How to Make a DIY Dog House: 6 Styles of Dog Houses

A dog house is a small outdoor structure where your dog can sleep. While many dog owners keep pets indoors at night, some dogs spend the night outside in a protective dog house. A DIY dog house can be a satisfying craft project, and it will give you the option of having your furry friend sleep outside.

When you decide on a design for your dog house, select the plans and draw up a detailed materials list with the number of materials needed and their cost. Depending on your project plans, the materials might include:

1. 1. Graph paper and pencils: There are many online tutorials to follow, but you might want to draw up your own DIY dog house design. In this case, you’ll need graph paper and pencils.
2. 2. Wood: Many dog houses, no matter the style, are made of wood. You can buy wood, such as pine and plywood, at the hardware store or local lumberyard. You can also find reclaimed wood at the local scrap yard or from discarded wooden pallets. If using lumber, it’s a good idea to make a cut list enumerating the size and number of all necessary cuts. Alternatively, you can use plastic and metal, though they might be more expensive and less practical than wood.
3. 3. Decor: You can add vinyl or metal siding to your dog house for decoration and roof shingles of asphalt or tar paper. If you choose to add shingles, be sure to have roofing nails.
4. 4. Insulation: If you are building an insulated dog house, look for a cheap, easy-to-install insulation option, like foam.
5. 5. Tools: A basic construction and carpentry toolkit will do well here, including saws, hammers, a screwdriver, electric drill, level, and tape measure. The specific tools will depend on the design you have chosen—often, a miter saw, table saw, or circular saw will be necessary for long and angle cuts. A jigsaw will allow you to cut the curved top of the door opening, and a brad nailer can help make the project move quickly.
6. 6. Paint: If you are painting your dog house, you will need paint and brushes and wood stain if you are using stain to finish and seal the wood.

Building a dog house is a great way to get some DIY projects and woodworking experience under your belt. Dog houses can be a great addition to your yard and a place for your pooch to sleep at night. Consider the following tips for building:

1. 1. Browse different designs. Give yourself time to look at various designs before you settle on your DIY dog house plans. You might even draw an original design and create your own plans.
2. 2. Plan ahead. Construction projects come with unanticipated complications, so give yourself extra room in the budget for additional supplies, materials, or tools.
3. 3. Measure carefully. Be sure that your dog has enough room inside of the dog house.The floorplan should be big enough for the dog to turn around in and stand up completely, even if they have to duck to get in and out. Keep in mind that the dog bed will also take up some space and height. Giving the dog enough room to get comfortable is key to them using the dog house.
4. 4. Consider the climate. If you’re in a location where it’s warm year-round, you won’t have to worry much about insulation, and making small vents near the top of the walls will help keep it cool inside. Colder climates might require insulation, even though your dog’s body heat will help warm the interior. If you get a lot of precipitation, make sure the structure’s roof won’t leak and has enough overhang to let the water run off. Water pooling near the entrance or getting the sides of the dog house extra wet can damage the wood.

There are many different types of dog houses you can choose to build. Some are more challenging to make, while others will be relatively simple. Consider the following ideas for this DIY project:

1. 1. Traditional dog house: The most basic dog house, with a simple peaked roof, overhanging eaves, an arched opening, and flat walls, is relatively easy to build. Some traditional dog houses feature a small porch on the front of the house that your pooch can rest their paws on while they relax in the interior space.
2. 2. A-frame dog house: An A-frame is an elegant design for your dog house. A-frames resemble the letter they’re named after, making your furry friend’s abode from a simple triangle. The angle of the walls makes this style less spacious, but it is relatively easy to build and is extra weather-resistant.
3. 3. Pallet dog house: You can break down wooden pallets to get the wood to construct your new dog house. The wooden boards are usually evenly cut, so you can easily attach them to horizontal braces with nails or wood screws. Depending on how many pallets you have access to, you can also use the wood for the roof, covering it with plywood or asphalt shingles to keep the rain out.
4. 4. Modern dog house: A fun variation on the more traditional styles of dog house construction is a modern design. Modern dog houses typically feature clean lines, a lack of ornamentation, and a flat roof, which might be horizontal or slant in one direction. Like other designs, you can make it a large dog house for a bigger doggie, or suited for a small dog.
5. 5. Log cabin dog house: It can be fun and visually appealing to make your dog house in the style of a log cabin. Logs are expensive and impractical, but you can use beveled wood to achieve the exterior look of a log cabin. Some prefabricated dog houses are available in this style as well.

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