A practical starting point for making custom portable-AC window panels.
Begin with a sample, a manageable range of window types and a clear process. This guide outlines what to prepare before offering your first paid jobs.
1. Choose the work you will offer
Decide whether you will measure, fabricate and install locally or make panels from customer-supplied measurements. For your first jobs, choose setups you can inspect and test yourself. Define your service area and explain exactly what is included in a quote.
Start with window types and hose connections you understand. Photograph the open window, mounting surface, handles and hose connector before promising that a panel will fit. An inward-opening sash, unsuitable mounting surface or obstructed exhaust path may make a job unsuitable for your method.
2. Prepare a basic workshop
- Table saw and jigsaw with blades suitable for the acrylic you are using.
- Measuring tape, square, marking tools, clamps and a stable supported work surface.
- Basic hand tools and suitable edge-finishing supplies.
- Protective equipment and dust management appropriate to your tools and material.
Follow the tool and acrylic supplier’s instructions. Practise on offcuts before working on a full panel. Manual fabrication takes care and practice; owning the tools alone does not establish a finished, saleable process.
3. Source material and matching components
Ask a local plastics supplier about suitable acrylic, sheet sizes and cut-to-size options. Buying manageable blanks can simplify handling while you make the final cuts. Check actual material thickness against the adapter specification before buying a large quantity.
Your sample build needs an appropriate adapter, its matching cutout specification, hook and loop, and any required finishing accessories. Hook and loop are separate mating surfaces: calculate how much of each you need rather than treating one roll as both sides.
4. Match the adapter to the hose and window
Use FlowOut for compatible sliding-window installations with a clear straight-out exhaust path. Consider FlowDown for compatible casement and awning installations where the scoop can direct exhaust away from the open sash.
Confirm the hose size and connection, panel thickness, outlet position and clearance with the window open. Dual-hose and unusual connectors need their own compatibility check.
Each adapter needs its own matching cutout. Confirm the required dimensions and the availability of the matching template before fabrication. A generic round hole is not a substitute for the specified twist-lock cutout. If using a printable template, print at actual size and check its reference measurement.
Read the adapter compatibility guide →
5. Measure the finished panel, not just the opening
Record the opening dimensions and the available mounting surface separately. Measure at multiple points and note the space needed for handles, latches, tracks and other obstructions. Decide where the finished panel will sit and how much overlap the chosen mounting method needs.
Do not apply one overlap rule to every window. Mark the panel orientation and intended adapter location on a sketch before cutting. Check hose routing and the position of the open sash as part of that layout.
6. Make and test your sample
- Cut and finish the panel to your checked dimensions.
- Create the specified adapter cutout and any necessary hardware clearances.
- Check the panel and adapter fit before applying mounting tape.
- Prepare compatible surfaces and apply the mounting products according to their instructions, including any bonding time.
- Fit the panel, connect the hose and check that the exhaust path is clear.
- Test the complete setup in use and practise removing and reinstalling the panel without bending or forcing it.
For the usual hook-and-loop arrangement, hook goes on the window-frame mounting surface and loop on the panel’s mating perimeter. Keep both aligned so they engage evenly. Surface compatibility and preparation matter; do not assume every adhesive suits every frame.
A directional adapter does not make a blocked exhaust path acceptable or guarantee that adhesive will never fail. Keep the sash open sufficiently for the actual installation and follow the AC manufacturer’s requirements.
7. Set up a simple job process
- Enquiry: collect the location, window photos, AC model and connector photos.
- Assessment: confirm that the job suits your method and record measurements.
- Quote: state what is supplied, whether installation is included and the expected timing.
- Fabrication: use one job sheet per panel and check dimensions before cutting.
- Handover: show the customer how to keep the exhaust clear, remove the panel and contact you about problems.
Before accepting paid work, check the business, workspace and insurance requirements that apply to your location and activities.
8. Price a complete job
Record acrylic, offcuts and waste, adapter, both sides of the mounting tape, accessories, your labour, travel and payment costs. Allow for follow-up work as well. A sample build helps you measure the real time involved before setting a customer price.
Keep a record of each job so you can see what needs improving. You do not need a large product range to start; you need a process you can repeat reliably.
9. Show your work and test interest
Photograph your own finished sample from inside and outside. Show the window type, hose connection and finished fit. Explain your local service area and the jobs you can handle. Use photos with permission and remove identifying customer details.
Start with a small number of enquiries and learn which questions people ask. Use those questions to improve your descriptions and quoting process before increasing marketing.
Your first-panel checklist
- Window and mounting surface assessed.
- Hose connection and adapter compatibility confirmed.
- Panel thickness, finished dimensions and cutout specification checked.
- Enough hook and loop for both mating surfaces.
- Panel fitted securely with a clear exhaust path.
- Removal, refitting and customer instructions practised.
- Material use and time recorded.
Choose your adapter → Shop parts and mounting supplies →
Already making panels? See our fabricator and volume-pricing information.