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Adding a pet door

By Szeto Handyman · Updated · 4 min read

Quick answer

Measure your pet's shoulder width and height to size the door. Pet doors can go into a solid door, a wall, or a sliding glass door insert. Sealed flaps and locking covers help keep out drafts and unwanted visitors.

Dog sitting in front of a wood door

Many Monterey Park homes have yards on slopes, and pets love going in and out. A pet door saves you from opening the door all day.

Sizing

Door types

  • Door-mounted: cut into a solid or hollow-core door.
  • Wall-mounted: a tunnel through the wall, useful when no suitable door is available.
  • Slider insert: a panel that fits into a sliding glass door track, no cutting required.
  • Screen door: a small flap in a screen.
Cat stepping through an opening in a wood wall

Sealing and security

Look for weatherstripped or magnetic flaps to reduce drafts. A locking cover blocks the opening at night.

Hollow-core doors

Hollow-core doors need a frame kit that covers the cut edges.

Before cutting, check the location for wiring, plumbing and framing if installing through a wall.

Location

The best place is a door or wall that leads to a fenced, secure part of the yard. On sloped lots, a level landing outside the pet door helps older pets.

Dog waiting at a backyard gate on a brick patio

Electronic doors

Microchip or collar-activated pet doors only open for your pets, keeping strays and wildlife out.

Wildlife

Hillside homes near open space see raccoons, skunks and opossums. A locking cover at night, or an electronic door, helps.

Renters

Slider inserts are a good choice for renters because they need no cutting.

Choosing where it goes

A pet door can go in a door, a wall, or a sliding glass door insert. Door installs are the most common. Wall installs keep the door intact and can be placed where the pet's path is shortest, but cutting a stucco wall is a bigger job.

Sliding glass door inserts fit in the track beside the slider and need no cutting, which is useful in rentals.

Sizing

Measure your pet's shoulder height and widest point. The flap should be a little taller than the pet's shoulder height and wider than its widest part, so it does not have to crouch. Mount it so the top of the opening is at or above the pet's shoulders. If you are planning for a puppy, size for the adult dog.

Security and weather

Large pet doors are big enough for a person to crawl through, so a locking cover matters. Electronic pet doors that open only for a collar tag keep out raccoons and neighborhood cats. Double flaps and magnetic closures help with drafts and wind.

Hillside homes with yards that face open slopes may see more wildlife, which is worth considering.

Door types

Hollow-core doors need a frame kit that covers the cut edges. Solid wood doors cut cleanly. Steel doors are cut with a metal blade and need edges sealed against rust.

Doors with glass or a door under warranty may not be suitable; check with the manufacturer. French doors sometimes leave too little panel for a pet door.

Our steps:

  • Mark the opening using the template and the pet's measurements
  • Drill corner holes and cut the opening
  • Seal raw edges if needed
  • Mount the inner and outer frames with the supplied hardware
  • Test the flap and any locking cover

Glass pet doors

Pet doors set into glass panels need a glass shop to make a new insulated glass unit with the opening built in. That is a specialist job.

Keeping things safe

If your yard has a pool, pet doors can let small children out too. California pool safety rules may require barriers or alarms on doors that open to a pool area. Plan a pet door with that in mind.

For locks and hardware on the same door, see replacing door locks and knobs.

Wall installs on stucco homes

Many homes here are stucco over wood framing. A wall pet door needs an opening cut between studs, which limits width, and a tunnel kit that spans the wall thickness. The stucco is cut with a masonry blade, and edges must be sealed so water does not get into the wall.

Electrical wiring and plumbing may run in that wall, so we check before cutting. The height above the exterior grade also matters on sloped lots, since a pet may need a step.

Training

Most pets learn to use a door within a few days. Prop the flap open at first, use treats and praise, and gradually let the flap close. Some pets are wary of noisy or heavy flaps; magnetic closures are quieter.

Removing a pet door

If you move, many door installs can be replaced with a new door slab or by fitting a panel. Wall pet doors can be framed in and patched. Sliding door inserts simply come out.

Costs to plan for

Door installs are the simplest. Wall installs, electronic doors, and doors cut into steel or fiberglass take more time. Buy the pet door first, or let us know the model, so we can plan for its exact template.

Garage and side doors

A pet door in a garage or side door lets pets reach a yard without passing through the main living space. Make sure the garage is safe for pets, with chemicals and tools stored out of reach.

What our install involves

We mark the location, cut the opening, install and seal the frame, and test the flap. See pet door installation.

After a pet door install near Garfield Avenue, a bánh mì from Bánh Mì Hòa Phát makes a quick lunch.

Want us to handle it?

Call or text (626) 684-3505, Mon–Sat, 8:30 AM–7 PM. Send a photo and we will give you an upfront quote.

Call or text (626) 684-3505