Homemade Pet Door

Pet doors allow your pets to move in and out of the house freely without letting air inside. Save money by constructing a homemade pet door instead of purchasing a pre-made door at a pet store. This will also allow you to structure the pet door to the size of your pet, instead of having to choose from a small selection.

  1. Supplies

    • You'll need wood and nails to construct the frame. Purchase wood that matches the width and color of your door. You will also need rubber for the pet door's flaps. Any type of rubber will work, but make sure it is light enough for your pet to push when going through the door. One source of rubber is to cut up an old car floor mat. Buy thin magnetic stripping to use as seals for the pet door. You will need enough magnetic stripping to go on both sides of the door.

    Construction

    • Cut a square or rectangular hole in the door, low enough to the ground that your pet can easily step in and out. The hole should be large enough that your pet will be comfortable moving through it, but remember that most dogs and cats are able to squeeze through areas smaller than the full size of their bodies. After adding the frame and flaps, your pet will have a slightly smaller space to move through, so take into account the width of your planned frame.

      Use the wood and nails to construct a frame that will fit snugly in the door's hole. The frame will make the finished pet door look nicer, but it is not absolutely necessary. If you don't wish to use a frame, simply attach the flaps to the door itself.

      Cut one flap to overlap the frame by 2 centimeters. Use nails to attach the flap to the top of the outdoor side of the frame. Attach magnetic stripping to the flap and frame so that when the flap is down it seals to the frame, preventing outside air from coming into the home.

      Next, cut a square or rectangular hole into the flap so that the flap only covers 1 or 2 centimeters of the hole in the door. Cut a second flap that fits inside the frame, and attach this flap to the back of the first (not to the frame) so that it opens in the opposite direction. Use magnetic stripping to create a seal between the two flaps.

      When your pet moves from indoors to outdoors, it will push both flaps away from the door. When it comes back inside, the first flap will remain in place, but the second flap will detach and allow the pet to move through the door.