Glass Cat Flaps and Air Conditioning Cut-Outs in Luxembourg
A cat flap or a hole for air conditioning pipework: technically it is the same job. Vitralux cuts the opening to the millimetre — round, oval or rectangular — in new or already installed glass, then polishes the edges to a clean finish. No crack, no chipping, no damage around the cut-out.
Cat flap in glass — for cats and small pets
The cat flap in glass is a speciality few glaziers in Luxembourg offer. It is an opening cut into a glass panel — a glass door, a glass wall panel, a conservatory screen — that lets a cat or a small pet through without replacing the whole pane. The cut-out takes a standard off-the-shelf frame or flap unit.
- Cut to measure in an existing or a new pane.
- Fits the standard cat flap brands sold in the trade.
- Glass: laminated safety glass is recommended for doors and panels with a cut-out.
- Position of the cut-out: low in the panel, set to the height of the cat.
- Applications: glazed front door, conservatory panel, porch screen.
Glass cat flaps and made-to-measure cut-outs
Cut-out for air conditioning pipework — a hole in a pane or a glass door
A split air conditioning unit usually needs its pipework run between the indoor and the outdoor unit. When a window, a glass door, a conservatory or a glass wall sits in the way, no ordinary tool will do the job: the glass would shatter. Vitralux makes the cut-out with diamond tooling, either in a new pane made for the purpose or, in many cases, in glazing already installed.
A hole in a window for air conditioning — what installers simply call a glass duct penetration — is one of the jobs most often asked of Vitralux by air conditioning installers and homeowners in Luxembourg. Running the pipework neatly through a pane, a window or a glass door means the split unit can be connected without breaking into the wall and without an unsightly temporary fix in a tilted window.
For double glazing (insulating glass units), one rule applies: cutting into a sealed unit already in place is technically impossible without destroying the insulation. Vitralux then advises replacing the pane with single glazing with the cut-out built in, or finding another route for the pipework. Glass to be replaced anyway? Take a look at our glass repair and replacement service.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Shape of the cut-out | Round (diameter to measure), oval or rectangular, depending on the pipe diameter and the constraints of the pane |
| Typical diameter | Diameter made to measure, matched to the standard pipework of domestic split air conditioning units |
| Suitable glazing | Float glass (not toughened), single laminated glass, conservatory glazing — on new glass the cut-out is always made before toughening |
| Existing toughened glass | Cannot be cut — toughened glass shatters under the tool. A new pane with the cut-out built in is the recommended route |
| Edge finish | The edges of the cut-out are diamond-polished: no risk of a cut, and a clean appearance |
| Work on site | Possible in certain cases on installed glass that is not toughened — Vitralux assesses feasibility with the quotation |
When the cut-out is possible
- Annealed float glass (ordinary window, older conservatory panel).
- Single laminated glass (stays bonded after cutting).
- New pane ordered with the cut-out made before toughening.
- Acrylic panel (very easy to cut).
When the glass has to be replaced
- Existing toughened glass (cannot be cut — it shatters).
- Double glazing (the cut-out breaks the seal).
- Glazing with security film bonded to it (to be assessed).
→ Vitralux makes the replacement pane with the cut-out built in.
Frequently asked questions about cat flaps and cut-outs
No. Cutting a cat flap into double glazing is technically impossible: the cut-out opens the cavity between the panes and the insulation stops working. The cat flap belongs in single glazing, toughened or laminated. If the existing panel is a sealed unit, it has to be replaced with single glazing carrying the cat flap.
No. The cut-out is possible in annealed float glass (not toughened), in single laminated glass and in acrylic. Toughened glass, on the other hand, cannot be cut once it has been toughened: it would shatter on the spot. Where the installed pane is toughened, Vitralux makes an identical replacement with the cut-out worked in before toughening. In double glazing, cutting directly is impossible without destroying the insulation.
No. Toughened glass cannot be cut once it has been through the furnace: it breaks into thousands of small pieces. Every cut, notch, hole and edge is worked on the raw glass beforehand. That is why sizes and cut-outs have to be confirmed precisely before manufacture.
More Vitralux services in glass processing and repair
Your cat flap or air conditioning cut-out — made to measure in Luxembourg
Tell us about your glazing and the cut-out you need — free quotation, fast appointment.