Our customer, Nate, needed a back door with a dog door installed so that his pooch can get in and out without having to be let out.  He called Interior Door Concepts, and we were able to solve his problem.

We started by providing a free in-home consultation where we discussed the options and took the detailed measurements needed to install the new door in place of the existing door. During this meeting, we assessed the condition of the existing door jamb and determined that a new slab door was all that was needed.  The frame around the door was is great condition, so it did not need to be replaced.

Once we’d agreed to the project, Nate provided a dog door to us, and we installed it in a new Therma-Tru fiberglass door.  This particular door has a 1/2 lite with raise/lower/tilt blinds installed inside the insulated glass (IG) unit.  We really like this type of door because we’ve found  the blinds are very durable, and they provide excellent privacy when closed.  Also, because the blinds are inside the IG unit, they stay clean and out of the way.

The fiberglass door is a fantastic product for exterior installations because it is designed to resist the effects of water.  The bottom rail is a man-made material that simply does not rot.  As a test, we soaked a portion of the bottom rail in a bucket for over a week, and the material did not absorb the water and swell up like the materials we’ve seen in cheaper doors.

Another feature of the door is that the bottom is flush, or flat, which allows a clean, solid seal between the dog door and the face of the door.  Many times, owners will install dog doors on paneled doors that leave unsightly crevices between the dog door and the door itself.  These gaps will collect dirt, and can allow air and water leaks, since they are hard to caulk.

The installation included our usual in-shop paint job, so the door arrived at Nate’s house with the paint already applied.  This allows us to have a high quality paint job, and it keeps all the fumes and sanding dust out of the customer’s home!

If you’d like a similar dog door installed in your home, please give us a call at 713-467-3667.  We’d love to talk with you about your project.

Take care,

Dave