Build a Dog House With Scrap Materials
Building a dog house with scrap materials is an inexpensive way to provide shelter for your pet. Many standard building materials can be used to construct a dog house. Consider using leftover plywood and 2x4 pieces from a former home-improvement project or ask to take some of the scrap materials from your local hardware store. You can use everything from vinyl siding to roof shingles to customize your dog house. The design will ultimately depend on the materials available, the size of your dog and your level of building expertise.
Instructions
Instructions for a Medium-Size Dog House
1. Construct the base of the dog house so that the floor of the building will be raised off of the ground, keeping the wood from coming in contact with dampness and rotting. To do this, measure and cut two of your 8-foot 2x4 pieces of wood in half. This will leave you with four pieces of 4-foot 2x4 wood. Connect the pieces together to make a square base for the dog house, fastening the pieces with two of your 8D nails in each end.
2. Build the frame for the house. Measure and cut four of your remaining 8-foot 2x4 beams in half so that you have eight pieces measuring 4 feet each. Place one piece upright at each of the four corners of the base and nail it there with two of your 8D nails. You should now have a base with four posts sticking up at each of the corners. Reinforce these posts by connecting and nailing the four remaining 4-foot beams at the top of each corner, thereby making another square at the top of the frame. In other words, you should now have the completed frame of a box.
3. Make the triangular frame for the roof. Measure your final two pieces of 8-foot 2x4 wood to find the halfway point. Use your carpenter's square to measure and sketch a 45-degree angle along the halfway point of the wood as well as at both ends of the wood. When cut, these two pieces should connect to make a triangle shape when you flip one of the severed halves around. Fasten the four angular pieces together on top of the frame with nails, two at the front of the dog house frame and two at the back. You should now have a box-like frame with two triangular frames on top that will eventually support the roof.
4. Cut out the floor. Measure the area of the base of your dog house and sketch these same measurements on a piece of sturdy plywood. Cut out the square shape and set it in the frame, resting on top of the 2x4 base. Make sure the floor lines up well with the base and fasten it in place with 8D nails around the perimeter.
5. Attach the walls. Measure the dimensions of the side walls as well as the front and back walls. Sketch and cut the corresponding measurements out of your additional slabs of plywood. Use smaller 4D nails to attach the sides and back to the frame of the dog house. Make sure the nails are not so long that they stick out on the inside. They should be buried in the wood where you nail them. Nails sticking out could cause injury to your dog. Draw a door on the final piece of freshly cut plywood that will serve as the front entry of the dog house. Make sure the door is appropriate for the size of your dog. Cut out the door shape. This should leave you with a three-sided square piece of plywood or a u-shaped piece, depending on your design preference. Attach this front-door piece to the frame, completing the walls for your dog house.
6. Measure the dimensions or your roof. You want two pieces of plywood to meet and come flush at the top of the triangular roof frame you have already constructed. Cut each side of the roof to equal proportions. Attach the plywood sheets to the frame using shorter 4D nails. Again, make sure that the nails do not stick through on the inside of the roof where the dog may bump its head.
7. Add the finishing touches to your dog house. Consider attaching shingles to the roof to waterproof the structure. Use short roofing nails if you do this. You can also attach scraps of vinyl siding or paint the dog house. Add scraps of carpet to the floor if you want, and think about draping a heavy cloth or connecting a doggy-door of some kind over the entry point to provide an added bit of privacy and warmth for your dog.
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