Thursday, September 11, 2014

DIY Large Wooden Dog Bed

I am working on building myself a new bedroom set. My dog can no longer make it up on my bed due to arthritis, so I built him his own bed. I bought the wood for this for less than $25! Similar pet beds can be found on Etsy for close to $200. You can build your own and save a ton of money!


This is a very large bed, so if you have a smaller dog, you may want to change the size. 


Needed Materials:
1 - 1" x 2" at 4 feet long
2 - 1" x 3" at 8 feet long
1 - 1" x 4" at 4 feet long
1 - 1" x 12" at 4 feet long
1 - 1" x 12" at 6 feet long
3 - 2" x 6" at 8 feet long
1 1/4" pocket hole screws
2 1/2" pocket hole screws
1 1/4" finishing nails
wood glue
paint or stain

Step 1: Make your wood cuts.
Wood Cuts:
6 - 2" x 6" at 45" (base)
2 - 1" x 12" at 33" (sides)
1 - 1" x 12" at 46 1/2" (back)
1 - 1" x 4" at 45" (front)
2 - 1" x 2" at 11 1/4" (front trim)
4 - 1" x 3" at 11 1/4" (side trim)
4 - 1" x 3" at 29 3/4" (side trim)


Step 2: Build the base. Using a Kreg Jig set at the 1 1/2" setting and 2 1/2" pocket hole screws, make a base out of the 2"x6" boards.



I went a little overboard on the number of screws, but I wanted to make sure it was stable. Here is what the bottom of my base looked like.


And here is the top. The pocket holes will be on the bottom of the dog bed. But before you flip your base over to the top, drill the pocket holes for the sides, front, and back.


Step 3: Using the Kreg jig set at the 3/4" setting and 1 1/4" pocket hole screws, attach the sides of the bed.


Step 4: Using the Kreg jig set at the 3/4" setting and 1 1/4" pocket hole screws, attach the back and the front of the bed.


Step 5: Using wood glue and 1 1/4" finishing nails, attach the trim. I used a nailer, but you can also just use finishing nails.

















I first attached the 1"x2" front trim. The trim covers the ends of the 1"x12" sides and overlaps the front 1"x4".


Then I attached the vertical 1"x3" side trim. The front overlaps the 1"x2" trim and the side 1"x12". The back trim covers the ends of the 1"x12" back and overlaps the side 1"x12" side.

Finally, I attached the horizontal 1"x3" side trim. 


Step 6: Fill any holes with wood filler and sand it.

Step 7: Stain or paint the dog bed. I primed and then painted this dog bed. I used Rustoleum Painter's Touch in Kona Brown.





I had to bribe Gibson to try out his new bed, but now he approves! And I'm happy that I will no longer have to trip over the pile of blankets on the floor at the foot of the bed for him.






Additional helpful hint: 

When working with stud grade wood, you may notice that the wood is stamped with the wood's grade. Sometimes, you can just put the stamped side to an area that will will not be visible. If you are priming and painting or are using a dark color, you probably will not have to worry about it, because it will be covered. However if you need to remove it, you can simply sand the stamps.

Before sanding







After sanding

17 comments:

  1. Hello, First I know that this is a couple of years old.. but, how AWESOME is this! I really love it. I am going to make one and have a question. What type of nail gun did you use and would you still suggest it? I am still learning how .. when it comes to wood working :D Thank you again for taking the time to post this.. wonderful job

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  2. Oops... I did not check NOTIFY me of any comments... Can you respons to this response do I can an email :D

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    Replies
    1. Hi Dee Cee! I'm glad you liked this project! I don't use my nail gun very often for my woodworking, so I just have a cheap electric Arrow. I use it more for my crafting. It is basically a power stapler that also happens to shoot smaller nails. It works for my needs. But if you plan on using it frequently for woodworking or for large projects, I would suggest something with more power. I know that the pneumatic type is the most powerful, but you also need to use compressed air and the hoses. I have heard good things about the Ryobi Nailer. It runs on a rechargeable battery. That makes it more portable and easier to use than a corded or pneumatic tool. If I was to buy a nailer, now. That is the one that I would choose. I hope this helps! Good luck building! Enjoy! It is a fun hobby!

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  3. Thanks so much for this, Jaime! Just made one of these for my sweet pup and she loves it! Your directions were so helpful, and now I have a beautiful custom dog bed for under $50. Thank you!

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    1. Courtney, I am so happy that you found the post beneficial and that your pup now has a new bed!

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  4. What are the dimensions for this particular bed. I want to fit it to current bedding.

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    1. Hi Steve,

      The internal dimensions of this bed are 45" x 32.25". I made it to fit the bedding that I had. If you need assistance calculating the cuts for your bedding, just let me know. Good luck!

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  5. It is very informative and enjoyable article. love to read it.
    Dog-supplies NZ

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  6. Is this large enough for two dogs. They are 40lbs and 55 lbs. If you not would you possibly let me know the dimensions and cuts I will need. Thank You.

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  7. Is this large enough for two dogs. They are 40lbs and 55 lbs. If you not would you possibly let me know the dimensions and cuts I will need. Thank You.

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    Replies
    1. Hello,

      Whether this is large enough for two dogs would depend on whether your dogs cuddle together or not. I currently have two 90 pound dogs and they occasionally sleep together in it. But I know some dogs like to have lots of space. The interior dimensions of this bed are 45" x 32.25". I would suggest measuring the area out on your floor and fold a blanket to fit that space. If your two dogs can fit on the folded blanket, then they would fit in the bed.

      Please let me know if you have any other questions.
      Jaime

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  8. can u tell me if this would fit a crib mattress??

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    Replies
    1. Hello,

      The internal dimensions of this bed are 45" x 32.25". I just Googled the measurements for a crib mattress and it looks like there are a few different sizes of crib mattresses, but this bed would not fit any that I saw listed out there. If you know the dimensions for your mattress, I would be happy to help you calculate the new cut list.

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  9. Could you help me with a cut list for a 36in length x 24in wide bed?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Courtney, I would be happy to help you! Do you want the inside (where the bed sits) to be 36"x24" or are these the outside measurements? I don't want to provide you with the cut list for the incorrect one.

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  10. Hi! I wanted to build a bed for my dogs, but it would be a little bigger. I have 5 dogs and wanted to build a bed that would fit a twin mattress. The mattress measures 38in wide and 75in long. What would be the cuts for this big of a bed? Any help is appreciated!

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  11. Thank you for the valuable insights!"

    ReplyDelete