How To Make A Dog House With Cardboard: A DIY Guide
Nothing beats coming home to a cute little puppy. For a first-time dog owner, we want our puppy or small dog to be comfortable and set. Providing a dog with their own dog house gives comfort for you and your pet. If you have extra cardboard lying around the house, this article is perfect for you. Let's learn how to make a dog house with cardboard so your puppy can have a temporary place to live in and enjoy.
There is a reason why dogs are man's best friends. Dogs are loyal, caring, protective, and smart - the perfect companion, especially when you are alone. For first-time dog owners that cannot find the time to purchase or make a dog house, a temporary cardboard house will do. Check out this guide on how to make a dog house with cardboard.
Gather Your Cardboard Boxes
When starting this project, we must first gather our cardboard boxes to use in building the house. Cardboard boxes that you can purchase from hardware stores are the ideal box to use, but you can pretty much use any cardboard box lying around the house. Cardboard boxes that came along your electronic appliances work perfectly since these boxes used to store dry goods.
Avoid using a cardboard box used to store organic produce, liquids, and chemicals. Organic products tend to leave oils and juices that can attract other critters to the cardboard box, which can be annoying and dangerous for your dog. Avoid using a cardboard box that used to have liquids or chemicals as well. Some liquids can easily be poisonous to dogs, and it doesn't help that they give out a strong scent too. Dogs are attracted to the scent and may lick the liquid from the boxes.
Gather your tools and equipment
If you want to know how to make a dog house with cardboard accurately, it is essential to have the right tools. Having a long and sturdy ruler will come a long way for you in this project. Pairing it with the right pen and marker to perform accurate measurements on the cardboard is advantageous.
The second tool in the list is a cutter or some big scissors. Cutting your cardboard into shapes and frames will be essential in this build. To perform cutting techniques better, I would suggest using the cutter more often than the scissors. Your scissors can warp the cardboard easily. When the cardboard distorts, it is more likely to be less sturdy than it usually was.
You won't need nails and hammers to perform this build. What you will need is some strong tape to bind the cut cardboard pieces together. Duck-tape works well in securing the pieces of your frames together, and it provides a sturdy build. You can also prepare a glue gun or any binding adhesive to run through the cardboard edges for a solid build.
The last material you will need is paint. Painting the cardboard house does not only make it look better but can also add to its durability. The paint acts as a shield for water and other elements that can deteriorate the cardboard. Choose paint based on the color you want if you plan to be creative. If you want it simple, the walls can be white or red, and the roof can be brown or grey.
Creating The Cardboard House
I have listed some guidelines for you to follow to know how to make a dog house with cardboard efficiently. Here they are:
- Now that you have all the cardboard and tools you need to perform the task, it will help to imagine the house that you will be building for your dog. The sky is the limit with this one, so be as creative as you can. It helps a lot to visit references on the internet, like Pinterest and Google Images. These sites provide the best pictures to refer to how your cardboard house will look like.
- Knowing how to make a dog house with cardboard also requires you to be practical. Since cardboard is flimsy material, it is not necessary to build a second floor. When you start conceptualizing for your build, take into consideration the amount of cardboard you have at your disposal. Knowing the amount of cardboard you have will already provide you with information regarding your limitations for the build.
- Before the build, you can also play around with the cardboard. You can stack it up together without binding the pieces, to picture out what kind of house you are going for on this build. The four-wall box with a triangular roof is usually the most popular design most people go for, but then again, the sky is the limit with your model.
- One of the essential things to note in knowing how to make a dog house with cardboard is the framing. Adding reinforcement to the edges is a critical component of every build. Make sure the walls, as well as the roof, is reinforced with 2-4 inches of cardboard. Reinforcement will help in making your cardboard walls stable, so it will be less likely to shake or move.
- I would also suggest not to include cardboard flooring in your build. Having a cardboard floor will make it harder for you to clean the cardboard house later on. Since we will be binding the framework into a one-piece build, the floor can be difficult to clean. Cardboard is very fragile and cannot handle excessive amounts of water or liquid solution during cleaning. Having the floor separate from the frames will allow you to clean the floor easily, in case your dog decides to poop and piss inside the cardboard house.
- When painting, it is crucial to let the paint dry properly. I would suggest that you let the cardboard house dry in the sunlight. Sunlight will help eliminate the odor of paint and also make it quicker to dry. As an additional step, you can eliminate odor by spraying the cardboard house with organic fragrances that do not harm your pet. Dogs have a keen sense of smell, so eliminating unwanted odor is very much necessary.
Conclusion
Now that we have finished learning how to make a dog house with cardboard, using the guidelines stated, try doing it with friends and family. This project is child friendly, so let the children help you build the cardboard house if possible. Not only will you have some extra pair of hands, but you will also be enhancing the child's building skills for the future.
I hope this article has shed some light on creating the perfect cardboard house for your dog. Just remember to use reliable binding tools like duck-tape and paint the house for added durability. The sky is the limit when it comes to your design, but be mindful of the sharp tools you will be using. A cardboard dog house is temporary and can be used as a stepping stone to make a wooden dog house that will last a long time.
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