How to build

This is the metric version

A Dog Kennel Click here for the ft and inch version
User Comments/Photos

This kennel will accommodate a large dog but is really suitable for a dog of any size. The
kennel is constructed out of 150x19 rough-sawn treated pine for the floor and roof (this timber
is commonly used for fence palings), 50x50 gauged or dressed untreated pine for the framing,
50x50 gauged or dressed PT (pressure treated) pine for the under floor skids (dressed or
finished size is usually 46x46) and one sheet of 9mm exterior plywood from which the walls
are cut

Note 1. About pressure treated timber

Do not use pressure treated timber on any parts the dog may chew. Pressure treated
timber (PT, Tanalized) contains preservatives that can be toxic to your dog.
In this project we have opted to use pressure treated timber for the roof, floor and skids, as
it is unlikely the dog will chew these parts. The walls and inside framing are of untreated
timber, as these are the parts a dog is most likely to gnaw.
If you have any reservations and/or a dog that chews everything in sight, then use
untreated timber for the entire kennel. However all untreated timber exposed to the weather
(excepting timbers that have a natural resistance to rot or decay) must be well sealed and
painted to prevent moisture uptake and prolong the life of the timber.

Note 2. The plywood

Exterior plywood has a waterproof, phenolic or melamine glue line, referred to as WBP -
water boil proof.
If the exterior plywood is not pressure treated or made from a durable rot-resistant wood,
then the plywood will also need to be sealed and painted to prevent moisture uptake and
prolong its life.

Note 3. Painting
Untreated timber should be painted using Wood Primer, Enamel Undercoat and Super
Gloss Enamel. When dried it would be non-toxic to dogs chewing, but any damage that
brings the paint system back to bare timber would eventually allow water in with the
potential for the timber to eventually begin to rot.

Construction details
Cutting list......

ITEM
MATERIAL / SIZE AMOUNT AND LENGTH DESCRIPTION
No.
ex 50x50 H3 pressure treated
(1) 3 @ 1200mm Under floor skids
(dressed size 46X46)
150x19 H3 pressure treated r/s (out
(2) 8 @ 780mm floor
of fence palings)
ex 50x50 untreated (dressed size Top and bottom plates for front and
(3) 4 @ 780mm
46x46) rear wall frames.
ex 50x50 untreated (dressed size
(4) 8 @ 358mm front and rear wall frame studs
46x46)
ex 50x50 untreated (dressed size
(5) 2 @ 1108mm Side wall top plates
46x46)
cutting dimensions as per pattern
(6)&(8) 1 sheet 9mm exterior plywood. wall cladding
below
ex 50x50 untreated (dressed size 6 @ 550mm (long point) with 45deg Rafters. see cutting dimensions in
(7)
46x46) angle cut each end diagram below
150x19 H3 pressure treated r/s (out
(9) 10 @ 1500 Roofing boards
of fence palings)

Step one
Pre-cut all the timber skids, flooring, plates, studs and rafters to the lengths as stated above
and cut the plywood wall panels to the pattern as shown on the plywood sheet below.
Step two
Fix the 8 150x19 780mm long floorboards (# 2) to the three under floor skids (# 1) with 50mm
flathead Galvanized nails. Ensure the finished floor dimensions are 780x1200mm. The three
under floor skids should be evenly spaced with two each side and one in the middle.

Step three
Nail the front and rear frames together comprising of top and bottom plates (# 3) and studs (#
4). Overall frame dimensions of both front and rear frame should be 450mm high and 780mm
wide. Ensure the placement of the intermediate studs allows enough gap (300mm) for the
doorway. See diagrams for reference. Stand and fix the front and rear frames in place at each
end of the floor.

Step four
Fix the 2 sidewall top plates (# 5) in place. See diagrams for reference.

Step five
Fix the wall panels (# 6 and # 8) to the frames using 50mm Galvanized flathead nails.

Step six
Fix the rafters (# 7) in place.

Step seven Fix the 10 roofing boards (# 9) (5 each side) to the rafters beginning with the
 lowest board. The roof boards are 1500mm long and the kennel is 1200mm long, therefore the
roof boards should overhang each end of the kennel by 150mm. The first roofing board should
overhang the sidewalls by 20 to 50mm. Fix the rest of the roofing boards in place checking that
all overlaps are even.

