Forumite Members › General Topics › Home and DIY › Other DIY Topics › A sticky question !
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Boris.
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August 8, 2018 at 11:08 pm #24469
I am trying to avoid the expense of buying a new UPVC back door for as long as possible.
I’ve acquired a small 300mm x 200mm sheet of 3mm white acrylic, which I need to stick to the outside of an otherwise excellent white external UPVC door panel to cover over/block off the hole left by a no longer required cat flap.
When stuck on, there must be a waterproof seal where the materials bond, as the door is facing directly into the prevailing weather.
I’m looking at Everbuild “Stick 2” Hard Plastic adhesive ?
or Bostik Hard Plastics Clear Adhesive ?
Any suggestions as to whether one of these will be adequate to make the seal, or do I need something more exotic ?
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Never trust an atom - they make up everything !
August 8, 2018 at 11:35 pm #24474Some of those doors had panels that were inserts, you could either use the panel or a double-glazed unit. If it’s one of those a “Window Workshop” type company might be able to replace the complete panel for you. I don’t think they’re dear.
If it’s all one moulding, I don’t have any experience of either glue, unfortunately.
August 9, 2018 at 8:33 pm #24506Thanks John.
It is a panel, but because of the age of the door (top of the range when fitted circa 1988) I was told some 5 years back by the guy who originally supplied it that the standard panels are now greater in depth, and he couldn’t get a replacement one.
He was obviously angling for me to order a new door, but when I didn’t bite he still said he couldn’t get one.
Never trust an atom - they make up everything !
August 9, 2018 at 8:41 pm #24507Try googling “cat flap blanking plate?cover” maybe it’ll come up with something useful.
August 9, 2018 at 10:24 pm #24511Already tried that thanks – the makers of the one we had don’t do such a thing 🙁
750mm x 750mm replacement panels on Ebay seem to be about £30. (depending on whether you need 20mm, 24mm or 28mm depth).
I’m sure I can cut one to size, but first I need to somehow get the old sealing rubbers off without ripping/splitting them and then try and get the internal beading off to drop the old panel out to measure what depth I need.
It “looks” simple, BUT knowing my luck, the old rubbers will get damaged, and I then won’t be able to find new ones because of the door’s age, so I’ll have a door with the panel rattling around in the frame letting in draughts/water. Mrs B would definitely never give me any peace.
I used to know a good window fitter, but he moved away, and the local companies only seem interested in selling half a dozen windows or a couple of doors – no small jobs. This is why I thought of trying a more permanent DIY quick fix. I’ve covered the hole with duct tape for 5 years, and then filled the inside with expanded foam. It works well, but the tape keeps peeling off in the sun/rain after a few months, exposing the inner foam.
If I can find some adhesive that will permanently bond acrylic and UPVC together – it is a much simpler job.
Never trust an atom - they make up everything !
August 10, 2018 at 12:02 am #24513When we moved in here, the previous owners had a fridge/freezer cupboard that only had a fridge in the top half. In the bottom half was a litter tray and two cat flaps – one in the cupboard door and one in the outside wall!!
We very quickly changed all that with a new fridge /freezer and several buckets of bleach and Dettol. The hole in the door was covered with a white plastic vent. If you put one on the outside, with a plastic inner ‘liner’, something to fill the gap, and then another lined vent on the inside – that may weatherproof it, but how aesthetic or secure that might be is up for debate.
Edit – THIS place looks like the sort of company – “no job too big or small”. I’m guessing it’s local!!??
August 10, 2018 at 7:58 am #24527The window fitters I have seen at play use something like the items on this page to stick trim and the like, but the surfaces must be perfect first:https://www.eurocell.co.uk/sealants-and-fixings/superglues-and-activators
A picture of your situation would have been useful but there are several ways that doors and panels might have been used. The removable trim should always be on the inside of the door for security reasons. It ‘should’ be possible to carefully prise that off and then the panel should be removable along with its rubber sealing strip; the strips will almost certainly have developed problems due to their age and could be a possible issue. There are various small shops that used to supply obsolete styles but you might be in luck and find that yours is still current.
Some smaller suppliers do replace fitted glass ‘broken windows’ and I suspect that you could get your panel replaced with a double glazed unit or another ‘blind panel’ if all else failed. My daughter had one done in an upstairs bathroom and even with call outs and the use of access ladders the cost was reasonable.
I have used coach bolts to clamp a panel in place with a gasket round the edge to make the fitting water tight, but you would need to consider the internal nuts and cover trim to use to avoid an unsightly finish.
August 10, 2018 at 11:25 am #24533I’d agree would be worth contacting an independent Window repairer. Had to do that for a non-standard bathroom double glazed window that had cracked on the outer pane. He did one and even found a bit of matching frosted glass – all for £25.
Another idea would be to contact a PVC supplier (rather than Window company) – asking the question (about best way to bond and seal) they may be able to sell you something or at least tell you what you want. We have a local one I’ve used (for window quadrant in my case) that does all sorts. I know they won’t be local to you but I think they have other branches – in any case maybe worth a phone call. There are a few different strands of the business (same phone sumber) – I have it as Summers PVC and the number is:
01708 722844
August 10, 2018 at 11:40 am #24535Sign makers are another source of ideas or materials, possibly as off cuts.
August 11, 2018 at 9:34 am #24577Trying to get the old rubbers out was a dismal failure as they have gone rock hard.
Plan C is to use is to use M4 70mm stainless bolts with stainless and plastic washers, and make the seal weathertight by compression with a double layer of STORMGUARD E rubber sealing strip around the outside.
Not as aesthetically pleasing, but definitely cheap and should do the trick ?
Never trust an atom - they make up everything !
August 11, 2018 at 1:18 pm #24580I would slightly revise your plan C to use coach bolts as they have no easy way to turn them from outside of the building. I have certainly used coach bolts in the past to perform similar functions. They not only look better, they are marginally more secure when correctly installed.
August 11, 2018 at 2:06 pm #24583What if you remove the entire door panel, make a replacement panel out of multiple layers of plywood to get the right thickness, paint it white, fit it the same way but use Instant Gasket instead of the seals? Something like this:
August 14, 2018 at 11:26 pm #24699We use this stuff at work very strong and weather resistant and good to use as gasket on certain parts of engines.
It will stick anything we use the black version at work from our local motor factors it may be worth a go if comes down to sticking your panel on.
August 14, 2018 at 11:45 pm #24700Thanks Mark – good reviews of it too.
Never trust an atom - they make up everything !
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