How to Make a Wooden Pet Bed

Make a wooden bed for your pet to encourage it to stay off your couch.

If you don't want your pet to sleep on your couches or your bed, provide him with his own special area for resting in the form of a pet bed. Making a wooden bed provides sturdy quarters for your beloved pet.

Things You'll Need

• Three 2-by-4 inch wood planks, two sized at 2-feet long and one at 3-feet long
• One 2-by-3.5-foot sized piece of wood (about 2 inches thick)
• Box of standard nails (about 3 inches long)
• Hammer or nail gun
• Sanding paper or machine
• Bed pillow (about 3 feet long by 2 feet tall)

Instructions

1. Gather your planks. The 3-foot-long plank will be the back of the bed, while the two smaller planks form the sides of the bed.

2. Position the planks so the two shorter ones are parallel to--or facing--each other. Place the larger plank perpendicular to the two shorter ones to form the main structure of the cat bed. The two ends of the shorter planks should rest up against the two ends of the longer plank. Ask a friend to hold the planks in place in this position.

3. Place your 2-by-3.5 foot piece of wood, the base of the bed, on top of the planks. Secure this piece of wood to each of the three planks with nails. You may have to purchase a nail gun for this task if you have trouble getting the nails into the wood.

4. Turn the pet bed right-side up so that you see the opening in the front. Use sanding paper to buff down the edges of the box for safety.

5. Place your bed pillow in the finished box to give your pet a comfortable place to rest.

Tips & Warnings

• Adjust the size of your wooden planks depending on the size of your pet.

• Place your pet's favorite play toy in the wooden pet bed to get him interested in going into the box.

Resources

• MathisFun: Perpendicular and Parallel
• DoitYourself: 5 Reasons Why a Nail Gun is Better