The boards and timber used to make pallets are almost always of good quality. Previously, the material is rejected based on the structure of the wood and is necessarily treated against putrefactive microflora. As a result, a dog house made from pallets is durable, strong, and if you got the size and design right, it’s also convenient for wintering an animal.
Insulated model for two dogs
Determining the size of the booth
Making a doghouse from pallets is most beneficial for large dogs, such as shepherds or huskies. Even for very large animals, the height and width of a standard wooden pallet approximately fit into the dimensions of the dog, so there is a chance to build a dog house from pallets with a minimum number of cuts of material.
You will need to measure the width of the sternum, length and height of the animal’s body.
But you can’t build a kennel by eye, otherwise it will be uncomfortable for the dog, and the animal may refuse a new home. To properly plan the structure, you will need to measure the dog and determine the most important dimensions:
- The length, or more precisely, the depth of the booth. It is taken as the length of a lying animal with its paws extended forward plus an additional 15 cm;
- The width of the booth is determined by the height of the dog at the withers plus 10 cm. It is believed that the dog should be able to lie on its side with its paws fully extended;
- The vertical size of the entrance hole or hole into the booth is determined by the height of the dog in a standing position from the tips of the paws to the base of the neck;
- The width of the hole is calculated using the formula. To do this, measure the girth or circumference of the dog's chest at the widest point and divide the resulting value by 3.14;
- The height of the booth should be 10 cm greater than the height of the dog at the withers.
It is clear that the recommendations given apply to an adult dog of average build. Different animals may differ in body proportions, so you have to take into account such nuances as the age of the dog and the optimal shape of the entrance hole.
Advice! To build a booth made of pallets for a large dog, an animal of non-standard build or a rare breed, it is best to use the recommendations set out in the ST HG 08-08.15 standard.
This is done so that the box made of pallets does not turn out to be too cold and at the same time is properly ventilated, which is important for dogs with a very dense undercoat, which suffer especially greatly from the heat. Laikas, huskies, bukhunds, malamutes and even the Moscow watchdog can simply ignore the booth.
Choosing a kennel location
A doghouse for a shepherd or other breed of animal must be installed in the right place, so this point should be carefully considered:
- A properly built booth for a dog or two pets should never be exposed to the wind. Before construction, consider the wind rose in your area.
- A do-it-yourself dog house should be installed in a bright place, but it should be taken into account that there should also be shade nearby so that the animal can hide in hot weather.
- The dog kennel should also be installed in a dry place, preferably on a hill. This is done to prevent moisture from accumulating under the structure.
- The right place for one or two pets should be close to the entrance to your home, preferably on the south side.
- It is also worth considering that a shepherd or other dog can always monitor the entire area of the house, or at least part of it, along with the entrance.
As for the last point, it can be explained a little. Owners of shepherds and other dogs who live in apartments know very well that the animal is always trying to find a place where it will have a better view of the home. Even if it interferes with a person, it doesn’t matter.
Projects with drawings of dog houses made from pallets
There are two technology options for building a dog kennel: panel and frame. In the first case, the pallets are disassembled into separate slats and bars. The rough frame is assembled from them. Next, shields are assembled from OSB or plywood, which are used to line the booth. In this case, pallets serve as a source of wooden slats, boards and timber.
The second option is more interesting, as it allows you to build a kennel for your shepherd from pallets, which provides a higher level of comfort for the animal. In this case, a supporting frame is made from the pallet frame, often integral with the roof rafter system.
The frame of the booth is assembled from parts of the pallet frame
The boards left over from dismantling the pallet are used for cutting slats and lining the walls of the future booth.
In any case, one of the entire pallets will need to be prepared for furnishing the floor or dog bed. The design of the pallet provides good thermal insulation and ventilation; owners often assemble a whole platform from 2-3 pallets, on which the booth is installed.
Is it worth making windows?
It’s strange for some to hear this, but windows in doghouses are not such sensational news, because they are already selling rapidly. There are certain reasons why some owners decide to take such a step, here are a few of them:
- appearance;
- not all dogs immediately get used to their new home; with a window this problem virtually disappears;
- comfort in observation.
No matter how strange it may sound, installing a window in a booth is not difficult; you need to choose the right place so that it effectively illuminates the space, otherwise the window will always be very dirty.
What tools and materials will be needed
To make a kennel, in addition to the pallets themselves, you will need to prepare a fairly large set of tools:
- Hand-held jigsaw with blade for cutting wood;
- Tabletop machine with a circular saw for cutting material;
- Belt or vibrating sander with coarse and medium sandpaper;
- Electric drill with brush attachment with bronze bristles;
- A screwdriver with an attachment for driving self-tapping screws;
- Carpenter's square;
- A pair of clamps;
- Drill kit;
- Marking rulers or tape measure.
In addition, you will need any insulating materials made from natural fiber, a vapor barrier film, and a corrugated sheet for the manufacture of roofing. You will also need to stock up on wood screws with a length of 25 to 75 mm, and at the same time prepare a hand saw with a metal blade.
Advice! You can use a grinder; in any case, the kit should have a tool with which you can cut off the tip of the self-tapping screw that has come out of the board.
If the fastener is too long, you have to trim the screw after screwing, otherwise the dog in the kennel can easily be injured.
Sawing with your hands is not an option, you get tired quickly, and the quality of the booth will be low
What pallets to use
To build a booth, it is best to use fresh pallets or at least not older than two years of use. There should be no traces of technical fluids, paint or fuels and lubricants on the pallets. You cannot use pallets that were used to transport modern chemicals; the smell is so ingrained in the wood that it often causes severe irritation of the eyes of dogs.
