If your dog spends a lot of time outside, it is essential to provide a space so that he can protect himself from rain, wind and strong sun. It is quite easy to make a wooden dog house for your dog. This must be the right size! Bigger doesn't always mean better, because dogs feel safer in a small space. An ideal-sized kennel will help your dog preserve body heat.
What materials do I need to build a dog house?
The sizes shown below are indicative only. You can adjust the length, width and height according to your preferences and the size of your dog.
Structure: 4 pieces of wood 44 Ã 44 mm and 100 cm long
A structure:
- 4 pieces of wood for the side supports 28 Ã 58 mm and 100 cm long
- 1 piece of wood for the roof top, 44 Ã 44 mm and 120 cm long
Floor:
- Plywood panel with epoxy coating, 12 mm thick and measures 100x100 cm
- 4 short legs (12 cm high) made with wooden pieces, 90x90 mm
Roof:
- 14 boards of 125x22 mm and 120 cm in length
- 75x20 mm corner boards (for entry): two 130 cm long and two 170 cm long
Rear wall: mounted in a triangular shape, cut into 18 mm panels with inserts
Front wall: triangular shape, with a saw cut opening
You will also need:
- Panels with 18 mm thick pine wood insert with a real width of 120 mm = 2 x 6 planks with a length close to 1000 mm (if using untreated wood, you must apply a coat of paint or varnish to prevent rot.)
- 4 connecting pieces 1000 mm long
- 20 mm wide corner boards
Bottom structure
The first step is to build the bottom structure. First, make a pre-drilling for the holes in all the wooden pieces that you will fix with screws. In this way, it prevents the wood from splintering.
A-Structures
Assemble the A-shaped structures of the house in a triangular shape. Saw the base of the triangle at a 60 angle and saw the top of the triangle at a 30 angle. Then, secure the bottom corners of the wooden pieces with stainless steel.
Ridge
On the two A-shaped structures, assemble the 120 cm piece of wood that will serve as a ridge (joining the two sides of the roof). Make sure that the triangular A-frames are correctly aligned. Before screwing in the ridge, use a spirit level to make sure that the A-frames are vertical.
Floor panel
Saw the spaces for the vertical posts on the four corners of the floor panel. Fit the floor panel between the vertical posts and secure it with screws.
Laying the roof
Use overlapping boards of 165x22 mm. First, screw a plank to the top. Then, place a block under this board so that you can slide the roof panel from below. For the movable roof panel, assemble a structure with 75x20 cm planks and then screw the planks together so that they overlap as tiles.
Dog house rear wall
Assemble the front and rear walls separately, fixing the panels with notches (two groups of 6 panels each). Make sure that the panels are firmly attached to each joint. Fix the panels together at an angle of 60 (following the shape of the structure in A) with two connecting pieces for each wall. These connecting pieces must be inside the structure in A; the assembly must be calculated taking into account the space required for them. Screw the top panel separately.
Sawing the triangular shape
Mark the diagonal line of the roof, starting from the central point to the top of the 6th panel. With a circular saw, saw the back wall in the same triangular shape as the A-frame and screw it in place.
Front wall
Mark the shape of the entrance on the front wall of the 1st to the 4th panel. Make sure that the entrance to the doghouse is exactly in the middle. At the top, the shape of the entrance will follow the roof line; that is, at an angle of 60 . Follow the previously marked line and saw the remaining opening. To reinforce the front panel, screw the connecting pieces to the upper and lower parts, exactly in the middle.
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Final Verdict
Now you can assemble the doghouse, placing the front and rear walls, and screwing them to the bottom frame. Pre-drill the holes and use recessed screws so that they are embedded in the wood and offer a smoother surface. Finally, to finish the wooden dog house, attach wooden slats to the corners around the entrance.