Harry & Sal's Dog House

A roof over the head of that four legged family friend is often
neglected. Sun, rain, wind and snow can make their life
uncomfortable. But here is a design for a simple A-Frame
shelter which is easy to put together and could be adapted for
all sizes of dogs.

While the method of building this kennel is suitable for all sizes, the measurements given would
be satisfactory only for a medium sized dog about 400 mm high.

If you wish to adjust the size to suit your dog, remember that the dog should not only be able to
stand upright inside the hennel but should also be able to turn around before he/she curls up and
lies down.

TOOLS YOU WILL

MATERIALS YOU WILL NEED
NEED

• Hammer TIMBER (For example only) HARDWARE

• Saws
 • Measuring
tape/rule 75 x 50mm, 6 pieces 1.2m* for two A- 4/125 x 9mm Galvanise cup
• Carpenter's Frames (use durable timber) head bolts, nuts, washers.
square and
pencil
75 x 25mm, Decking, or equivalents, 16 100/50 x 2.8mm Galvanised
• Adjustable
pieces flat head nails.
spanner
• Drill and bits
1.2m* (for flooring) 75 x 75mm x 1.2m length of
• 60o/30o set zincalume angle as ridge
square Scandinavian Pine Cladding* in 1.2m capping OR
lengths (22 lengths should be sufficient 1.2m length of aluminium
for overall height of wall/roof and the dampcourse.
end walls).
12/12 x 3.2m Galvanised
*Consult your TABMA merchant for round head, metal thread,
suitable available materials and how screws.
these can be ordered.

Features of the Dog House

CUT A-FRAME PIECES

From the 1.2m lengths of 75 x 50mm timber, cut four A-Frame legs (A) to this
pattern using the 60o/30o set square to mark the angles shown.

CUT FLOOR PLATE

From the remaining two lengths of 75 x 50mm pieces, cut two floor plates (B) to
pattern below, using the 60o/30o set square to mark the angles shown.

CUT TWO GUSSET PLATES

From a piece of Scandinavian Pine or other flat sheet material cut two gusset plates
(C) to the pattern below using the 60o/30o set square to mark the angles shown.
 ASSEMBLE A-FRAMES

Using two of the legs (A) cut in (1), and a floor

(B) as in (2) and gusset plates (C), assemble
and fix components to make two A-Frames as
in sketch below.

CUT FLOORING

From the flooring material cut two short boards for side pieces each 900mm long.
Cut two boards approx. 950mm cut remaining floor boards to 1200mm length
sufficient to cover the floor plate, allowing boards to be fixed closely together.

FIX FLOORING

(a) Select one of the assembled A-Frames an fix flooring square to floor as shown in plan
diagram using two nails at each board - pre-drilling nail holes at end of board.

FIX FLOORING

(b) To the remaining A-Frame fix the floor boards to the floor plate as shown in diagram, similarly
pre-drilling nail holes at end of boards.
 CUT AND FIX SIDE CLADDING

(I) Cut lengths of cladding to 1200mm lengths.

Commencing with top of (A) temporarily fix one board
square to (A) legs allowing projection of approx.
100mm both front and back beyond A-Frame. Use two nails on each end of the
cladding piece (Note: spacing at top between frames should be exactly the same as
that at flooring level i.e. 900mm).

Sarking of building paper/heavy polythene is suggested. Fix this to open side by stapling or light
tacking with cut tacks or similar. Then permanently fix a top cladding piece to this covered side,
using two nails each leg. To complete this sarked side, continue fixing cladding sufficient to cover
exposed ends of floor plates (B).

Remove temporary top cladding piece and fix sarking to second side. Fix cladding to second side,
as in (II) above.

(Note: Allow sarking to slightly sag between frames and extend well over the edges of the outer
floor boards).

CUT AND FIX END CLADDING

Cut first piece of end cladding to shape given for gusset plate (Step 3). Then continue cutting
cladding pieces as required in diagram (See Step 10).

FIX FRONT CLADDING

Fix at least two pieces of angle cut cladding to front of structure. This could be
increased so as to reduce height of door, depending on size of dog.

FIX REAR CLADDING

Loosely fix shaped piece of selected sarking to outside end frame, so as to drape
outside edges of flooring. Commencing with topmost piece, cut and nail fix sufficient
cladding to cover exposed ends of decking floor. Allow clearance between end
cladding and ground line of at least 50mm.

