent on supplier. You will also need to pop the beads out and measure the existing panel w x h. Be aware that a flat panel will fit into even the narrowest of doors, but one with raised and fielded sections can create problems for overall brick-to-brick dimensions of less than 810 as the raised area on the panel can, at best, kiss the outer gasket and at worst, not locate in the opening at all. If you can live with a flat panel, go with that. Look in the Yellow Pages for Building Plastics suppliers and tell them you want a xxmm(thick) flat panel, xx(w) by xx(h)- it should cost you about £30 ~ 45. Fitting is easy, just pop the internal beads out starting at the centre of the longest bead using a stiff scraper. Fit the new panel and re-fit the beads using a nylon mallet (or ordinary hammer with a cloth wrapped around it) Hope this helps - Sheffield is just a teeny bit too far from N.Wales for me Good Luck - post back if you have problems. Kev

 

[crank39]

Hi All,

I currently have a cat flap in my back door but.... As I no longer have a cat, would like to replace the panel for a solid one!

I haven't got a clue even where to start looking for a new panel as internet serches only seem to bring up the standard double glazing companies.

The doors are only a year old (almost) so I'm hoping it won't be too much bother if only I knew where to look.

And.... Although this is a DIY forum, me being worse than usless at DIY, my ideal would be to get a supply and fit or something similar!

All help will be muchly appreciated (and just incase.... I'm in the North Sheffield Area)

Ta

Your best bet is to search your local press and find a 'double glazing doctor' or 'plastic surgeon' or whatever they call themselves. They will pop round measure up, get the correct colour match and believe me theres 20 different whites, maybe even nip off to a local supplier and get one cut, if you just want a basic flat panel then look at about £50 ball park, if your posh and want a raised panel then expect to pay a bit more.

I suggested getting someone in who knows what they're doing because this MAY interfere with the way the door is toe and heeled and MAY not lock properly afterwards and you being a self confessed numpty like.......

 

[giveusaclue]

Thanks for your replies.

I think my first step will be to go to a local supplier (there are two in the area but one for sure is quite large and I should imagine their prices will reflect that)

If they then want ME to measure up I will have to have a go I guess Even though I would like to be posh and get a raised panel, as its the back door and because of the advise given.... I think I can live with the flat panel. Sounds like the easiest option!

Kev, I think you underestimate my complete Numpty ness (a word I haven't heard for ages)!.... I don't even know what an internal bead is! If it came to me doing it myself for cost reasons, would I have to pop the panel out to measure up and then hope to get a new one the same day, or would the old one pop back in!

If I did this and the door wouldn't lock...... I guess I would have to rely on my vicious dog lol: NOT) to protect me till I got it sorted!

I will sit and study my back door this evening and see if I can make any sense of it! I'm sure its easy........ When you know how!

 

[keveljay]

Ahhh...bless. Numpty-ness should make it into the next Collins Eng Dic. for sure We cannot all be good at all things - me... i'm crap at ironing and can burn water If you did take the panel out, then yes it would go back in. Crank - I dont, as a rule generally, heel'n'toe the bottom panel in a half glazed as the midrail ties the stiles together quite well, I just do it to the glazing in the top if required. Giveusaclue, take the panel with you to the supplier - as crank says, there are many different whites, but usually only two main ones - Rehau type (chewing gum white) and Duraflex (bright 'blue-ish' white) dont forget to leave someone, or a big dog in the house when you take the panel - its a slight security issue. Good luck

 

[crank39]

Crank - I dont, as a rule generally, heel'n'toe the bottom panel in a half glazed as the midrail ties the stiles together quite well, I just do it to the glazing in the top if required.

I agree, i normally just use the glass in the top to toe n heel but i have come across doors where they've used the bottom panel also, you often see this where the door has a centre mullion but we don't know if the OP's door has this config

 

[giveusaclue]

I think I know what you mean.... and yeah, I think have a middle bit, midrail, centre mullion! lol. I've got two long glass panels on the top and the frame round them, the frame round the main door and the bit between the glass looks to be all one piece. Just the bottom panel is different! I do apologise if I'm not making much sense!

Also, will the internal bead you talk about be the black bit that is round the edge of the bottom panel

(or should I take a photo)

I might have to wait till summer so If I'm left with a gaping hole in the bottom, at least it won't be cold!

 

[crank39]

Just to clarify what i mean by a centre mullion heres a pic....

http://www.classic.uk.com/doors.php

Trying to toe n heel a door using just the narrow dgu's can be a right pain so with this config it has been known to also use the bottom panel to help take the strain, if the OP has this type of door design then i'd be a little wary in just removing it as it MAY cause the door to drop and not lock properly. Re toeing n heeling the door is a doddle to someone who knows pvc but an OP who's not to clued up on pvc it can turn into a nightmare.

Anyway, wouldn't it be easier just to buy another cat?

 

[giveusaclue]

Lol, yeah I guess another cat would be the easier option..... Problem is, I seem to have changed from a cat person to a dog person and don't really want one!

I'm going to ask around people I know, somebody somewhere must know somebody who works with or knows about these things.

Otherwise, I might have to save up and get the proffesionals in. I have to admit that I'm wary about trying it myself!