A Dog House Building Project

Easy Step By Step Instructions

So, your furry friend likes to awaken you each morning by jumping on your bed and leaving some of his pet fur behind. Have you ever considered building a dog house for your pet to live in? If you live in a home, you can build a dog house for your pet. How to build a dog house will take you step by step in the building process. You can turn this into a do it yourself project.

Before starting it will require you to become familiar with all of the tools and materials that will be needed for a successful project.

The size of the dog house will be determined by the adult size of your dog and if you want your pet to be outside all year round during all types of weather conditions. Once you have made this decision, you should ensure that you have all of the proper tools handy to complete the job.

The topics that will be covered are mentioned below:

• How To Build A Dog House Video
• Tips Before Starting
• Tools and Materials Needed
• Constructing The Base
• Putting Up Walls
• Building The Roof
• Customizing The Dog House
• Conclusion
• Shop How To Build A Dog House

How To Build Dog House DIY Video

Before getting started, watch this do it yourself video to get familiar with the steps it will take to build a dog house. You will also see some of the materials being used.

How To Build A Dog House Video

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Tips before Starting

Determine what type of wood you will be using. Most dog houses can be made with ¾” plywood.

Before you begin to cut any wood, draw out your plan on the plywood first (See diagram image of the right). This will include the base cover, front and side walls, and roof. Be sure you have all of the proper tools and materials on hand and ready before starting the construction.

Mark the plywood sheet as follows:

• Upper left-hand corner measure out one Roof piece 32” (west to east) by 20” (north to south) north is at the top of the plywood sheet laid flat along the entire 96” length.
• In the lower left-hand corner measure out two (2) Side pieces 16” (west to east) x 26” (south to north).
• After the two side pieces, measure out the Bottom piece 26” (west to east) x 22.5” (south to north), from the bottom of the 96” plywood sheet, just after the second side piece.
• Just above the Bottom piece, measure out the Front piece 24” (north to south) from the top of the 96” sheet, and measure 16” (west to east) make a mark, measure an additional 12” for a total of 28” (west to east). On the north 16” mark, draw a line to the center of the 24” line (this is 12 inches from the top of the sheet), this forms the first half of the roof point. From this mark, draw a straight line to the other 16” mark at the south end to complete the roof.
• From the farthest east point on the plywood sheet, measure 32” going east to west, and 20” going south to north. This is the second Roof piece.
• Lastly, for the Back piece, measure 24” starting from the east end of the sheet going north to south, and 16” going east to west and make a mark, go an additional 12” (east to west) and make a mark, for a total of 28”. Draw a line from the top of the sheet, at the 16” mark to a point at the middle of the 24”. Duplicate the line from that point going to the south where it touches the 16” mark. This will look like a roof.

Once you have completed your drawings, cut out the pieces one by one using the hand, circular, table or jigsaw as needed.

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Tools & Materials Needed

• Drill for screwing wood screws
• A bit to match galvanized screw heads
• Countersink drill bit
• Box 3” Galvanized wood screws
• Box 1 ¼” Galvanized wood screws
• Hand Saw
• Table saw
• Circular Saw
• Jigsaw
• 1 – 8’ 2×4 board that’s pressure treated
• 1 – 4’ x 8’ x ¾” plywood sheet
• Marker or Wood Pencil
• 1 – 10’ 2×2 fir or cedar wood board that’s pressure treated
• Sanding Block
• Large ruler or leveler for making straight lines
• Screwdriver

The above are the basic materials and tools needed for this project.

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Constructing the Base 

This will be the first step in the dog house construction. A house without a base is cooler in the winter months and warmer during the hot months which will not be good for your pet.

Here are some of the following things you need to consider in the base construction:

• Determine if insulation will be used.
• Consider the elements that might affect the base in your outdoor environment.
• If it rains a lot where you live, be sure to use non-toxic, water-resistant materials and build the base high enough off the ground to prevent flooding.
• In winter, place the opening of the dog house in the direction that’s away from the wind and snow pattern in your area.

Step 1: Cut 2×4 wood boards into four pieces. Two pieces at 22.5” and two pieces at 23.0”.

Step 2: Place the longer boards inside the shorter boards to form a rectangle. Pre-drill two countersink holes on the corners of the north and south pieces (a total of eight holes). Screw two 3” galvanized wood screws in each corner, for a total of eight (8). This forms the base.

