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Screen Pet Door Conversion Kit Installation Instructions

Installation Instructions

Installation icon Difficulty Easy
Installation icon Steps 11
Installation icon Time Required 0.5 hours
Installation icon Sections 01
Installation icon Flags 04

Parts

  • 2 Screen Magnets
  • 2 Frame Magnets
  • 1 Roll of Protective Tape

Tools

  • Scissors
  • Painter’s Tape
  • A Pencil
  • A Screwdriver (optional)

Please read instructions & notes thoroughly before installation.

Step 1 Prep Your Door

screen door doggie door - screen door for dogs
  • Remove your screen door from its hinges or track and place it on a flat, clean spot.
  • If your screen door is torn in any place, you must replace it before installing your pet flap.
  • If you are installing a new screen first, do not apply too much tension to the mesh, as the mesh may shrink once removed.

Step 2 Measure Your Pet

cat screen door or sliding screen door with pet door DIY kit
  • Measure your pet’s height from the floor to the tallest portion of their shoulders (their haunches).
  • For further instructions, check out our Measure Your Pet guide.
  • Apply painter’s tape to the outside face of your screen door’s frame so that you have an easy surface to write on.
  • Make a mark 5" above your pet's height.
  • (Example: For a 24” tall dog make a mark at 29”)
  • Step 3 Attach the Screen Magnets

    screen doors with doggie doors - kit for screen door with doggy door
    • Turn the screen so that the outside face is up.
    • Remove the double sided tape liner on the screen magnets. Attach the screen magnets, one for each of the two bottom corners of the screen.
    • Leave a little room between the magnets and the screen door frame so that the magnets do not hit the frame when your pet uses the door.
    • Make sure the magnets are facing up to you.

    Step 4 Apply Bottom Layer of Tape

    pet door for screen door acts as a bug screen door
    • Measure out a piece of protective tape to fit on the bottom edge of the screen, overlapping the lips of the screen magnets. Cut it with sharp scissors and remove the liner. Carefully apply with only light pressure until you’re confident in it’s placement.
    • The tape should be on the screen mesh only. Do not cover the magnet faces.

    Step 5 Apply Tape to Sides of Screen

    screen door with doggie door screen door installation instructions
    • Apply another strip of tape along the right side of the door, starting on the upper lip of the screen magnet to your mark. Use the same application technique here that you used in Step 4.
    • Make sure the tape does not touch the screen door frame.
    • Repeat on the left side of the screen.

    Step 6 Tape Opposite Side of Screen

    cat screen pet door conversion kit - DIY screen with dog door
    • Flip your screen door over so that you are looking at the underside of the tape.
    • Apply tape over the backside of the bottom edge and sides, being careful not to overlap or touch the frame. Make sure that this layer is aligned as close as possible to the first layer.

    Step 7 Reinforce Screen Flap

    doggy door for screen door - dog door screen conversion kit
    • Apply a patch of tape horizontally over the top split of the screen, connecting the tape to the screen frame. The patch should overlap the side tape and extend halfway onto your frame. Do this for both sides of the screen.
    • Flip the door over and repeat.

    Step 8 Remove Screen Spline

    doggy door for screen door - dog door screen conversion kit
    • To create the pet door opening, you will need to remove the screen spline below the patches of tape on each side of the screen.
    • Locate the end of the spline (usually in one of the lower corners of the screen frame). Use a screwdriver or another pointy tool to pry the end of the spline out of the screen frame.
    • Pull out the rest of the spline below the patches by hand (down one side, across the bottom, and up the other side).
    • Use scissors to cut the spline directly beneath the patches on each side of the screen. Press any spline that is left back into the groove in the frame.
    • Pull the screen material out where you removed the spline allowing it to swing freely. There will be extra screen material that will be trimmed in a later step.

    Step 9 Reinstall Screen Door

    doggy screen door - DIY screen door with dog flap
    • Install the screen door back into the doorway.
    • Alternatively, you can just stand the door upright.

    Step 10 Attach the Frame Magnets

    screen door doggy door - pet door screen door kit
    • Remove the liner on the tape for the frame magnets. Allow the frame magnets to attach to the screen magnets face to face.
    • With the flap hanging, apply a small amount of tension and attach the sticky side of the frame magnets there so that the two magnet faces connect when the flap closes.

    Step 11 Trim Excess Screen Material

    • Trim excess screen material along the edges as needed.
    • If you prefer to you can leave the excess screen material intact for extra bug protection.