Building a Doghouse
See this page at http://www.buildeazy.com/fp_doghouse.html
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Page Contents
1: Introduction and about treated timber 2: Identifying the parts and the materials list 3: The plans and building instructions 4: Building instructions continued |
Introduction
This kennel will accommodate a large dog but is really suitable for a dog of any size. The kennel is constructed out of 150x19 rough-sawn treated pine for the floor and roof, 50x50 gauged or dressed untreated pine for the framing, 50x50 gauged or dressed PT (pressure treated) pine for the under floor skids (dressed or finished size is usually 46x46) and one sheet of 9mm exterior plywood from which the walls are cut
Note 1. About pressure treated timber
Do not use pressure treated timber on any parts the dog may chew. Pressure treated timber (PT, Tanalized) contains preservatives that can be toxic to your dog.
In this project we have opted to use pressure treated timber for the roof, floor and skids, as it is unlikely the dog will chew these parts. The walls and inside framing are of untreated timber, as these are the parts a dog is most likely to gnaw.
If you have any reservations and/or a dog that chews everything in sight, then use untreated timber for the entire kennel. However all untreated timber exposed to the weather (excepting timbers that have a natural resistance to rot or decay) must be well sealed and painted to prevent moisture uptake and prolong the life of the timber.
Note 2. The plywood
Exterior plywood has a waterproof, phenolic or melamine glue line, referred to as WBP - water boil proof.
If the exterior plywood is not pressure treated or made from a durable rot-resistant wood, then the plywood will also need to be sealed and painted to prevent moisture uptake and prolong its life.
Note 3. Painting
Untreated timber should be painted using Wood Primer, Enamel Undercoat and Super Gloss Enamel. When dried it would be non-toxic to dogs chewing, but any damage that brings the paint system back to bare timber would eventually allow water in with the potential for the timber to eventually begin to rot.