DIY dog bed frames

If you’ve been following along with our home renovation, you might already know that our dogs are a big part of our lives – and have factored into a lot of the decisions we’ve made about the house.

To us, Albie and Barney are family. This is as much their home as it is ours, so we thought it was only fair that they should have some nice beds of their own! Up until now, they’ve each had those cushiony pet beds, but we wanted something that was comfortable yet also looked little more like a proper piece of furniture and suited our style. 

Are a few months of searching, we were still struggling to find what we were looking for. While there are some beautiful rattan pet beds around at the moment, most of them are a golden colour that wouldn’t suit our home. We did find some in a greywashed colour – but they were a little on the smaller side, not to mention, seriously overpriced!

So, rather than settling for something we didn’t love, we decided to have a go at making some dog bed frames ourselves. We’re super happy with how they turned out, and both Albie and Barney took to them straight away, each claiming their own. (Mr Guard Dog Albie taking the one closest to the front door and Mr Food Lover Barney taking the one with the view of the kitchen. Ha!)

It was a really fun little #lockdownproject, and all up they cost around $85 each – including the inserts. Read on to learn how we did it, and maybe take some inspiration to build something of your own.

Materials

• 10 lineal metres of merbau decking (or wood of your own choice) 
• 6 lineal metres of pine decking (for the base)
• Drop saw
• Battery drill and screws
• Sandpaper and sanding block
• G-clamps
• Tape measure
• Wood stain and brush
• Non-slip rubber squares
• Bed insert

Step one: 

The first step is always the most important – planning! Whether you want to build something similar to ours or something a little different, it’s important to have a clear picture of what you have in mind. 

Next, think about size. Albie and Barney are medium to large size dogs, so we wanted to make sure they had plenty of space to spread out. However, if your dogs are smaller, you might want something a little more suited to their size.

Write up a plan, and work out the measurements of the wood you will need, and how you will fit it together. If you plan on using a cushion insert like we did, choose which one you’ll use first so that you can plan your measurements accordingly. We opted for use these large size linen look pet beds from Kmart. They’re cheap, washable, and really cute!

Step two: 

Next up, carefully measure and cut your lengths of wood to size. We used a drop saw for this, but a handsaw would do if it’s all you have access to. If you’re looking to build bed frames the same size as ours, you will need:

• 3 x 93cm merbau back panels
• 1 x 93 cem merbau front panel
• 4 x 12cm merbau front panels
• 6 x 66cm merbau side panels
• 8 x 36cm merbau corner supports 
• 4 x 89cm pine base slats
• 2 x 85cm pine base slats (to fit around the corner supports)
• 2 x 62cm pine base supports

Once you have cut all of your pieces, lightly sand the edges as well as any rough bits. 

Step three: 

Now to get building! To start building the rectangular base, use your g-clamps to hold the four bottom together. Then, pre-drill all four corners and screw together. Pre-drilling is important, as it stops the timber from splitting. It should look something like this:

Step four: 

The next step is to add the side wall supports and legs. We used two pieces of timber in each corner. Work out how high off the ground you want the beds to sit, and be sure to leave enough room to attach the side panels. We allowed 5cm underneath, and the non-slip rubber feet we attached later on added some extra height. 

Again, pre-drill each piece and screw into the frame. For consistency, make sure each support panel is attached in the same way as the opposite corner. (Eg, attach both of the supports that sit along the front panels first, and the supports that sit along the side panels second.)

Step five: 

Time to add the panels! Using your g-clamps, secure your panels into place one at a time before you pre-drill and screw them in. Once you have added all the panels, carefully flip the frame upside down. 

Pre-drill and screw down your base supports. While the bed is upside down, screw on the non-slip rubber squares for the feet. These will help protect your floors from scratching, and stop the bed from slipping or moving.

Then, flip the dog bed back the right side up and screw down the base slats. We’re almost there!

Step six: 

Now, lightly sand all areas that are going to be visible, and stain, paint or oil the bed frame to your liking. We used one light coat of Feast Watson’s timber stain in the Black Japan colour, and it came up beautifully.

Once you’re finished, allow plenty of time for it dry. If you’re sensitive to smells, you may want to leave it undercover outside for up to a week for the smell to dissipate.  

Step seven: 

Add in your insert, and introduce it to your pup. Ta da!

That’s it, guys! Really simple, and if you’re handy with a sewing machine, you could even consider making the inserts yourself as well. The best part about this project is that you can customise it to your liking and get exactly the right size for your pet, and the right style your home.

Oh – and could cost you a fifth of what you might pay if you were to buy a dog bed like this new!

I hope you enjoyed reading this tutorial. We are by no means experts, but we’re so impressed with how they came together. And, most importantly, they get the tick of approval from the boys.

Leave us a comment if you’d like to try building a dog bed like this or send us a message if you have any questions. Thanks for reading!