Three average-sized pallets (48 inches (120 cm) by 40 inches (100 cm)) are sufficient make your doghouse, but feel free to grab more if you want a little extra wood. A “close-boarded” pallet means there are no spaces between the wooden deck boards, and “stringer” (or alternatively, “2-way”) means that only 2 sides are open; the others are held together with thicker wooden stringer boards. [2] X Research source A dog house should have enough space to enter the house and turn around. If you have an extra-large dog, build a house that is 25% taller than them and wide enough for them to lay down with 2 inches (5. 1 cm) of space on either side. [3] X Research source
Lay down a third pallet (in its original form, no alterations) and place the dog house on top; this gives the house a foundation and protects it from hot, cold, or wet ground. [4] X Research source
Continue doing this on each end and the middle of the board before gently removing it from the pallet. This way, you’ll have 2 pallet sides with the planks and stringer boards intact for the front and back walls, plus a large pile of loose pallet planks for building the side walls.
This means that the front wall will be 28 inches (71 cm) tall, and the back will be 21 inches (53 cm) tall.
Attach the following 5 panels the same way, and apply wood glue to the sides of each board as you go so that they’re secured to one another. Use 24 1. 25 in (3. 2 cm) nails to attach the walls. [11] X Research source Once you have a side wall built, do the same thing on the opposite side. Build up a wall by nailing and gluing boards one at a time until the wall is 6 horizontal boards high—the same height as the back wall. At this point, the walls should be secured, all of them the same height.
Measure your pup’s body beforehand, so you know how big they are! For a curved entryway, use a 5 US gal (19 L) bucket to trace a curved top of the door.
You’ll need 8 nails total for this step.
When building the roof, use short 3⁄4 in (1. 9 cm) nails that won’t poke through the wood. [16] X Research source With an extra board nailed inside the roof, at the bottom of its slant, the roof will sit in place while your dog uses it—but you can also lift the roof off easily to clean inside.
You don’t have to smooth the wood out completely if you don’t want to. A single round of sanding is plenty, and your dog house will have a rustic look.
Painting or staining the wood gives your dog house a little personality. Pick whichever product fits the style you’re going for! If you want to stain the wood, you’ll also preserve the rustic look of the pallet wood. Meanwhile, applying paint will make the dog house wood look brand new. [20] X Research source
Consider investing in a weather-proof water dish for your pup to drink from while resting outside. If you use wood shavings or straw for padding, change them weekly.
