How do I a seal large opening where patio door used to be but will now be where air conditioner will be?

Question

We are trying to beat the heat so we bought an air conditioner.
Would you use cardboard and tape? Plastic bags and tape? Some kind of foam and if so what kind? Wood? How much would you estimate your solution costs? I don't want to spend more than 100$. Is your solution easy to take away and put back up? Thanks!

Answer 1

I wouldn't recommend putting the air conditioner through the patio doors because it's too much space to cover. Don't you have a window in another wall that you could put the A/C in? If you want to take the door out you'll have to rebuild the wall with 2x4's and drywall. I'm assuming you want to keep the door so that wouldn't work. If you are not keeping the door you could build it in like I said and put a window there for the a/c. It's going to be more than $100 no matter what though. Cardboard isn't going to keep out rain if it happens to rain and niether is the plastic. If you put either of those, you'll make your house look trashy. The same goes for the foam but that may work better. My suggestion is to get a piece of plywood or wafer board and nail it up on your wall. It is probably still going to look kind of funny but it's sturdier than plastic or foam. I don't know how much it costs but when you go to buy whatever you decide on, ask the guys from the hardware store or lumber yard. They may have some better ideas.

Answer 2

You want a Temporary solution, open the door as wide as the AC needs to be- then block the end so it cannot move either way. Pin it by drilling a hole on the edge away from the glass ,intall a pin. to hold the door.
Built a a short 2x4 wall, about the hight of a Window- Put panelling on the Inside, plywood outside, and paint it if you want. Set the AC on the top of the wall- and brace it in back, letting it slope a bit to outside but not to much, the Drip water is suppose to be thrown onto the motor and evaporate from the heat.
2. Above the AC- make another wall to fit the opening- Panel inside and plywood outside, you will have to do some thinking on how to attach the little walls to the aluminium frame of the door and side jamb.

Answer 3

Go get some plywood and 2x4s. Frame it out and make supports for the A/C unit. That should cost less than $100. and help keep your home more secure. Forget about using foam, tape or plastic, for an opening that large you need to frame and sheath it.

Answer 4

I agree with paulsexpress. Use 2x4's and plywood and hold everything together with screws so you can disassemble when summer is over. If you have a window deficit in that room installing the unit through the wall may be a good permanent solution.

Answer 5

supplies are going through the roof so do quickly. similar situation, a customer wants to add a dogie door so they go to local home improvement and buy a panel similar to the one you want to build just a different application. use plywood install in track of door and duct tape cracks.its easier to do than explain. cost,use cdx plywood and maybe a couple 2x4s for bracing and i use screws 18.00-5.00-6.00-4.00

Answer 6

if it is going to b permanent dont use the dore
buy 1 8 foot 2x4 or 2x6 depending on the thikness of the wall &cut apprpriate sise hole in the wall &build a frame for he unit
then fore winter you can use the pice of wall u cut out to seal the hole for winter
cost about 20 to 30 $