How to repair entrance door after removing pet door

Garden Gnome · Post by **Garden Gnome** » Fri Sep 06, 2024 3:56 pm

Hi all,

How would you recommend to repair this place of the door after I remove the pet door.

I don't want to replace the whole door, as I like it. But it looks like the panel where the pet door sits now needs to be replaced. The material is plastic, sort of. I believe it is upvc.

If it was a wooden door I would fit a wooden panel, filled it, rubbed it down properly and paint it. But here I'm not sure what to do to keep the looks decent.

I'd be happy to hear all suggestions.

I recon I'm gonna need to find a carpenter who will replace the plastic panel.

yartin · Post by **yartin** » Fri Sep 06, 2024 4:06 pm

Remove beads
Remove panel
Replace with matching upvc panel.

Did you replace the door? So you can go to manufacturer and ask for replacement panel. If not, see if you can find same online, they come in different thicknesses, you can cut to required size easily.

Garden Gnome · Post by **Garden Gnome** » Fri Sep 06, 2024 4:41 pm

yartin wrote: ↑Fri Sep 06, 2024 4:06 pm Remove beads
Remove panel
Replace with matching upvc panel.

Yes, I thought about it myself. It shouldn't be a problem to remove the beads from the inner side of the door.
The main thing is to find the right panel.

yartin wrote: ↑Fri Sep 06, 2024 4:06 pm Did you replace the door? So you can go to manufacturer and ask for replacement panel. If not, see if you can find same online, they come in different thicknesses, you can cut to required size easily.

I didn't replace the door, I just moved in 2 months ago.
Unfortunately I have no clue who the manufacturer of the door is. I'll thoroughly inspect the door later and try to find something that could give me a hint who it is.
Most likely I will end up searching online for a panel of a similar color and surface texture.

What tools would you use for cutting such a panel? Would an ordinary jigsaw do?

yartin · Post by **yartin** » Fri Sep 06, 2024 5:17 pm

I had the same issue with cat flap, mine was white so was easy to find replacement. I used just normal jigsaw, they're very easy to cut.

Shop online for wood effect upvc panels, you will find matching panel. Looks oak effect medium.

You have to take it off first to measure thickness of panel, I remember they are not standard. I used knife and decorators multi tool and patience to remove trims.

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Fri Sep 06, 2024 5:28 pm

Yes, you should do it with a fine blade to avoid tearing the edge too much when trimming to fit. These panels are often a sandwich of two face veneers with a foam core for insulation. Have a look at this site to get an idea https://www.dnkservices.co.uk/28mm-wood ... flat-panel You need to find light oak wood grain both sides. You should be able to get it cut to size. The beads need care removing, do the sides first using something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305401273632 ... da79542148 starting at the centres.

DWD

Garden Gnome · Post by **Garden Gnome** » Sat Sep 07, 2024 4:50 pm

yartin wrote: ↑Fri Sep 06, 2024 5:17 pm I had the same issue with cat flap, mine was white so was easy to find replacement. I used just normal jigsaw, they're very easy to cut.

Shop online for wood effect upvc panels, you will find matching panel. Looks oak effect medium.

You have to take it off first to measure thickness of panel, I remember they are not standard. I used knife and decorators multi tool and patience to remove trims.

Thank you for the hints. I will put this off till other weekends. As I know that all things that look quite easy at first may end up not so easy and more time consuming than I thought before. I mean I could take the panel out easily to measure the thickness, but wont be able to fit it back very quickly.

Garden Gnome · Post by **Garden Gnome** » Sat Sep 07, 2024 4:58 pm

dewaltdisney wrote: ↑Fri Sep 06, 2024 5:28 pm Yes, you should do it with a fine blade to avoid tearing the edge too much when trimming to fit. These panels are often a sandwich of two face veneers with a foam core for insulation. Have a look at this site to get an idea https://www.dnkservices.co.uk/28mm-wood ... flat-panel You need to find light oak wood grain both sides. You should be able to get it cut to size. The beads need care removing, do the sides first using something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305401273632 ... da79542148 starting at the centres.

DWD

Thank you for the information! Yes, it does look like lightoak!

I've already checked the site, and it will be around £40 for a panel.
I have a Stanley knife and a very similar painters' scraper like you suggested.

Thus I can't see what could stop me from doing it all myself.

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Sun Sep 08, 2024 8:29 am

You only need to take off one bead initially to measure the gap between the door frame and the panel edge. This way you can calculate the panel size required. Say it is a 2mm gap you then measure the frame opening to the tip of the mitres in the opposite corners to give the door frame opening sizes. Deduct 2mm from this to get your panel size. If you really want to get it spot on then remove all the beads and measure the panel, they snap back in with a soft mallet.

DWD