Replacing a glass panel with a dog door

October 13, 2014 8:38 AM

I have an entry door with a big glass panel like this and I would like to remove the glass panel and replace it with a different panel that is glass at the top, fiberglass in the middle, and has a dog door at the bottom.

Without replacing the whole door or having to cut into the glass panel, I would like to install a dog door in my patio door. The door setup is just like in the picture, with the hinged door on one side and a non-door on the other. Ideally, I could take out the door's glass panel and insert a part-window, part-dog door panel.

So far, the only replacement door inserts I've found are just glass. Surely there must be one that is part-glass, part-fiberglass/other suitable dog door material? Or a good reason why no such thing exists?

My insert panel is ~22" wide x ~64" tall, which appears to be a standard size. I'm in the midwest US so any solution that ships to me is fine.

Thanks from me and PuppyWestingGame!

posted by thewestinggame to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

I suspect that the reason that you're finding this so hard to find is that whole doors are actually pretty cheap. Plus, I think you're overestimating the removability of what you have currently -- often the glass and its supports are continuous with the outer portion of the door, so you're talking about complicated surgery.

Why not just get, say, a fiberglass door that has a 3-light at the top, and then cut/install your doggie door? That whole enterprise might run you $200, while getting some custom insert for the door could be a fortune. It's not that hard to hang a new door in the old frame, or even to get a prehung door and use the whole thing.
posted by acm at 8:55 AM on October 13, 2014 [2 favorites]

I don't think what you're looking for exists. As acm describes above, it would be much easier to get a half light door and cut a dog door into that.
posted by humboldt32 at 9:13 AM on October 13, 2014

Might be easier and cheaper to put a dog door through the wall adjacent to the door, depending on the outer siding.
posted by JackFlash at 11:24 AM on October 13, 2014

You can wind up with all kinds of things in your house with a pet door. Scrabbly things that go right up the basement walls before you can get a look as you turn on the lights. And the dog will bark all night. Don't do it. Put the dog out manually.
posted by Mr. Yuck at 11:43 AM on October 13, 2014 [1 favorite]