While slow feeder mats and bowls can be a great enrichment activity, they are not the answer to slowing your pet down at mealtimes. I’ll discuss other ways to use your V-Flat later, but for now, let’s look at how to make our own DIY foldable V-Flat. Making your DIY Foldable V-Flat Tip: I spaced the tape out on each board by using a piece of removable tape between each of my strips. As you can see in the shots, this accurate spacing then allows for the two boards to be joined easily afterward. Many of you may think throwing together a V-Flat is fairly obvious, after all, it’s just two boards attached at the spine, right? Yes, in its base form, the design is very simple, but if you want to make them foldable, there are a couple of things I learned along the way that I think you’ll find useful. Chief among them is the ‘weave-fold’. The Weave-Fold

The kits are supplied with all the fixings and sealants required for a standard installation and also includes a comprehensive fitting guide. This is the best solution I could find to hold the two folding flaps in place when fully assembled, but if you have a better idea, I’d be interested in hearing it. Making the hinges in this way actually creates a surprisingly strong hinge, in fact, it’s far stronger than if we’d simply taped it on one side, so I really do recommend you take the time to join your boards like this. The Finer Details of the ‘Weave-Fold’ For flat-nosed pets in particular, it becomes even more difficult to eat. This can result in them becoming frustrated, anxious and aggressive around food, or stop them eating altogether.To be clear, I’m sure there are one-hundred-and-one ways you can achieve the same thing I have here, but I’m just going to explain exactly how I made my V-Flats and with what products to either improve them and/or save money. If you find cheaper/better alternatives, by all means, use those instead. Prices listed as of July 2022 Applications include: car ports, covered seating areas, covered play areas, porches, patio canopy, caravan cover, cycle/smoking shelters This is probably the least important piece of kit of the build, as I’m simply only using this to hold the two folded sides of the V-Flat together at the top. If you have another solution, then go for it, but for a couple of quid, this worked well. Total Costs for Materials Remember: This is the total cost of making 2 full-size double-sided V-flats. You would obviously reduce the cost a lot if you only need to make 1. Making Your V-Flat

Pets are able to move around flat boards easily, helping them to reach their food from a range of angles. The eaves beam cleverly double’s as an integral box gutter utilising the support posts as down pipes with the rain water exiting through the variable height post feet. For me, this was a no-brainer. Yes, the technique I used to add hinges to mine is a little extra work, but when not being used, they can easily be slid behind a door. Again, if you’re planning on leaving your V-Flats pretty much in situ at the studio, you could likely skip this portion of the technique. What You Will Need In the wild, cats and dogs would eat from the ground, which is a flat surface. This enables them to move around their food with ease, as well as allowing them to see whether they have any dangers or challenges approaching. Having this awareness during mealtimes helps your pet to feel safe, enhancing their enjoyment as they eat. The system can be supplied in modular kit format (please see size matrix) as well as bespoke sizes and configurations.One of the main benefits of using UPVC soffit boards is the lightweight dynamic of the boards. Thanks to the type of material they are made from, these boards have little weight to them whether it be one of our bigger options such as Aquacel 405mm flat general purpose soffit board or smaller sizes. Remember, every aspect of any mealtime, including the things we say, the emotions that are present while eating and the surface your pet is fed from, has a significant impact on their mental health and wellbeing. This benefits all pets, however flat-nosed/brachycephalic and older pets struggle most to catch their food when trying to chase it around a bowl, meaning they may experience the greatest benefits of eating from a flat surface. It’s also important to consider hygiene and sustainability when thinking about what your pet eats from. Different surfaces can be more more hygienic than others, for example our chomping boards are very hygienic and eco friendly because the fibers within have a substance called “bamboo kun” that make them naturally anti- bacterial. This prevents bacteria and microbes growing on the surfaces, making it not only hygienic but also odour resistant.

The only other point worth mentioning here above the tape is the fact that I bought FIFTY METER rolls of the stuff! That may seem like overkill, but the regular roll length was too small for what I wanted and this far larger roll was simply more cost-effective than purchasing multiple smaller ones. Spray Adhesive The system is manufactured in maintenance free powder coated aluminium in white as standard with any RAL no. colour available at extra cost and lead time. The system can accommodate pitches from 5 degrees to 15degrees, on standard modular kits the maximum projection is achieved at a pitch of 5 degrees.

The Complete V-Flat Build

With that hidden tape method in mind, let’s now see the complete process from start to finish. The Complete V-Flat Build Step 1: Assemble Flat boards can be a great solution to solve mealtime anxiety, allowing pets to keep an eye on their surroundings and feel safe while they eat. Giving them space to move around whilst eating can also remove any fears of being stationary while distracted.

We use exactly the same technique as before; tape one side first and space out the strips by using a removable piece of tape. Then do the same on the other board and then lastly join them together. uPVC fascia boards are extremely durable and, unlike wood, they don't rot or warp over time. In fact, uPVC fascia boards require virtually no maintenance, and with their long lifespan and easy installation process, it’s easy to see why they’re such a popular choice among homeowners. One thing to keep in mind is to keep the two flaps even. By that I mean, if you wanted to take 20cm off of the top of your V-Flat, take 10cm off of the top and 10cm off of the bottom. This makes sure that when the V-Flat is folded down, it’s also smaller and takes up less room. Plus it’s just neater. Opening Direction: Looking at the door outside the house, do you want it hinged on the left or the right? The two-pane can also be supplied as a French door. Plastic fascia boards are becoming increasingly popular as technology and manufacturing methods continue to improve. With so many styles, shapes and colours of fascia boards & cladding it means you can create the exact look you want for your property, with no need to compromise.Be aware of the room height you’ll be using your V-Flats in as you may need to cut them down to size afterwards. How Many V-Flats Do You Want? As I mentioned above, I trimmed my V-Flat down a little to make it a bit easier to use in a home studio. If you are planning on doing the same, now is the time to do it. Dogs and cats are often labelled ‘ fussy’ when realistically, there is always a reason that they do not show interest in their food. They may feel anxious, frustrated, confused, or vulnerable. Their instinctive behaviour to not eat is your pet’s natural language, that can be interpreted by people.