Question about Car Wash Door Flaps

[Big Charlie]

Will this work?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/8-Plastic-S...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
Is 8 inch wide too wide? Are the ribs a problem? How much should they overlap? Do I make them touch the floor or leave a gap? Do I just nail them in place?

 

[Maro2Bear]

Hey Charlie

I guess it all depends how wide of an opening you are closing off. Yes, 8" seems a bit too wide, but once fastened, you can easily cut each of the flaps to make them 4". I use a car mat on our Sullys house, with slits from top to bottom. Ive found it best to fasten from inside the house with a few carpet tacks across the top, then use a small piece of wood trim that is fastened right across the top as well. The flaps on ours are about 2" wide.

Not sure if it matters, but the flap we use is dark, not clear like the item you show. This creates a nice dark, safe and warm house. @Tom might have some ideas on the clear vs dark. Tom's houses all have dark flaps, not clear (i think).

I'll get a pix and attach.

 

[tortdad]

You could trim it down to 4" no problem but if it's for a good size tort you won't need to trim them. Hang them so there pretty close to the floor like 1/4" to 1/2" gap, overlap no more than a 1" and like mentioned above... I put a couple screws in it to hold it in place from the inside of the box the used a piece of wood trim to go over my screws with more screws in the wood trim to pinch the strips in place. My slats were 8" wide and my sully had zero issues with it.

What size tort is using this box?

 

[Maro2Bear]

Here's a quick picture thst shows the flap I use. Our Sully, inside his hut there, is about 60 lbs. likes to play hide and seek through the slats. He will often sit just inside, poke his head out, watching time go by. In fact,,,Sully heard me outside taking this pix, and poked his out to see who is waking him up so early on a saturday morning.

And, pix with Sully poking out to look whats going on...

 

[Len B]

It gets much colder here than it does where you are, and Walker stays outside all year, so I use multi layers of vinyl bought at walmart stores that sell fabric. Most fabric stores sell the same product but at a higher price.They have clear to opaque in different thicknesses sold by the yard at 54 inches wide for less than $4 a yard last time I bought some. Here is a pic of Walkers door it has 8 layers of flaps with alternating slits. His door stays open all the time for him to come and go as he pleases, unless we are expecting some really unusual weather.

 

[wellington]

Here's a quick picture thst shows the flap I use. Our Sully, inside his hut there, is about 60 lbs. likes to play hide and seek through the slats. He will often sit just inside, poke his head out, watching time go by. In fact,,,Sully heard me outside taking this pix, and poked his out to see who is waking him up so early on a saturday morning.

And, pix with Sully poking out to look whats going on...

View attachment 218386

View attachment 218387

The way you did it doesn't block out wind and cold as much as overlapping them does. Which is fine if it's not needed for those reasons.
Overlapping them does work in blocking. Clear is fine and will let some light in. Black will help to attract heat and will block out light. Depends on what you want them to do as to what will be the best to use and how to place them. Overlapped or not.

 

[Big Charlie]

Thank you all for your responses. Charlie is a sulcata that is over 100 pounds. For the last two years I've been using clear car mats that are overlapped. I didn't cut them into strips, just overlapped 2 mats in the center. He will come out through them but he won't go back inside through them. I have to flip them open, which is what I am trying to avoid in replacing his door. I think he can see light through them when he is inside but when he is outside they appear opaque since there is no light coming from inside.

Thanks to @Turtulas-Len for the clear vinyl idea. I've bought that to use as a tablecloth before. I don't know why I didn't think of it. I look at it every day on my table.

 

[Dizisdalife]

I used clear vinyl. It is 8" wide and I overlapped the pieces 1". Going with less than 1" overlap can create gaps as the vinyl will curl a bit over time. The pieces were stapled to a 2x4 and then mounted to the inside of the box. I lined the pieces up straight across the bottom and then adjusted the top to give about an 1/8" gap at the bottom. I built this box 4 years ago and the flap are still in good shape.

Chuck is about 85 lbs. and loves to sit in his doorway and survey his kingdom.

 

[tortdad]

Leave them 8" wide then. A 100lb tort will have zero issues

 

[Len B]

Heres an example of how I make a double flap set, this is screwed to the door top. Yesterday I could of shown them hanging but I am in the process of tearing this house down.

 

[Tom]

I use the same kind as Joe with the same over lap. I mount and attach it all the same way too.

@Big Charlie I don't think you need to cut the strips you found, 8" strips should be fine for a large sulcata. I use the same 8" strips for all of my tortoises of all sizes and species. I also don't think the ribs will be any problem.

 

[Big Charlie]

Heres an example of how I make a double flap set, this is screwed to the door top. Yesterday I could of shown them hanging but I am in the process of tearing this house down.View attachment 218413 View attachment 218414

Thank you for the pictures. That's very helpful.

 

[Big Charlie]

I wanted to update. I bought the plastic strips from ebay. I really like the thickness of the plastic. Much thicker than the plastic I am using for a tablecloth that I got at a fabric store. I think it will last a long time.

 

[Big Charlie]

Here's a picture.

 

[Yvonne G]

I use the 8" vinyl strips and I overlap them to the middle of the last strip. It makes a pretty solid closure and no wind comes through. None of my tortoises has any trouble pushing through - from the smallest to the largest.

 

[vladimir]

Here's a picture.View attachment 219740

Thanks @Big Charlie for the post - I just ordered a set of flaps for Vlad's new home.

Are they holding up well now that Charlie's had some time with them?

 

[Big Charlie]

Thanks @Big Charlie for the post - I just ordered a set of flaps for Vlad's new home.

Are they holding up well now that Charlie's had some time with them?

Yes, they are holding up beautifully. No curling.

 

[vladimir]

Yes, they are holding up beautifully. No curling.

@Big Charlie thanks again, the flaps arrived quickly and were cut perfectly. Vlad is still learning how to come out on his own, but so far we're very happy!

It cost $15 shipped to get the flaps I needed for my box

 

[Big Charlie]

@Big Charlie thanks again, the flaps arrived quickly and were cut perfectly. Vlad is still learning how to come out on his own, but so far we're very happy!

It cost $15 shipped to get the flaps I needed for my box

That's great! I was happy to find this seller. Every other place I looked you had to buy the entire roll.

 

[Connie Jo]

The way you did it doesn't block out wind and cold as much as overlapping them does. Which is fine if it's not needed for those reasons.
Overlapping them does work in blocking. Clear is fine and will let some light in. Black will help to attract heat and will block out light. Depends on what you want them to do as to what will be the best to use and how to place them. Overlapped or not.

I used a shower curtain, they come in light, medium, & heavy duty. I’m going to sew multi layers together to make it heavier. We will see how that works