How to Build an Insulated Dog Crate

Your dog's crate is its home, providing a secure area for the animal to retreat to and rest. If your dog lives outdoors or in a basement, it should have a well insulated crate for protection against extreme cold weather conditions. Create comfortable housing for your dog by building an insulated crate.

Things You'll Need

  • Measuring tape
  • Plywood
  • Saw
  • Styrofoam sheet
  • Paint brush
  • Nontoxic paint
  • Wood glue
  • Wood slat
  • Nails
  • Hammer
  • Plastic or rubber sheet
  • Quilt
  • Scissors
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Instructions

    • 1

      Use a measuring tape to take the height and width measurements of your dog in standing and sitting positions. This will help you estimate the size of the crate to be built. Add two feet of extra space above your dog's measurements, to create space for it to comfortably stretch or turn around in.

    • 2

      Place a one quarter inch thick plywood panel on the ground. Use a saw to cut eight panels, based on the measurements you took. The panels will be insulated to form the roof, two side walls and the bottom of the crate.

    • 3

      Prepare the insulation for the side walls, floor and ceiling using Styrofoam sheets. Cut four Styrofoam sheets to the same measurements as the panels. Position a panel flat on the ground and use a paint brush to apply wood glue on one side. Place a Styrofoam sheet firmly over this panel and gently press to attach. Apply glue to one side of another panel, place it over the Styrofoam sheet and gently press. Glue wood slat strips to each of the four sides of this panel. Your insulated panel is ready. Insulate the other three panels in the same way.

    • 4

      Paint both sides of all four insulated panels with nontoxic paint, and let it dry. Assemble the crate by placing one insulated panel on the ground to serve as the base. Place another panel vertically, at the edge of the base panel to form a side wall. Connect it with nails at both ends, and hammer them diagonally from the base of the side wall to the bottom panel. Fix the other side wall in the same manner.

    • 5

      Assemble the roof by placing the final insulated panel over the two side walls. Attach the roof to the two side walls by screwing nails to the four ends of the roof panel.

    • 6

      Attach a thick plastic or rubber sheet at the entrance of the crate to create a protective barrier. The sheet should be the same size as the insulated panels. Nail the sheet to the top of the roof.

    • 7

      Use scissors to cut a quilt to size and place it on the bottom of the crate. The quilt will provide a cozy bed for the dog to sleep on.