How To Build A Dog Bed: Rustic DIY Charmer

How to build a dog bed, or: I finally checked that DIY project off my list of things to create!

I’ve been wanting to build a bed for my pups Missy & Buzz for quite some time now, and I finally did! One of my favorite activities is browsing DIY boards on Pinterest in my downtime – you may be able to relate to that one.

Either way, over the course of the last few weeks I’ve been eyeing several different DIY dog bed frames.

Thanksgiving week was the perfect time to follow through with this project as I gave myself some time off.

Now, ideally I would have loved to find an extra large wooden crate of sorts. That way, it would just have needed an opening and a comfy doggie bed or pillow, along with a coat of paint.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find one that was large enough for both Missy & Buzz. That’s why I had to improvise and simply attached shiplap pine boards to a fiberboard base!

How To Build A Dog Bed: Our Supplies From Home Depot & Lowe’s

The shiplap boards we found at Home Depot were pre-finished in gray and perfect for that rustic look and feel I had seen so many times!

We used two boards for our project and had a Home Depot Sales Associate cut them to size for us. 

We purchased the majority of our supplies at Home Depot, except for the legs and the quick mount straight top plates – we found those at Lowe’s.

1/2in x 2ft x4 ft Medium Density Fiberboard, 1  $11.95 

1in x 6in x 8ft Barn Wood Gray Shiplap Boards, 2 $17.90 

Sheet Metal Screws #6x1in, 4 Packages $4.72

Sheet Metal Screws #8×5/8″, 4 Packages $4.72

Metal Angle Brackets, 4 $2.32 

4×2.5 in Waddell Ash Sofa Table Leg, 6 $47.88 

Waddell Metal Quick Mount Straight Top Plate, 6 $11.88

How To Build A Dog Bed: 3 Easy Steps

Our project consisted of 3 steps that took about 90 minutes to complete once we bought the supplies. Here’s how we did it:

Step 1: Attach Legs To Base

We first attached the legs to the fiberboard base with the quick mount straight top plates. A knowledgeable Lowe’s sales associate had given us this tip and we were thankful for it! 

Each straight top plate had to be drilled to the base using 4 screws. Once they were attached to the base, we just had to screw the individual legs into their respective plate using their pre-installed hanger bolts. That’s the name for the screw you see looking out of the leg.

Side note: We started our project with 4 legs. Once the bed frame had been put together and the pups test-sat in it, we noticed that the base was sagging a little. We fixed this issue by adding 2 more legs – meaning another trip to Lowe’s right then & there because we wanted to get it done that night!

Step 2: Attach Corner Brackets To Bed Frame

Once the legs had been installed, we put the base aside and focused on the shiplap frame. We put it together using 4 metal angle brackets. We secured each one with 4 screws and outlined each of the holes with a pen prior to screwing.

Step 3: Attach Frame To Base

For this last step, we placed the shiplap frame on top of the fiberboard base and used a total of 13 screws to attach the two parts. 5 screws in the back of the frame 2 on each side, and a total of 4 in the front.

All that was left to do at this point was to fill the bed frame with the pups’ bedding – and pawlà! 

How To Build A Dog Bed: Bottom Line

Our project was completed in a relatively short time span and included adults, kids, and dogs.

Although not overly complicated, it still nurtured our creativity and sense of togetherness.

The pups LOVE their new bed (frame), which ended up being the perfect hangout area for them to enjoy their Thanksgiving KONGs!

Have you completed a DIY project for your pup(s)? As always, we’d love to hear from you in our comment section!

Related Reading:

How to DIY a Burlap Christmas Stocking for your dog

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