How to Build a Litter Box Containment System

Building a litter containment system will properly disguise your litter box but still be convenient for you. These steps are for building a cabinet-style sideboard with doors on the front. That way, it'll double as a table for household items like picture frames and lamps while allowing concealment of your cat litter neatly inside.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• 1/2-inch thick plywood (5 large boards will suffice)
• Saw
• 2 two-inch by four inch boards
• Box of finishing nails
• Hammer
• Wood glue
• 4 knobs for cabinet doors
• 8 small hinges
• Wood putty and putty knife
• Caulk with gun
• Polyurethane with paint brush
• Wood stain with rag

1. Decide how large you'd like the containment system to be. These directions are for a double sideboard style system, measuring 30 inches high, 56 inches wide and 18 inches deep. You can make adjustments as you see fit. Go to your local home improvement store to buy your supplies.
2. Cut two pieces of the plywood to 56 inches long by 18 inches wide. These are your base and top boards. Cut the two end pieces, plus the middle divider piece, from a large board; they should be 29 inches high by 18 inches wide.
3. Make a hole in each of the three smaller pieces. These holes should be big enough for your cat to fit through. The holes can be cut anywhere on the pieces of wood, depending on how tall your litter boxes are (if you cut the hole at the bottom, the litter box will be in the way and the cats can't get in and out). Sand the edges of the holes so they're smooth.
4. Nail each end panel to the base. To do this, flip the whole thing over and nail from the bottom into the side panel. Repeat the procedure for the middle piece as well. Flip the unit back over when you're done. Now you can attach the back. Nail through the back into each of the smaller vertical pieces to secure it. Place the top into place and nail it in as well.
5. Measure for your facers. These are the front pieces where the cabinet doors come into contact with the cabinet itself. Start with the vertical ones. Cut the 2x4s to the proper height (29 inches). Nail these to the front of each side--the edge of the facer should be flush with the edge of the cabinet. Also, install one attaching to the dividing panel. Secure the facers by nailing them in from the top as well. Repeat this step for the horizontal pieces (length of 22 inches each); use wood glue to attach them to the vertical facers and nail them to the top and base pieces.
6. Create the cabinet doors. From your plywood, make four doors that are 11 1/4 inches wide by 21 1/2 inches high. Install the knobs and hinges onto each door. Two doors will go on the left side of the divider and two go on the right. Screw the hinges into the facers, allowing the doors a 1/4-inch overlap at the top and bottom as well as the side with the hinges. Make sure you install each pair of doors so they open facing each other; this makes an opening large enough to slide the litter box in and out.
7. Caulk all interior joints and apply a polyurethane coating to waterproof the interior of the containment system. Fill all exterior nail holes with wood putty, smoothing them to be flush with the wood. Stain the wood in your choice of color and move the structure into its new home. Put a litter pan filled with litter on each side of the interior of the containment system and show your cats where their new "bathroom" is.