CUT OFF, SAND OR SMOOTH

Cut off, sand or smooth to common line the exposed ends of cladding, similarly
round off and smooth projecting floor boards.

PRIME COAT DOG KENNEL

Apply recommended prime coat(s) of selected coating system to exposed timbers
including under flooring.

CUT AND FIX RIDGE CAPPING

Cut 1200mm length of selected ridge capping. Fix to ridge using zinc plated, round
head, self tapping metal thread screws in pre-drilled holes. Prime coat ridge capping.

COMPLETE PAINTING

Apply final coats of selected paint/stain finish and allow several days to thoroughly
dry and all odours to evaporate before introducing dog to new residence.

LOCATING DOG KENNEL

Locate dog kennel so that the doorway is protected from the worst of the
rainy/windy weather. Place legs so that the floor would slightly slope own towards
the doorway. We suggest you put legs on bricks rather than on grass or soil.

OTHER SIZE DOG KENNELS

The size of the dog kennel can be increased to fit your dog by using longer legs to
the A-Frame and longer floor plates. However retain the angles of 60o/30o where
indicated on frames and on the end cladding.

Tips Index

For our doghouse, we used scraps of vinyl siding to match the

house.

Skill Level:
Intermediate
Home
improvement
may extend
beyond your
house to
that of your
pet. The
family dog
needs a
good place
to escape
from the
weather, and
unless
you're willing
to let him in
the house,
maybe its
time to work
on that
doghouse
you've been
meaning to
build.
Building a
doghouse is
a great
family
project. With
these
instructions
a beginner
level DIYer
should be
able to
complete
this project
in a
weekend,
using
common
household
tools. Lowe's
is happy to
provide this
information
as a service
to you.
Article Content
Tools & Materials
(typical)
Overview
Cutting Out the Parts
Assembling the Platform
Building the House
Putting on the Roof
Finishing the Doghouse
Tools & Materials (typical)
Click a text link below to shop for that item.
Click the information icon for a product buying guide.

Overview

Building an attractive and safe doghouse doesn't

SAFETY NOTE:
Make sure nails are accurately
driven. You don't want the points
of nails sticking into the living
space of your pet; they could
cause injury.
have to be a complicated project. Just keep a few
basic principles in mind:
• The house should have a floor
which sits far enough above ground to
prevent water from entering on the rainiest
days. Raising the floor will also isolate it
from the cold ground in the winter.

• Consider your dog's habits. For example, some dogs like to sit on top of their house. If you suspect
that this may be the case with your dog, don't put any roll roofing or shingles on the top of the house
since they can get hot in the summer sun. Just use an exterior plywood panel, treated with a nontoxic
preservative like linseed oil. (The doghouse in this how-to uses a traditional peaked roof design, but
could easily be modified to incorporate a
slanted roof.)

• The illustrated doghouse was

designed for an average sized dog. Feel
free to scale the dimensions up or down as
necessary to accommodate your dog. It
Use the right fasteners. should be large enough to allow your pet to
Learn more... turn around easily in it. Don't make it too
large, since a smaller house is more easily
heated by the dog's natural body heat—an important consideration in winter.

Cutting Out the Parts

The illustration at left provides the dimensions for the panel
elements of our doghouse. The house is designed to make
the most use of a single sheet of plywood siding. Notice that
the drawing has two floor panels—this is so you can double
the thickness of the floor for rigidity.

Step 1: Lay out the panels on the back of the siding as

shown in the drawing. Then, carefully cut out the panels on
the lines. Cut the entry hole only large enough to allow your
dog easy access.

Step 2: Cut your 10' 2x4 into the following:

• 2 pieces 22-7/8" long (platform sides)

• 2 pieces 20 3/4" long (platform front and back)

• 4 pieces 6" long (platform legs)

These will be used to build the platform on which the house

will be built.

Assembling the Platform

Consult the drawing at right when performing the
following steps:

Step 1: Round the bottom of the 6" platform legs.

Step 2: With tops aligned, nail the legs flush

against the inside edges of the 22-7/8" long side
pieces of the platform.

Step 3: Assemble the frame by nailing the 20 3/4"

front, back and side pieces in place as shown.

Note: The front and back pieces overlap the ends of the side pieces.

