Dog Door Replacement Flaps: Cost and DIY Installation
I cut these PVC flaps into 20-inch strips and had an outdoor crate door done in 15 minutes. Tape did half the work.
I taped a 6.5-foot roll of vinyl into strips, screwed them onto my dog’s crate under the canopy, and discovered that the real challenge wasn’t the install, it was getting her to push through them, much like considering door replacement cost versus the actual work of installation. One 6.5 ft roll cut into 20-inch strips covered my opening, install ran 10 to 15 minutes, and screws go straight through the vinyl into wood. Buy it. Expect to train your dog.
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How this review was made: written from my own video review of this product. Every opinion here is my own, from using it myself.
Quick Verdict
Ten to fifteen minutes, a handful of screws, and a strip of tape I didn’t plan on using. My dog’s crate is now a winter shelter under our canopy. The flaps were the easy part. She was the hard part.
Buy if you:
- are converting a dog crate into an outdoor shelter
- have a wood doghouse or kennel frame to screw into
- want to block cold or heat without buying a whole new door
- are comfortable measuring and cutting your own strips
Skip if you:
- are installing alone and have no tape, because holding a strip flat and drilling a pilot hole at the same time doesn’t work
- have a nervous dog you don’t have time to train through the flaps
- need to mount to metal or vinyl instead of wood
| Roll size | 6.5 ft x 7.09 in |
|---|---|
| Thickness | 0.08 in |
| Material | PVC plastic vinyl, waterproof, scratch resistant |
| Color | Transparent blue |
| Cleaning | Soap and water wipe-down |
Tape Saved This Install
I couldn’t hold the strip flat and drill a pilot hole at the same time. That was the whole problem. I taped each piece up first, and it was actually really easy at that point. The tape kept everything steady long enough to get the screws started, and from there I just drove them right through the plastic and into the wood.
If you’ve got a second person to hold the strips, you don’t need the tape at all. I didn’t have anyone, so I improvised. You can grab these Dog Door Replacement Flaps on Amazon and see what you’re working with.
Why This Beats the Usual Dog Door Replacement Cost
A framed pet door replacement runs $30, $80 and only fits the opening it was made for. This is a 6.5 ft roll of vinyl and a handful of screws, you cut it to whatever opening you actually have, including shapes no manufacturer bothered to design for.
That matters if your setup is nonstandard. Mine was a dog crate parked under a canopy. No manufacturer makes a flap kit for that. These pet door replacement flaps don’t care what the opening looks like, as long as there’s wood to screw into.
How I Cut Mine to 20 Inches
I ended up with 20-inch pieces because I had a little less material than I actually needed. The roll is 6.5 feet long and 7.09 inches wide, so the width is fixed and the length is yours to divide. Measure the opening before you cut anything.
The vinyl is 0.08 inches thick, thick enough to hang straight and swing back into place, thin enough that scissors or a utility knife cuts it cleanly in one pass. Two screws per strip, and nothing shifts.
One thing worth planning for: your strips need to overlap slightly so there’s no open gap between them. That’s what blocks the wind.
The Dog Is the Hard Part
My dog had no idea what to do with these. She was a little nervous and couldn’t figure out that she can just push and get out on her own. She’d walk up to the flaps, stop, and look at me.
It did take some training. Eventually she got it, but if you’re picturing screwing these in and having your dog immediately trot through, that’s not how it went here. Buyers tend to treat this as a 15-minute project. The install is 15 minutes. The dog takes however long the dog takes.
Cleaning and Year-Round Use
Soap and water, that’s it. The vinyl is waterproof and scratch resistant, which is the whole reason it works outdoors through winter and summer. There’s no fabric to hold dirt and nothing to rot.
If a strip ever gets chewed up or cracked, you back out two screws and swap that one piece. You don’t redo the whole door.
What the Money Buys
You’re buying raw material and doing the labor yourself. That’s the trade. A prebuilt pet door gives you a frame and a hinge; this gives you 6.5 feet of plastic vinyl and total freedom over the opening shape.
Worth knowing before you click: it’s sitting a little above its usual price compared to the last three months, and it’s been selling better lately than it had been. Amazon currently ranks it around #53,000 in Pet Supplies against a 90-day average closer to #63,000, with more than 50 sold in the past month. If you’re not in a rush, the price tends to move. Current pricing is on the Amazon listing.
Would I Install These Again
Yes, and I’d keep the leftover strips. The install was simple once I solved the holding problem, the flaps hang straight, and the crate is now a space my dog can use when it’s cold out under the canopy. If your setup is nonstandard, a crate under a canopy, a homemade kennel, anything no flap kit was designed for, this roll of vinyl is the only practical option I found.
Just budget patience for the training part, and buy painter’s tape if you’re working solo.
Pros
- Install took 10 to 15 minutes total, including pilot holes
- Screws drive straight through the vinyl into wood, no special hardware
- 6.5 ft roll cuts to any opening shape, I used 20-inch pieces
- Holds secure with just a couple screws per strip
- Waterproof PVC that wipes clean with soap and water
Cons
- Nearly impossible to hold a strip and drill a pilot hole solo without tape or a helper
- My dog was nervous and needed training before she’d push through
- I had less material than I needed, so measure before cutting
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I mount these to something other than wood?
I only screwed mine into wood, and that’s what the screws are built for. Metal or vinyl frames would need different fasteners and probably a pre-drilled hole in the frame itself. If your opening isn’t wood, plan on adding a wood mounting strip first.
Will these work for a cat instead of a dog?
Yes, the listing covers cats and dogs of different sizes. You’d cut shorter strips for a smaller opening. A cat may need less push force, so narrower pieces help.
What do I cut the strips with?
A utility knife or heavy scissors handles 0.08-inch vinyl fine. My son and I measured and cut ours without any special tool. Mark your line first because the vinyl is slick and wants to slide.
Does one roll cover a standard doghouse opening?
Depends entirely on your opening height. A 6.5 ft roll cut into 20-inch strips gives you about four pieces, and I had slightly less than I wanted. Measure your opening width, divide by 7.09 inches minus your overlap, and you’ll know if you need two rolls.
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