Step 3: Cover the 2×4 rectangle with a sheet of ¾” plywood (22.5” x 26” piece) already measured and cut to cover the base. Using 1 ¼” galvanized screws, drill one screw into each corner of the base.

This completes the base. The rectangle will be 22.5” x 26”

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Putting Up Walls

After completing the base, the next phase of the construction, are the walls. Use real wood which will provide some added insulation and versatility.

Step 1: Wall Dimensions

1. Side Wall = 26” x 16” rectangle (2)
2. Front Wall = 24” x 16” rectangle with an attached piece 12” high and 24” wide triangle on top of the rectangle.
3. Back Wall = 24” x 16” rectangle with an attached piece 12” high and 24” wide triangle on top of the rectangle.

Step 2: Cut Walls from plywood according to the measurements in step 1.

Step 3: Leave an opening on the front wall of the house 10” wide x 13” high. Leave a 3” tall space at the bottom of the opening to cover the base. Create the round arch at the top of the opening; use any round object that’s handy or mixing bowl. To accomplish this, use an electric jigsaw. Drill a hole at a corner large enough for the blade of the jigsaw to fit. Then cut out the opening by following the predetermined lines drawn. You may need to sand around the rough edges so your dog will not get injured or scratched by exposed sharp wood edges.

Step 4: Cut eight (8) pieces for framing. Cut a piece of 10′ x 2 x 2 fir or cedar wood as follows:

1. Four (4) framing pieces 15” long
2. Four (4) roof framing pieces 13” long

Step 5: Fasten one 15” corner framing piece to each edge of the side frames using 3 1 ¼” galvanized screws by drilling them in place. Then place the side panels on the base and screw 1 ¼” galvanized wood screws every 4 to 5 inches around the perimeter using the drill. To save time, pre-drill holes with the screws in them lined up. You can easily use the drill to screw them in.

Step 6: Attach the front and back panels. Place the front and back panels on the floor of the base and screw 1 ¼” galvanized screws around the perimeter every 4 to 5 inches apart.

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Building The Roof

The next phase of our dog house construction is the roof. Follow the steps below for constructing the roof.

Step 1: Now build a triangular, sloping roof. This will allow the rain and snow to slide off the roof. Draw plans on the plywood sheet of wood in the following dimensions: 32” x 20”, and cut two pieces to size. These pieces will rest on the top of the side panels to form a rectangular sloping roof. Note: You should have already cut these pieces from the “Tips Before Starting” section above.

Step 2: Now, attach the four (4) 13” 2 x 2 framing pieces to the inside edges of the front and back panels, halfway between the top and bottom of the angled side of each panel. Drill three (3) 1 ¼” galvanized screws into each panel.

Step 3: Place one of the pieces cut in step 1 on the top of the sides, making sure that the peak is tight and the panels hang over each side. Secure this piece using 1 ¼” galvanized screws by drilling them at 3” intervals. Repeat this step for the second roofing piece.

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Customizing the Dog House

This particular phase will be determined by each dog owner. Some suggestions are provided to give you some additional options to consider.

• Paint the wood. Use only non-toxic paints that will not cause harm to your pet. Try to match the color with that of your house is one suggestion. Or, pick any type of scene or color. If you have any kids, they can help with this phase of the project. The paint will protect the outside wood from the weather elements.
• Make the roof waterproof and dry. Cover entire roof with asphalt-impregnated roofing paper or tar paper. Staple in place. Add shingles by following manufacturer’s instructions. Doing this step, will add years to the life of the dog house. Otherwise, the wood will rot over time. Use nails that will not go through the roof wood to prevent injury to your pet.
• Inside tips. You can add a blanket, dog bed, or carpet to the floor of the dog house. Cut carpet 1-inch smaller than the size of the dog house. Use wood glue to help keep the carpet permanent. Use duct tape for removing carpet at a later date.
• Personalize the dog house by adding hooks for hanging leash or other items on the outside of the dog house. Be sure nails or screws do not poke through so your pet will not get injured.

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Conclusion

As you can see, building a dog house was not really that difficult. All you needed was some time and having the proper tools on hand to get the job done. With careful planning ahead of time, you will surprise yourself in what you can accomplish. Your pet will like it also when he goes outside for any length of time.

It may take your pet a little time to get used to and acclimate himself to the dog house as he may not go into it right away.

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Shop How To Build Dog House

The following do it yourself books are available to read and learn how to build a dog house that’s specific for your pet.

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