Step 4: Finally, align the first floor panel with the frame. It should align without overhanging edges. This will
assure that the frame is square and that it was properly assembled. If the floor and frame don't match up,
double-check to make sure you have correctly assembled the frame. If the frame is assembled properly but
there is a slight overhang in a place or two (perhaps because the panels weren't cut perfectly straight), trim off
the excess with a circular saw. When all is well, nail both floor panels in place.
How to Related Resources:
Build a - Lee's Site Map
Woode - Wood Projects
n Dog
House
Free
Woodwo
rking
Plans
from
Lee's
Wood
Projects

Give your pet the needed protection from the

wind, rain, and snow. This medium sized wood
dog house is functional as well as stylish. It is
primarily constructed of cedar wood to help
withstand insects and decay. Your pet will
undoubtedly appreciate the raised floor, which
will keep him off the cold and wet ground during
the winter months. You might consider painting
the dog house and trim the same color as your
house for aesthetic purposes.

Click On Image to See Full Drawing

Technical Information for Building a Wooden Dog House

A. Materials List:

QUANTITY LETTER NAME SIZE MATERIAL

Treated
2 A Front/Rear Bases 2" x 4" x 30"
Cedar
Treated
2 B Side Bases 2" x 4" x 26 1/2"
Ceder
Treated
1 C Center Base 2".x 4"x 26 1/2"
Cedar
Exterior Fir
1 D Floor Board 1/2" x 30" x 30"
Ply.
7 E Wall Studs 2" x 2" x 19 1/2" Cedar
2 F Entry Studs 2" x 2" x 16" Cedar
4 G Sill Plates 2" x 2" x 30" Cedar
1 H Entry Header 2" x 2" x 26" Cedar
3 I Rafters 2" x 2" x 24 9/16" Cedar
2 J Ridge Boards 2" x 2 9/16" x 12" Cedar
Exterior Fir
2 K Front/Rear Siding 1/2" x 31" x 34 3/16"
Ply.
 Exterior Fir
2 L Side Siding 1/2" x 30" x 22 13/16"
Ply.
Exterior Fir
2 M Roof Sheathing 1/2" x 24 516" x 36"`
Ply.
Front/Rear Verticall
4 N 1/2' x 1 1/2" x 23 3/16" Cedar
Moldings
4 O Side Verticall Moldings 1/2" x 1" x 22 3/8" Cedar
Side Horizontall
2 P 1/2" x 1" x 32" Cedar
Moldings
Vertical Opening
2 Q 1/2" x 1" x 17 1/2" Cedar
Moldings
Horizontal Opening
1 R 1/2" x 1" x 14" Cedar
Moldings
2 S Fascia Boards 1/2" x 2 1/2" x 36" Cedar
1 T Roofing Felt 36" x 51" (15#) Tar Paper
1 U Shingles 14 Sq. Ft. Cedar
Misc. Nails & Wood
V
Screws
1 W Latex Primer 1 Gallon Primer
1 X Exterior Latex Paint 1 Gallon Paint

B. Wooden Dog House Cutting Procedures:

1. From 2" x 4" lumber use a power miter saw cut the front and rear bases (A) 30" long, and the
side bases (B) 26 1/2" long. Also, cut the center base (C) 26 1/2" long.
2. From 2" x 2" lumber cut seven wall studs (E) 20" long and the two entry studs (F) 16 1/2"
long. Also cut the entry header (H) 26" long.
3. From 2" x 2" lumber cut the six rafters (I) 24 9/16" long. Also use the power miter saw to cut a
51 degree angle on one end of each rafter. Use a band saw to cut a 90 degree notch 3 3/4"
from the end of each rafter.
4. From 2" x 2" lumber cut four sill plates (G) 30" long. Install dado blades on the radial arm saw
and cut a 2" x 2" x 1" lap joint on both ends of each sill plate.
5. Using a table saw rip a 2" x 4" board to a width of 2 9/16". Tilt the table saw blade to 51
degrees and bevel one half the thickness of the board. Turn the board end for end and rip
another 51 degree bevel. Use the power miter saw to cut the board into two 12" long ridge
boards (J). (See Ridge Board Detail Drawing)
6. From a 1/2" thick exterior plywood board use a panel saw to cut the floor board (D) 30"
square. Also, cut the front & rear siding (K) 31" wide x 34 3/16" high. At the top of each siding
piece mark the center. Measure 22 7/16" up from the bottom of each side and draw lines to
the center mark. On the front siding (K) draw the entry shape 12" x 16 1/2". Use a band saw
to cut the roof angles for the front and rear siding. Also use a band saw to cut the entry
opening.
7. Cut the side siding (L) 30" wide x 22 13/16" high. Tilt the table saw blade to 51 degrees and
bevel the top of each side siding to conform to the roof slope.
8. Use a panel saw to cut two roof sheathing (M) 24 15/16" x 36". Use a table saw to bevel the
top edges, of each sheathing, to 51 degrees.
9. Plane a 3/4" x 12" x 72" board 1/2" thick. From this board cut all the molding and fascia
pieces.
10. Use a power miter saw to cut two fascia boards (S) 36" long
11. Use a power miter saw to cut the top ends of the four front/rear vertical moldings (N) 51
degrees, and the bottom ends 45 degrees.
12. Cut the top ends of the four side vertical moldings (O) 51 degrees to conform to the roof
slope. Cut the ends of the two side horizontal moldings (P) to 34 degrees.
 13. Cut the ends of the three opening moldings (Q) and (R) 45 degrees.

