TM TM DOG HOUSE Age 9+
Safety First! Use eye protection, always! Use ear protection with loud power tools Stay with kids while they work! Follow tool manufacturers safety guidelines This project is recommended for ages 9+ Page 1
TOOLS Tape measure Pencil Speed square or rafter square Clamps Japanese-style handsaw Pencil Drill and bits Countersink bit Jig saw Straight edge Sander Miter box Sanding sponges Exterior wood glue Putty knife Paint cans (for weights) Paint rollers Paint trays Permanent marker Page 2
SUPPLIES Wood Siding Plytanium (T1-11) siding - two 11/32 thick x 4' wide x 8' long [.8 thick x 121 cm wide x 243 cm long] sheets of siding Cut list: Cut all siding so that the pattern of lines runs vertically Back: 30 wide x 30 high [76.2 cm x 76.2 cm] Front: 30 wide x 23 high [76.2 cm x 58.4 cm] Side pieces: (see shape detail on Pages 6 and 7) Be sure to lay out and cut left and right side pieces (so one isn t inside out!) Height at front edge is 23-¾ [60.3 cm] Height at back edge is 30 [76.2 cm] Length of side is 27-½ [69.8] If you want to add corner trim, you can cut spare pieces of siding into 1-½ [2.5 cm] strips. Use a short length of door trim to trim out the opening or use 2-½ [6.35 cm] wide strips of siding instead. Recommended Cedar Deck for the Dog House 2x4 [3.8 x 8.9 cm] cedar lumber (one 10-foot [304.8 cm] long board) 5/8 x5-¼ [1.6 x 13.3 cm] cedar fencing (seven 5-foot [152.4 cm] long boards Forty-two 1-¼ [3.2 cm] deck screws 1x1 Poplar for framing 1 x1 [2.5 cm x 2.5 cm] poplar - fourteen 3-foot [121 cm] boards Cut list: Back: Cut two pieces at 29-¼ [74.3 cm] Cut two pieces at 22 [55.9 cm] Front Cut two pieces at 21 [53.3 cm] Side pieces Cut four pieces at 25-3/8 [64.5 cm] Roof Cut two pieces 26 [66 cm] Screws Package of one-hundred 1-1/4 [3.2 cm] deck screws NOTE: We recommend Duel Drive PoziSquare Deck screws, which work well with either a Phillips or square-head driver bit, or the PoziSquare bit that s included in each package of PoziSquare screws. Other Materials Paint Brushes and small rollers Drop cloth Round decorative gate hardware Page 3
DOG HOUSE Page 4
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Overview: Elizabeth's dog house is constructed in a shed style that fits most medium-size dogs. It includes decorative ventilation and an optional deck. The roof is a sun deck and it s removable for cleaning, too! 1. Measure Start your doghouse by measuring and cutting the 1x1 poplar framing. You'll find our full cut list on Page 3 of these instructions. 2. Saw Cut the framing lumber using a Japanese style hand saw, which cuts on the pull stroke so it's really easy to use. A two-handed grip keeps fingers safe. 3. Clamp Clamp two boards to a flat table and use the speed square to square the corner first corner. Page 8
4. Mark Then mark where the screws will go. Stagger them slightly. 5. Drill Drill pilot holes remembering to pull the bit back out occasionally to allow it to shed sawdust that builds up in the flutes of the bit. 6. Countersink Use a countersink bit to carve a shallow hole for the head of each screw. This will prevent the wood from splitting when you drive the screw. 7. Fasten Drive 2-inch [5 cm] screws into the pilot holes using short pulses to help control the drill better. Page 9
8. Continue framing Keep drilling and screwing till you've completed the front and back frames. 9. Cut Next, use a jigsaw to cut sheets of exterior siding that will make the walls of the dog house. (Measurements on Page 3) TIP: Clamp a straight edge in position to help guide the jigsaw. 10. Keep cutting Continue cutting the rest of the siding. Once you get comfortable with using the jigsaw you'll be able to follow the line without using a straight-edge. Page 10
11. Sand Smooth the siding and remove slivers from the freshly cut edges using an electric sander. 12. Design Draw a door opening on the front wall that is approximately as tall as your dog's shoulders and as wide as your dog's chest. 13. Cut Cut the two vertical sides of the door with the jigsaw. TIP: To make the cut across the top of the door, drill a generous sized hole at the corner. This will allow you to insert the jigsaw blade to start the cut. Page 11
14. Saw Use a mitre box to cut the door trim with 45-degree angles at the corners. 15. Sand Use sandpaper or a sanding sponge to remove slivers from the freshly cut trim pieces. 16. Apply glue Squeeze a bead of exterior wood glue around the edge of the door opening and on the backs of the trim pieces. TIP: Use a putty knife to spread the glue evenly before putting the trim pieces in place. Page 12
17. Add weight After you press each trim piece into position, place some heavy objects (paint cans or books work well) to help the trim pieces adhere properly. Allow the glue to set for 20 minutes. 18. Trace To give the dog house extra ventilation, add decorative fence hardware from Lowe s. Start by tracing the provided template onto one of the side walls of the dog house. (See page 6) 19. Drill Drill a generous-sized hole anywhere on the circle to give you an place to insert the jig saw blade. 20. Cut Insert the jigsaw blade in the drilled hole and proceed to cut out the circle. Go really slowly and keep pivoting the blade to stay on the marked line. Repeat on opposite side panel for a second vent. Page 13
21. Fasten Time to attach the doghouse walls to the frame. Lay the back wall down on its frame and drill countersunk pilot holes before fastening the siding to the poplar frame with 1-1/4-inch [3 cm] screws. 22. Inspect After completing the back wall according to the diagrams on page 5 & 7, move on to assembling the front wall. 23. Fasten Just like the back wall, use short screws to fasten the front wall, side walls and roof to their frames. (see pages 5, 6 & 7). 24. Paint Roll on a nice coat of exterior-grade paint to fancy up your dog house. Be sure to cover the edges and the inside too if desired. Page 14
25. Assemble Now it's time to start final assembly! 26. Fasten Pre-drill, counter sink and fasten 1-¼ [3 cm] screws along the sides on each corner of the dog house. The side walls are designed to fit inside the front and back walls. Follow the guidelines on page 7. 27. Install Install the decorative gate hardware in the side vent holes on both sides. (Simply screw the interlocking plates together.) 28. Add optional trim If you want to trim out the dog house, cut some additional strips of siding 1-½ [3.8 cm] wide and fasten them, making sure to drive the screws through the siding and the poplar framing behind the siding. Page 15
29. Install Install the removable roof. 30. ADD DOG! 31. Optional Recommended Extra: Dog Deck To keep cold and damp away from your dog, we recommend building a simple deck for the dog house to sit on. 32. Saw Start by cutting three pieces of 2x4 lumber to 37-inches [94 cm]. Page 16
DECK FOR DOG HOUSE Page 17
33. Layout Position the fencing boards on top of the three evenly-spaced 2x4s. Leave a small space between the boards for drainage. 34. Mark Place a spare board across the deck over each of the three 2x4s in turn, adding dots for where you'll drive screws to secure the boards. 35. Drill Drill pilot holes on each of the marks. Don't forget to make countersink holes to hold the heads of the screws (this will help prevent the wood from splitting in the future). 36. Fasten Now drive short (1-1/4-inch [3 cm]) screws into the pilot holes. Page 18
37. Trim Trim the ends of the boards even and sand the corners on the fresh cut. Now add DOG HOUSE and DOG! Page 19
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