How to Build Inexpensive Bird & Dog Houses
You can build an inexpensive, yet efficient bird or dog house by choosing the right materials and considering the needs of your bird or dog before you start building. The dimensions and materials differ from bird house to dog house, but basic building guidelines can be followed for both purposes. An advantage of doing it on your own, aside from saving money, is that you can customize it to the needs of your pets.
Things You'll Need
- Exterior plywood (5/8-inch thick)
- Framing lumber (cedar or redwood)
- Drawing materials (Paper, pencil, measuring tape)
- Nails and hammer
- Screws and screwdriver
- Wood saw
- Bricks
Instructions
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Sketching out the house plans
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1
Consider the dimensions of the house and sketch them out on a piece of paper.
Draw a rectangle for the base. For a dog house, the base could be 3 feet long by 2.5 feet wide. For a bird house, depending on the size, needs or type of bird, the base could be 1 foot long by 10 inches wide. -
2
Consider the height of the side walls. The length of each side wall should be the same as the base length of the house. Decide the height of the walls and write that down. For a dog house, the height could be 2 feet high or higher, depending on your dog house. From the inside the house top will be even higher, since the roof will be sloped. (Click on the reference titled "Drawings of a Dog House" for examples of how to draw up your plans).
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3
Sketch out the front and back panels of the house. Both front and back panels should have the same width as the base of the house. These panels should have the shape of a triangle on top of a rectangle, with the base of the triangle being the same width as the rectangle. This will provide the framework for the roof panels.
Note: The front panel should have an opening for the entrance. -
4
Sketch the two top panels that will serve as the roof. Each of these will be placed at an angle following the shape of the front and back panels' triangular tops.
Building the house
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5
Cut the plywood panels, sides and base, following the dimensions of the house you sketched. Note: For a bird house it might be better to use thicker plywood or even cedar wood boards, since these will provide better insulation.
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6
Nail framing lumber to the perimeter of the base of the house. This will serve as the foundation for both walls and panels to be attached to the base.
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7
Nail framing lumber to the vertical edges of the side walls. The bottom part of each side wall does not need framing lumber, since that section will be nailed to the framing of the base of the house. (Click on the reference titled "Drawings of a Dog House" for a detailed drawing.) Nail framing lumber only to the triangular sides of the front and back panels. The sides of each panel (front and back) do not need framing lumber, since you will be using the framing already attached to each of the side walls when putting it all together.
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8
Nail framing lumber to one of the long sides of each roof panel.
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9
Nail all the pieces together. First nail the side walls to the base. Then nail the front and back panels to the base. Then nail the vertical sides of each wall to the vertical sides of the front and back panels. Place the roof panels on top and nail them to the framing lumber on the front and back panels.
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Tips & Warnings
For a dog house, you can place bricks underneath the perimeter of the house to raise it few inches above the ground. This will help insulate the house.
You can get inexpensive recycled building materials from places where there has been a construction recently. There might be lumber set aside that will not be used.
