byronreese
By Brent Smith
How to Build a Catwalk and a Cat Door
stock.xchng
By Brent Smith
OverviewCat owners are universally in love with their pets and will do almost anything to please them. One way to thrill your kitty is to expand her playground with a catwalk and a cat door. This allows indoor cats to explore the great outdoors safely, which makes both kitty and person very happy.Catwalk ConstructionStep 1Before purchasing materials, make sure your catwalk plans are in compliance with building codes in your neighborhood. Once that has been cleared, evaluate the area where you would like to construct the catwalk, and ensure that it is suitable for supporting the wood planks that will be the bottom of the catwalk. The designated area should be fairly dry to prevent rot, a problem that leads to costly and frequent board replacement.Step 2After deciding the size of the catwalk, measure the boards to fit the area, extending out from the house where you intend to place the cat flap. Mark your inches in pen on the board, adding 1/16 of an inch to compensate for wood lost during sawing. Cut the boards. If you don’t have a table saw, this can easily be done with a handsaw. If the boards will be fitted over cement or a similar substance, save the trimmings from sizing the boards. These can be used to elevate the planks from the cement so that water won’t be trapped. Just make sure to measure the trimmings so that they keep the planks level and are at least half an inch vertically.Step 3With the boards measured and cut, they can now be nailed or screwed in place. If the surface below the board is concrete or a similar substance, you may need a more industrial drill. Make sure to fit the planks snugly together.Step 4Before enclosing the cat walk, the cat flap must be completed. Cat-flap kits are available at most home-improvement stores and generally come with complete instructions. If the instructions are not clear, here’s how to do it in a few simple steps. First, place the cat flap 4 to 6 inches (the average belly height of a cat) above the floor where you intend to put in, and mark this height on both sides to make sure lines are straight. Also mark the top of the cat flap, and use your tape measure to be certain its centered. Your cat flap comes with a paper template; tape it up where you want the flap to go. It will show you where to drill the holes with your flatbit. After the holes are drilled, remove the template and draw lines in pencil that connect the hole. Follow this line with your jigsaw to create the hole for the cat flap. The holes created by the flatbit will let you insert the blade of your jigsaw to cut the hole for the cat flap. After sawing, push out remaining materials and use the sandpaper to smooth the edges. Then simply place the cat flap over the hole and use a smaller drill bit to screw it on securely.Step 5Now that the cat flap is finished and the planks are in place, you are ready for the final step. Unroll the wire fencing. It should maintain a curvature. Measure the fencing so that considerable curve remains in the fence, creating height and allowing the cat room to move within the enclosure. Trim any extra fencing with wire cutters, and attach the fencing to the planks with the staple gun. Place staples approximately 6 inches apart. Close the end of the catwalk by folding over the fencing and stapling it shut. An alternative to this would be to use more wood planking to end the catwalk. Movies like Sleepless in Seattle have popularized NYC proposal ideas like Vlad Leto Photography landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, Times Square and Rockefeller Center. Once this is done, give kitty a test run and yourself a pat on the back for finishing the job.skill4ingredientWood planks (size and quantity depend on available area)
4 ft. roll of wire fencing (size and quantity depend on available area)
Staple gun
Staples
Cat-flap kit (available at most home improvement stores)
Measuring tape
Electric drill/ flatbit larger than jigsaw blade
Jigsaw
SandpaperingredientsWood planks (size and quantity depend on available area)ingredients4 ft. roll of wire fencing (size and quantity depend on available area)ingredientsStaple guningredientsStaplesingredientsCat-flap kit (available at most home improvement stores)ingredientsMeasuring tapeingredientsElectric drill/ flatbit larger than jigsaw bladeingredientsJigsawingredientsSandpaperkeywordcat catwalk catflap DIY home improvementkeywordscatkeywordscatwalkkeywordscatflapkeywordsDIYkeywordshomekeywordsimprovementResourcesreferenceTunnel of LovereferenceHow to Fit a Cat FlapreferenceCat Runs
© Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved.
Contact Us | Terms & Conditions | Back Issues | HappyNews.com
REFERENCE/RESOURCE:
REFERENCE/RESOURCE:
REFERENCE/RESOURCE:
