Dog House Project: Part 2

January 21st, 2015

We’re back for the next step to building a well-insulated, weather protected house for your furry family member. First, we have to make sure we have all the supplies and tools we need for the project (as mentioned in Part 1 of our Dog House project).

Next, we will start building the frame. Make sure to wear safety goggles anytime you are working with tools and power equipment. Take the 2’ x 4’ x 10’ and measure 22-1/2” from the edge. Using a “speed square” or a straight edge, mark your cut line *(measure twice – cut once). Cut the piece using the circular saw. Then measure another 22-1/2” piece and cut it. Following the same steps, cut 3 pieces 23” long. Get your hammer, 3” long coated nails, and the cut 2’x4’ pieces. Fit the end of one of the 23” long pieces to the edge of the 22-1/2” long pieces. Using 2 nails approximately ¾” from the edge, hold both pieces so that all edges are square and proceed to nail them together (it helps to get the nails started by hammering them down so the pointy edge is barely sticking out the other end). Then move to the other end of the 22-1/2” piece and follow the same procedure, making sure to nail one of the 23” pieces to it. Next flip it over and nail the other 22-1/2” piece to the base. Finish by fitting the remaining 23” piece in the center and nailing it into place.

Nailing base for dog house  Finished base for dog house  Nailing base for dog house

You want to make sure all your pieces are measured and cut to fit using the dimensions given in part 1 of the blog. Take the front and back pieces and find the center of the top edge. From the bottom edge, measure up 16” on both sides. Now using a straight edge, draw a line from the top-center to the 16” mark. Make sure to do this on both the front and back pieces. This will give you the outline to cut the A-Frame. Cut the lines using the circular saw. Sand all of the edges to ensure a smooth finish.

Next you will cut out the hole for the door. Grab the front piece and make 2 marks that are 3” up from the bottom edge. Draw a line using a straight edge between both marks. Make sure the marks are as wide as or slightly wider than you want the door hole to be. Measure straight down, 12” from the tip of the A-Frame and mark the point. Using a circular or oval object, place the edge of the object on the 12” center mark so the rest of the object is facing downward. Trace a line around approximately ½ of the object. You can make the opening as wide as you need for it to be depending on the size of your dog. For this house, we measured over from the panel edges 5”. Using a straight edge, draw lines straight up from bottom line to where they intersect with the top circular mark. This will complete the outline for the door opening. You can either use a jigsaw with a plywood-cutting blade and a drill with a 3/8” bit or a combination of a jigsaw and the circular saw. *For the drill method: drill a starter hole for the jig saw blade at each bottom corner of the doorway. Carefully follow all of the lines using the jigsaw. *For the circular saw method: start by placing the circular saw on the straight lines of the sides or bottom. Tilt the back of the saw up so that the front blade guard is on the panel but the blade is suspended in the air. Turn the saw on and slowly allow the back to come down so the blade comes in contact with the panel and cut through your mark *(the circular shape of the blade will not allow you to cut all the way to the edge. You can use the jigsaw to finish cutting the edges). Then cut the remaining 2 straight lines. Grab the jigsaw and cut the oval shaped area for the top of the door. Don’t forget to cut the edges of the straight lines. Lightly sand all of the edges of the panels and the door opening for a smooth finish.

Cutting out door for dog house  Finished door for dog house  Cutting out door for dog house

Next you will take the 2’x2’ board and cut it into 8 equal length pieces to be used as nailers. These nailers will be glued and stapled to the corners to give you something to nail the walls and the roof to and also give the house additional strength and durability. We will show more about the gluing and stapling process in Part 3 of our blog post.

Completed pieces for dog house

This completes Part 2 of our Dog House project. Tune in next week for the next phase of the project where we will begin assembling the walls and the roof.

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