Free Dog House Plans
Article by Douglas Hanna
If you want to build a dog house but are not a carpenter, don't worry. There are free dog house plans available from a number of web sites.
But before you order any plans, make sure you have done your home work and know what to look for, such as.
1. Make sure the dog house plan you order will keep your dog comfortable in any weather. If your area has cold winters or hot summers, you should probably build an insulated dog house.2. Measure your dog's height and length -- so you can to build a dog house that will be the right size. If your dog is a puppy, make size adjustments in the plan so you build a house that fits the dog when fully grown.
3. Are there building codes in your area city or town? If so, be sure you understand them before ordering any free dog house plans.
4. How about your skills as a carpenter? If you are not an experienced do-it-yourselfer, you might want to choose a plan for a fairly simple dog house, such as a snoopy style house. On the other hand, if you're a skilled carpenter, you could look for something moor complicated, such as a custom dog house plan.
5. The best free dog house plan should either include a partial wall or be large enough that you can add a partial wall. This is so that the dog can escape the elements as necessary.
6. Does the free dog house plan you're evaluating have a hinged roof? If not, would it be easy to add hinges? This is important because it makes for easy cleaning. You see, when you clean your dog, you should make sure you also clean the dog house and bedding.
Some good sources for free dog house plans
There are several sources for free dog house plans I think are worthwhile. They are:
Lowes
Lowe's has a nice free dog house plan but it is rated Skill Level: Advanced, so treed carefully unless you're a pretty experienced carpenter. This plan has a complete bill of materials, a cut list, information about the paint recommended, and a list of roofing, fasteners and the tools required. There are good instructions for constructing the dog house and a downloadable PDF of the actual plan.
All-about-dog-houses
This site offers a free dog house plan rated "intermediate," so the house should be easier to construct than the one offered by Lowe's. It's called the "Sparky I," and features an insulated floor, roof, and walls, a removable roof for ease of cleaning, a cedar deck with roof, and an optional inner wall. The plan includes a drawing and materials list, and information on the four steps required to build it.
DIY network
This page from the DIY Network consists of a free dog house plan and instructions for building it. There are photos illustrating the various construction steps and a list of the materials required. However, there is no cut diagram so I would rate this plan as more for the advanced DIYers.
Georgia-Pacific Building Materials -
Georgia-Pacific has a free dog house plan for a dog house designed to provide a sturdy shelter for a medium sized dog. The G-P dog house plan comes as a PDF documents and includes a materials and cut list, a cutting diagram, helpful good illustrations, and step-by-step instructions for building the dog house.
A custom dog house
If you're a serious DIYer and feel up to tackling the construction of a custom dog house, this site offers a free dog house plan may be just what the doctor ordered. Landscape architect Louise Leff created this plan. There are instructions for building this custom dog house and photos illustrating the various steps.
For more information about dog houses, free dog house plans, how to evaluate dog house plans, and dog house kits, be sure to visit the popular web site, http://doghouseplans360.com
About the Author
Douglas Hanna is a dedicated dog owner and the author of more than 180 ezine articles on a variety of subjects. He and his wife live in a Denver suburb with their two dogs, Jake and Emma L
