A Dog Kennel

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This is the ft and inch version

Click here for the metric version

This kennel will accommodate a large dog but is still suitable for smaller dogs.
The kennel is constructed out of 1x6 stock (treated lumber) for the floor and roof, 2x2 stock for
the framing, 2x2 stock (treated lumber) for the under floor skids and one sheet of 48" x 96" x
3/8" thick exterior type plywood from which the walls are cut.
Note 1. About pressure treated lumber
Do not use treated lumber on any parts the dog may chew. Pressure treated lumber (PT)
contains preservatives that can be toxic to your dog.
In this project we have opted to use pressure treated lumber for the roof, floor and skids, as it is
unlikely the dog will chew these parts. The walls and inside framing are of untreated lumber, 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
lumber for the entire kennel. However if you opt to do this, remember that all untreated lumber
exposed to the weather (excepting lumber that has a natural resistance to rot or decay) must be
well sealed and painted to prevent moisture uptake and prolong the life of the lumber.
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 neither pressure treated nor 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 lumber should be painted using Wood Primer, Enamel Undercoat and Super Gloss
Enamel. When dried the paint would be non-toxic to dogs chewing, but any damage taking the
paint system back to bare wood would eventually allow water and increase the danger that the
lumber may eventually begin to rot.

Construction details

Cutting list......
ITEM
No.

MATERIAL / SIZE

AMOUNT AND LENGTH

DESCRIPTION

(1)

2x2 treated stock

3 @ 48"

Under floor skids

(2)

1x6 treated stock

8 @ 31-1/4"

floor

(3)

2x2 stock

4 @ 31-1/4"

Top and bottom plates for front and rear

wall frames.

(4)

2x2 stock

8 @ 14"

front and rear wall frame studs

(5)

2x2 stock

2 @ 44"

Side wall top plates

(6)&(8)

1 sheet 48" x 96" x 3/8" thick exterior cutting dimensions as per pattern
type plywood.
below

(7)

2x2 stock

6 @ 22" (long point) with 45deg

angle cut each end

Rafters. see cutting dimensions in

diagram below

(9)

1x6 treated stock

10 @ 60"

Roofing boards

wall cladding

Step one
Pre-cut all the skids, flooring, plates, studs and rafters to the lengths as stated above and cut

the plywood wall panels from the plywood sheet to the pattern as shown on the diagram below.

Step two
Fix the 8 floorboards (#2) to the three under floor skids (#1) with 3" galvanized nails. Ensure the
finished floor dimensions are 31-1/4" x 48". The three under floor skids should be evenly spaced
with two each side and one in the middle.
Step three
Nail the front and rear frames comprising of top and bottom plates (#3) and studs (#4) together.
Overall frame dimensions of both front and rear frame should be 18" high and 31-1/4" wide.
Ensure the placement of the intermediate studs allow enough of a gap (12") for the doorway.
See diagrams for reference. Stand and fix the front and rear frames in place at each end of the
floor.
Step four
Fix the 2 sidewall top plates (#5) in place. See diagrams for reference.
Step five
Fix the wall panels (#6,#8) to the frames using 2" galvanized flathead nails.

Step six
Fix the rafters (#7) in place.
Step seven Fix the 10 roofing boards (#9) (5 each side) to the rafters beginning with the lowest
board. The roof boards are 60" long and the kennel is 48" long, therefore the roof boards should
overhang each end of the kennel by 6". The first roofing board should overhang the sidewalls by
1" to 2". Fix the rest of the roofing boards in place checking that all overlaps are even.

All done.
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 (this timber is
commonly used for fence palings), 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.

Construction details

Cutting list......
ITEM
No.

MATERIAL / SIZE

AMOUNT AND LENGTH

DESCRIPTION

(1)

ex 50x50 H3 pressure treated

(dressed size 46X46)

3 @ 1200mm

Under floor skids

(2)

150x19 H3 pressure treated r/s (out

of fence palings)

8 @ 780mm

floor

(3)

ex 50x50 untreated (dressed size

46x46)

4 @ 780mm

Top and bottom plates for front and

rear wall frames.

(4)

ex 50x50 untreated (dressed size

46x46)

8 @ 358mm

front and rear wall frame studs

(5)

ex 50x50 untreated (dressed size

46x46)

2 @ 1108mm

Side wall top plates

(6)&(8)

1 sheet 9mm exterior plywood.

cutting dimensions as per pattern

below

wall cladding

(7)

ex 50x50 untreated (dressed size

46x46)

6 @ 550mm (long point) with 45deg

angle cut each end

Rafters. see cutting dimensions in

diagram below

(9)

150x19 H3 pressure treated r/s (out

of fence palings)

10 @ 1500

Roofing boards

Step one
Pre-cut all the timber skids, flooring, plates, studs and rafters to the lengths as stated above and

cut the plywood wall panels to the pattern as shown on the plywood sheet below.

Step two
Fix the 8 150x19 780mm long floorboards (# 2) to the three under floor skids (# 1) with 50mm
flathead Galvanized nails. Ensure the finished floor dimensions are 780x1200mm. The three
under floor skids should be evenly spaced with two each side and one in the middle.
Step three
Nail the front and rear frames together comprising of top and bottom plates (# 3) and studs (#
4). Overall frame dimensions of both front and rear frame should be 450mm high and 780mm
wide. Ensure the placement of the intermediate studs allows enough gap (300mm) for the
doorway. See diagrams for reference. Stand and fix the front and rear frames in place at each
end of the floor.
Step four
Fix the 2 sidewall top plates (# 5) in place. See diagrams for reference.
Step five
Fix the wall panels (# 6 and # 8) to the frames using 50mm Galvanized flathead nails.

Step six
Fix the rafters (# 7) in place.
Step seven Fix the 10 roofing boards (# 9) (5 each side) to the rafters beginning with the lowest
board. The roof boards are 1500mm long and the kennel is 1200mm long, therefore the roof
boards should overhang each end of the kennel by 150mm. The first roofing board should
overhang the sidewalls by 20 to 50mm. Fix the rest of the roofing boards in place checking that
all overlaps are even.

All done.

Part

No.

Size

Part

No.

Size

Front/ back

3/4 x 40 x
40 in

Internal brace

3/4 x 5 x
42 in

Sides

3/4 x
42 x 23
in

Roof (long)

3/4 x 48 x
31 in

Floor

3/4 x
38 x
42 in

Roof (short)

3/4 x 48 x
30 in

Internal divider

3/4 x
36 x
42 in

Roof gussets

3/4 x
21 x 40
in