How to Build a Dog Kennel With Wood
You want to keep your dog safe when it is outside, but the idea of putting a metal pen in your yard is not very appealing. You can build a dog kennel with wood post and rails to complement your current landscaping or add it onto existing privacy fence. How do you build a dog kennel with wood?
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Things You'll Need
- 10 treated 8-foot posts, 4 by 4 inches
- 31 treated 10-foot boards, 2 by 10 inches
- Posthole digger
- 200 lbs. of dry cement
- Hammer
- (200) 3-inch nails
- Tape measure
- Level
- Saw
- Hose
- Screwdriver
- (4) 3-inch hinges
- 6-inch sliding bolt
Instructions
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1
Measure and mark the area for your dog kennel and each post. The post will each be 5 feet apart. If you purchased 50 feet of fence and 10 posts, your dog kennel will be 5 by 20 feet.
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2
Dig 10 holes, making each about 2 feet deep, for the posts in the locations that you marked. Then place one 8-foot post into each hole.
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3
Pour about 20 lbs. of dry cement into each hole all the way around each post. Then fill the remainder of each hole with dirt. As you are filling each hole, place the level sideways on the post, straightening it as you fill the hole. Tap the dirt firmly into place using the handle of your shovel.
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4
Hammer the 10-foot-long treated boards that are 2 by 6 inches onto the level posts using the 3-inch nails, creating both sides of the dog kennel. Begin at one corner, and place one board at the bottom of the first post, connecting it to the second post and third post. Having this board at ground level will help prevent your dog from escaping or easily digging a hole under the fence.
Nail a second 10-foot board connecting the third, fourth and fifth posts. Attach boards the same way on the other side of the dog kennel. Leaving a 2-inch gap between boards--so that your dog can see out and you can see in--nail boards all the way up both sides of the posts. -
5
Cut seven of the 10-foot treated boards in half. Attach six 5-foot treated boards to one end of the dog kennel using the same pattern that you used on both sides.
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6
Turn on the hose and wet the ground thoroughly around each post so that the cement can get wet and harden, which will secure your post.
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7
Use the seven remaining 5-foot treated boards to build a frame for the 5-foot-wide kennel door that will cover one end of the dog kennel. Place two boards parallel on the ground so that the outer edges are about 58 inches apart. Nail the 5-foot boards onto these two boards starting at the bottom and working your way up leaving a 2-inch gap between boards.
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8
Hang your gate onto the corner post using screws and the 3-inch hinges spaced evenly apart.
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Tips & Warnings
Adjust the size or your dog kennel as needed, or attach a second kennel using the center wall for both.
Do not leave any sharp edges or protruding nails that may injure your dog. Since dogs need shade in hot weather, consider placing your kennel under a shade tree or placing a roof across one end.
Resources
- Photo Credit Julia Fuller
