How do I make a hole in the wall for a doggy door?

Question

I would like to take out the doggy door panel in the sliding glass door. I want to make a hole in the wall (large hole) so that my dog still has access to the backyard and house at all times. How do I make the hole? Im not sure of what tools to buy or where to start, thanks!

Answer 1

With all due respect, if you're not sure what you're doing I'd consider getting someone in to do the job for you.

If you do it and it goes wrong you'll have a big hole in the wall and an even bigger bill to get it fixed.

It's not an easy task and there's much more to it then just knocking a hole in the wall - not least of which is preventing the wall above the hole from falling down.

Answer 2

You can cut the hole with a reciprocating saw, but you have to be careful where you cut the hole. You need to figure out how far apart the studs in the wall are. You can do this by tapping on the wall. A hollow sound is empty (no stud) and a higher pitch sound is where the studs are. Once you know how far apart they are, you can figure out if the space between the studs will be big enough. If so, just use the saw to cut out the hole between the studs. If the space between them is not enough, I suggest getting some help. An exterior wall will be holding a lot of weight, and although it would probably be safe to cut a couple of studs to make your hole there is no guarantee that it won't cause a problem. Also you will need to build a header to hold the weight above the hole. If all of this is not done correctly you can end up with a sag in the wall which will result in a sag in the ceiling. This can cause the walls to get cracks in them. So really, if the hole you need is more that 12" to 18" wide, I would get someone with some experience to help you. One more thing, be careful of electrical wiring when cutting the wall. It would be best to check any recepticals and light switches in that area of the house to see what breaker they are on, and switch those breakers off. That is still no guarantee that there will not be wiring running through that wall that is not on a different breaker. So be careful.

Answer 3

Use a stud finder to find the studs, and a hand saw or saws all to make the cut, after drawing it on your wall. Once you have the inside sheet rock off, transfer your drawing (exactly, which is tough, take your time) from the new hole to the inside of the outer wall. Drill 1/2 holes in the upper and lower corners, from the inside to outside. Go outside and draw a line between your holes. Use the saws all to cut the outer paneling. Flash and caulk!

Turn off the power in the room (lights AND plugs, which means TWO breakers!) before cutting into that wall, in case you hit some wires.

This is not a job I would suggest you do. Not just because of the damage to the internal wall if you mess up the cut, or because you may electrocute yourself, but because that outside hole MUST be properly flashed and caulked, lest you invite water into your interior walls. If water gets in your walls, and mold grows, you are in for THOUSANDS of dollars in repairs. And, since you did it ON PURPOSE, no insurance will cover the damage. I'd pay the $250-$350 and have a licensed and bonded contractor do this job. The unknown is what will get you, behind that wall, in particular. You'll be sorry if ANYTHING goes wrong.

A contractor's GREATEST expense is insurance. Insurance is SOOOO high for contractors due in large part to water damage caused by improper flashing around holes in windows and doors, and, in example, this kind of hole certainly qualifies as a huge liability.

Answer 4

I suggest you call a contractor or handyman, they will already have all the tools and will now how to locate wiring, studs in the wall, etc. I do this for a living and exterior walls can be tricky for the novice. Water is a big concern, make sure the hole is done in an area with a decent roof overhang.

Good luck!

Answer 5

A sawzall works best.. you can get cheap ones at harborfreight.com for around $20 (item # 04095-6BEB)

You will need to drill a hole in one corner first to be able to insert the saw blade though.. not that difficult.. I've done this many many times

Addendum: I see people here are making tis way more difficult than it actually is.. OK.. I'll go with them.. hire a contractor.. and pay him the $800.00 fr yer doggie door.. I totally agree..

And I do agree.. if you cat figure out if its a load bearing wall or its got electrical circuits where yer cutting.. You have no biz cutting into any wall.. I forget that COMMON SENSE isnt common any more...

It shoud have tipped me off if you had to ask tis question here.. you shouldnt be cutting into walls.. MY MISTAKE!

Hire a contractor... I officially revise my answer..

SORRY!

Answer 6

doggie doors are a great idea but other critters might think so too.
there are models available that use an electronic device to lock the door, and a transmitter, similar to a garage door opener, that attaches to the dog's collar. also consider security. a large hole could also allow access to a burglar when you take your dog for a walk.

Answer 7

I put one in at my home and i did a good job,I'm sure you can to.I bought the door from Home depot and it came with instructions.My home is framed (wood) if you have a block home "get help".I used a saws all (electric saw) but I'm sure you can do it with a hand held saw called a(key hole saw).It cost only a couple of bucks.A drill to start the hole to put the saw in.A screw driver.Good luck

Answer 8

To make the hole use a reciprocating saw(sawzall) just be sure that you are not cutting into your electrical wiring. You'll be shocked.

Answer 9

sawsall, just make sure you have no power, water or other surprises in the way.