You can try very old pallets, but only after firing with a gas torch and mechanical treatment with a brush with bronze bristles. As a rule, after stripping, high-quality wood changes color from gray to dark coffee, overall a good option for a dog house.
Design options
The simplest house for an animal is a box with a hole and a gable or pitched canopy roof. Inside, the dog sleeps or hides from the weather. You can build such a booth in just a few hours. To keep the floors dry, the structure must be installed on a plank board or slatted pallet.
A more complex model is a two-section building, consisting of an insulated part and a small cold vestibule or canopy. Here the pet can not only rest, but also view the area from under the shelter.
A multifunctional option - a booth with a canopy, a built-in compartment for storing food, a stand for a feeder and a drinking bowl. The house can also be equipped with additional options - heating, lighting and even remote opening.
The dog enclosure deserves a separate discussion. It is made in the form of a space fenced with a mesh, where the animal can move and lead a freer lifestyle than sitting on a chain. Often the booth is installed in an enclosure or arranged as a single structure with a common frame and canopy. This option is optimal for large, active dogs with a restless character and excess energy.
The better to insulate
A dog house can be insulated in two ways. Minfiber and foam are often used; these are the best materials if you want to protect the interior of the kennel from direct sunlight. It is enough to lay a layer 25 mm thick. This option is of little use for winter; a kennel made from pallets will turn out to be very cold.
Thermal insulation with foam plastic is justified only as protection from the summer heat; in winter the dog will freeze due to condensation and ice inside the kennel
For a winter booth, you need to fill it with sawdust, hay, it is best to lay several layers of natural felt or pieces of woolen fabric from an old coat or fur coat. And be sure to cover the insulation with a vapor barrier film.
Stage 4: Painting
Once the doghouse was almost finished (minus the door), it was time to paint it.
First, I filled all the extra holes, sanded and aligned the heads of the screws. I didn’t want it to be noticeable that the booth was made from pallets.
After that I painted the outside of the kennel with matte black outdoor paint. The floor, interior walls and ceiling were primed and varnished.
Material calculation
If you build a booth according to a panel scheme, then for the frame it will be enough to select one pallet, approximately 5 m of timber, with a cross-section of 40x40 mm. To cover the walls of the kennel you will need two two-meter sheets of plywood or OSB and the same amount of insulation.
If you are building a dog house using a frame design, you will need:
- Minimum three pallets;
- Beam 40x40 mm in the amount of 2.5 m;
- Vapor barrier film of at least 5 m2
- A small lath, with a cross-section of 20x30 mm, approximately 6-7 m. It is used for filling cracks and fixing vapor barriers.
In addition, you will need to choose the type of roof and material for the roofing.
The tray is first cleaned, washed to remove mordants and dried in the shade.
Arranging a home for your beloved pet
The final stage of construction of the booth will be its arrangement. It is advisable to lay old linoleum and soft bedding on the floor. According to experts, you can put pine or cedar sawdust in the bedding - they themselves are soft and allow them to absorb moisture, as well as unpleasant odors. In addition, cedar and pine sawdust repel insects and parasites, and in general they have a pleasant smell.
Dog breeders do not recommend making bedding from straw, as bacteria quickly accumulate in it, attracting harmful insects and parasites. Accordingly, the use of such litter in the future may cause subsequent diseases. Don't forget that building a kennel for a pet is a responsible process that should be approached accordingly.
How to make an insulated dog house from pallets with your own hands
First of all, you need to decide on the design of the roof; you can make it flat, pitched or gable. It is better not to use the first two options; such dog kennels made from pallets, photo, noticeably lose in appearance and do not retain heat well.
Booths with a gable roof are more practical and interesting in design
In addition, there is a risk that the dog may choose the roof for relaxation, and it will be almost impossible to wean it from this activity.
First of all, we choose the most durable and even pallet and clean it from wood fluff with a sander. We disassemble the remaining pallets into three flat pieces, and sew them up completely with the boards remaining from disassembly.
The next step is to assemble the wall frame. The frame of the booth took two pallets.
We lay insulation and vapor barrier
From the third pallet we assemble the rafters of the gable roof and sew up the gables
All that remains is to lay the corrugated sheet and secure the covering with self-tapping screws.
Deciding on the shape of the roof
The roof of the house can be made flat with one slope or a gable structure can be built. The second option is considered not very successful. The only advantage can be the increase in height due to the gable roof on a small booth. Building such a structure is much more difficult than a flat roof. With the onset of winter frosts, the extra space will make itself felt. It will be very cold in the booth, and all the heat will rise to the ridge of the roof and go out into the street through the cracks.
A single-pitched flat roof is easy to make. It can even be cut from a piece of OSB board, and covered on top with any roofing material. Another advantage of a flat roof is that the dog can lie on it. Many dogs like to lie down on the roof of the booth in the summer and watch their territory.
Advice! It is better to make a flat roof that opens on hinges or is removable. Then the possibility of simplified access to the kennel for cleaning is provided.
If, in terms of aesthetics, only a gable construction is acceptable, then it is advisable to nail a ceiling in the booth, separating the attic space from the living space.
Since we are talking about the roof, we need to dwell a little on making a canopy. Many dogs love to stand outside even in rain and snow. If you have excess building material and desire, you can install a small canopy over the booth. Then the dog will be able to walk freely in any weather, and in the summer he will hide from the sun.
