Man's best friend needs protection from the sun.
Dog sheds are useful if you have a pup you like to leave outside in the backyard a lot. The shed can be an easy do-it-yourself project that protects your dog from the dangers of being in the sun too long. When you make one yourself rather than purchasing one, you can also customize the size and design of it to suit you.
Instructions
The Base
1. Determine the size of your doghouse. This one will be 10 feet tall by 10 feet wide.
2. Take four 2x4 boards and make a square frame.
3. Nail boards together at the corners.
4. Attach a sheet of 1/2-inch thick plywood on top of the frame, nailing from the top of the plywood down through the 2x4s.
The Walls
5. Take your 2x4 boards again and create four more square frames for the walls.
6. Attach a stud--an additional 2x4 board--to the center of the frames for the side and rear walls. The front wall frame will have a door and does not need one.
7. Place a sheet of 1/2-inch thick plywood over the top of each wall frame and nail them together securely.
8. Use your jigsaw to cut out a door in the plywood to be used on the front wall frame before attaching.
9. Position the walls on top of the base frame and nail them all together through the bottom.
10. Toe-nail each corner for extra stability. To toe-nail is to drive the nail at a 45 to 60 degree angle from one board to another.
The Roof
11. Create two struts out of one of the 2x4 boards. A strut will determine the pitch of the roof so cut them to your desired length. For a 10 by 10 shed, the proper pitch would be about five and a half feet. The rule of thumb is that for every foot a building runs, it should go seven inches up.
12. Cut two 2x4 boards to five and half feet in length, the ends do not need to be angled.
13. Attach the struts to the center of the front and rear walls, nailing them together through the bottom of the wall frames upward. Toe-nail the struts for extra support.
14. Take a 2x4 board and use it as your ridge board. This will determine the overhang on your dog shed roof. Cut to the desired length and nail into place on top the struts.
15. Cut six rafters into the proper length determined by the angle of your roof. Nail them into place, three on each side.
16. Place a 1/2-inch thick plywood sheet on the roof top and nail into place.
Finishing Touches
17.Add shingles to the roof of your dog shed if you want to make the roof weather-resistant.
18. Nail shingles into place The first row of shingles should be two shingles thick and hang over the edge by one-inch.
19. Paint the exterior, perhaps including a nameplate on the front in order to customize it more personally for your pup.
20. Decorate the interior with either a cut-out piece of carpet or a dog bed to make it cozy.
Related posts
Building a wooden tool shed requires carpentry skills and tools.If you are looking to have a secure place to store your tools in an organized and weather proof way, you should consider building a...
Dog in its houseYou generally need a doghouse if you have a dog you want to leave outside in the backyard a lot. For one thing, a doghouse will protect your dog from the hot sun. You don't need to...
Versatile and hardy animals, goats require little in terms of housing. A three-sided goat shed provides protection from drafts and rain, the two major causes of serious goat illnesses such as pneu...
Building Plans for a Dog Crate End TableMost commercially available dog crates come in drab colors and are visually unappealing, thus making them an article you probably don't want to showcase in...
A dog run gives your dog a safe place to run out energy.A dog run is the perfect place for your pet to run around and get plenty of exercise. It's an area within your property that is fenced off s...
