DIY Network

Doggie Deckhouse From "Barkitecture" episode DBAR-203

Kenny heads off to make a plan for a super-sized doggie door leading to a big, breezy bungalow.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E
	Figure F

Materials:

6 cement pylons
level
5 8-foot pressure-treated 2x6 lengths of lumber
6 8-foot 4x4 posts
chop saw
safety glasses
tape measure
7 8-foot 5 quarter boards
pneumatic nail gun, nails
vinyl corrugated roof piece
wood lattice
circular saw
jigsaw
brad nailer, brads
wall-mounted dog door kit
drill w/ 3/4 paddle bit (for dog door installation)
reciprocating saw (for dog door installation)

1. To begin, level the ground where you plan to build your deck (figure A). Set cement pylons in place and double check that they are level (figure B).

2. To make the frame for the deck, use a chop saw to cut 5 45" long pieces of the 2'x6' pressure-treated lumber. These will be your support pieces. Leave two of the 2'x6' pieces whole, for your 8' front and back pieces. Put frame together with a pneumatic nail gun, using a level to make sure that each side is level and plum (figure C). Attach frame to the 4x4 posts, already set into the concrete pylons (figure D).

3. Use your 8' long 5 quarter board to form the floor of the deck (figure E). Using a jigsaw, cut the two end posts flush with the frame, leaving the other posts to serve as the frame for the doghouse. On the front of the deck, to account for the center post, cut one piece of 5 quarter board to 48-1/2" to butt against the support beam. Add a 2x4 to support the other side and cut another piece of 5 quarter board to 39". When attaching floorboards, make sure to leave 1/4" between each board to allow for drainage.

4. Now you need to prepare your posts by measuring 40 inches up from the platform on the front posts, and 48 inches on the back posts, to allow for the slope of the roof (figure F). Use a jigsaw to cut the posts at angles to match the slope from the taller posts to the front shorter posts. Attach your corrugated vinyl roof piece using the nail gun.

5. Cut the lattice to size with a circular saw, moving slowly to avoid catching the wood on the saw. Cut two straight pieces for the sides of the house (the back side should be 48 inches tall and the front side will be 40 inches tall), and two pieces that fit the slope of the roof (48 inches on the tall side and 40 inches on the shorter side) for the front and back of the doghouse, cutting out a door on the front wall. Attach lattice to posts with a brad nailer. Use plywood and 2x4s to create a ramp to the deck and attach using a nail gun. Lastly, install doggie door according to manufacturer instructions (figure G). The final product looks great (figure H)!

Figure G

Figure H

RESOURCES :

Young-Williams Animal Center
Website: www.knoxpets.org

The American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
Website: www.aspca.org

Petfinder.com
Website: www.petfinder.com