How to Build a Miniature Saltbox Doghouse With Plans

Doghouses don't have to be just functional, they can also be attractive additions to your yard. Saltbox doghouses mimic the style of homes from Colonial America; these houses have two stories in the front and only a single story in the back. Saltbox roofs sloped in the back to cover this shorter area of the house. This sloped roof can be used to make a covered porch area of the doghouse.

Things You'll Need

  • Paper and pencil
  • Ruler
  • Drill
  • Table saw
  • Deck screws
  • 2 4-foot-by-8-foot sheets, 3/4-inch plywood
  • Measuring tape
  • Plastic or rubber door
  • Water-resistant paint
  • Rugs or blankets
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure your dog to determine how large of a doghouse you will need. Add a foot and a half to the width and length of your dog to give the dog room to turn around in the house. A house that is too large for the dog will be very drafty, so don't build too big unless your dog is still a puppy. Add a foot to the height of the dog, as well.

    • 2

      Draw out your doghouse plans. You'll need a rectangle that matches the measurements you took in Step 1. Sketch this rectangle out on graph paper, using the pencil and straight edge. Draw an additional rectangle the same size next to the first. This will be the porch area the sloped roof will cover. Draw the sides of the house as rectangles the same length and width and heighth of your dog's measurements. To the more narrow sides, add triangles to the design. This will provide the pitch for your roof.

    • 3

      Cut out your pieces. Measure out the pattern pieces using a measuring tape and a pencil on two sheets of 3/4-inch plywood. Cut the boards to the desired size using a table saw. On the wall that will face the porch area of the longer sloped roof, cut an opening large enough for your dog to enter, but small enough to prevent drafts.

    • 4

      Cut lumber to build your rectangular cube frame for the house. These boards should be the same measurements as the sides and height of your plywood walls, minus 1 1/2 inches. You'll need 12 boards for the body of the house, with lengths that match the measurements. You'll need an additional two boards that are half the height of the doghouse. These two boards will support the corner of the sloped roof over the porch area.

    • 5

      Screw the frame boards to form a rectangular box. Screw the bottom of the frame boards to the large, plywood doghouse base. Add the remaining two frame boards to the corners opposite the doghouse, screwing them perpendicularly to the bottom of the doghouse. Add the walls by screwing the plywood into place using deck screws. Deck screws are rust-resistant, which is a bonus since your doghouse will be outdoors in the elements.

    • 6

      Measure the distance between the top of the roof peaks and the top of the two porch support frame boards. Cut a piece of plywood this size, and one the same size as the other half of the doghouse's roof. Attach the roof pieces using screws.

    • 7

      Paint the doghouse using weather-resistant paint. Allow it to dry thoroughly. Screw a piece of plastic or rubber to the front of the door to provide a swinging door for your pet, leaving the deck screw out of the wood partially to allow the door to move easily. Pad the doghouse inside with blankets and rugs for your dog. For a more realistic-looking saltbox doghouse, add scrap boards horizontally to the sides of the doghouse as siding, and trim roof shingles down and create a shingled roof. Paint the siding and add embellishments such as fake windows and flower boxes.