Conservatory door replace glass with UPVC

[BillyDIY]

Hello all. I want to fit a cat flap to my conservatory door. I'm planning on replacing the glass with UPVC, within which I will cut out the required hole to fit the flap. I took the small bottom glass section out today and measured it with two tape measures and a steel ruler. The thickness was showing as 27mm. I was quite surprised to find when looking online that neither UPVC nor replacement glass come in 27mm - 28 seems to be the mark (26 is available but seems quite rare). I read a couple of people who had the same experience, but it was with UPVC and the explanation offered up was it might have shrunk. I can't see this piece of glass shrinking, and it seems tight with no play when replaced. The cat flap is around £20, the UPVC around £60 which I will have to cut for size. I don't want to buy a 28mm UPVC panel and find it won't go in - my two tape measures might be slightly out, but surely my steel ruler isn't? Admittedly my eyesight isn't what it used to be but I'm quite confident it's 27 - what am I to do?

 

[ronniecabers]

It is probably 27.5mm ... 20mm spacer bar isn't actually 20mm , bizarrely it's 19.5mm... so yes you'll need a 28mm panel

 

[crank39]

It'll be 28mm for sure as Ronnie says

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

On a side note a Microchip catflap would be the way to go in that department surely? So as to prevent any 'resentful local intruders'.

 

[ronniecabers]

Just a note about microchip catflaps... they tend to go through batteries much faster than you'd like to hope

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Not mine, probably a set of batteries every two years or something though we're down to one cat nowadays.

 

[ronniecabers]

Last few we've fitted claim the batteries only lasted 6 months lol...good to hear some are lasting a lot longer

 

[BillyDIY]

Thanks guys I thought it'd result in 28mm. Regards the cat thing I have 2 Russian Blues from the same litter, and they're lovely, but bloody vicious as a small pack when another cat crosses their territory! The only thing worries me is they like to eat a lot of birds ...

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Well don't underestimate the absolute sheer calamity of when a cat not from your family unexpectedly decides to enter your house and cannot easily escape!

Our one can bring in a small bird/mouse through the flap but she's stumped when its a big bird or a big rat thank goodness as I don't think she can lift her head high enough (or does'nt have the brains) to set off the cat-flap sensor.

 

[BillyDIY]

That's a decent point to be fair - the getting out bit. My two have had absolute merder with a couple of local cats - neighbours have even commented on the screaches waking them up in the night, and I've watched them on my CCTV - not pretty. I'd like to think they've marked their territory now but you have a point