C. Assembly Procedures:

1. Use16d common nails to nail the front and rear bases (A) onto the side bases (B). Also nail
the center base (C) between the centers of the side bases.
2. Use 6d common nails to nail the floor board (D) onto the bases.
3. Turn the assembly upside down and use a #12 counter sink to sink screw holes 2" deep into
the bases (A), and (B), where the center of the wall and entry studs (E) and (F) will be
positioned. Use a 1/8" drill bit to drill completely through the bases and the floor board.
4. Mark the bottom-center of each wall stud and drill a 1/8" hole 1 1/2" deep.
5. Anchor the bottom of each wall and entry stud onto the base-floor board assembly with #12 x
4" flathead screws.
6. Turn the assembly right-side up and nail the two side sill plates (G) onto the top of the studs
with 7d nails. Use 10d nails to nail the entry header (H) onto the top of the entry studs (F).
Also nail the entry studs to the ends of the header. Use 10d nails to nail the front and rear sill
plates (G) in place. Be sure to lap the joints at each corner stud.
7. Attach the rafters (I) to the sill plates (G) with 1/2" x 2" metal plates and 1" flathead screws.
Connect the rafter together at the roof peak with 1/2" x 2" angle plates and 1" screws.
8. Use 12d nails to nail the rafters (I) to the ridge boards (J) at the roof peak. Pre-drill 1/8" holes
prior to nailing.
9. Use 1 1/2" drywall screws to attach the fascia boards (S) onto the ends of the rafters (I).
10. Attach the side siding (L) to the wall studs (E) and the side bases (B) using 1 1/2" drywall
screws. Next, Attach the front and rear siding (K) with drywall screws. The front and rear
siding should over lap the side siding.
11. Use 1 1/2" drywall screws to attach the roof sheathing (M) to the rafters.
12. Use a staple gun to attach the roofing felt (T) to the roof sheathing.
13. Use roofing nails to attach the cedar shingles (U) to the roof sheathing. Start nailing the
shingles from the overhang of the roof. The shingles should over- hang the fascia boards and
the outside edge of the roof sheathing approx- imately 1". Space the rows of shingles
approximately 4 3/4" apart. Be sure to place nails approximately 6" from the base of each
shingle so the next shingle row will cover the nails. Use a caulk gun to apply roofing tar on the
shingles at the roof. peak. Rip shingles 2" wide to be used for the cap row at the roof peak.
Start the cap row at each end of the peak and work towards the middle of the roof. Use a
shingle to overlap the shingles meeting at the middle.
14. Use a nail gun with 1 1/2" nails to attach the moldings (N), (O), (P), (Q), & (R).

D. Finish Procedures:

1. Use wood dough to fill all the nail holes, and when dry, sand flush with the molding.
2. Use a painter's acrylic latex caulk to caulk all cracks. Be sure to caulk the screw holes drilled
in the bottom of the base; the bottom of the siding where it overlaps the base; and the siding
where the roof overhangs on the front, rear and sides.
3. Apply two coats of latex primer to the base, siding, moldings and the fascia boards.

4. Apply two coats of exterior latex paint.