🐾 Max’s Dog House Build Guide

I built my 80 lb golden retriever a serious shelter — raised off the ground, framed like a real house, with a pitched roof and weather-sealed finish. Built to move, made to last.

📦 Bill of Materials (BOM)

  • [ ] 2×4 studs – 9 × 8′ boards @ $3.98 = $35.82
  • [ ] 4×4 posts (PT) – 2 × 8′ @ $16.50 = $33.00
  • [ ] 1×2 trim – 2 × 8′ @ $2.98 = $5.96
  • [ ] 1/4″ plywood (4×8, cut to 4×4) – 2 sheets @ $15.98 = $31.96
  • [ ] Fence boards – ~14 linear ft (for roofing) = Free (scrap)
  • [ ] Exterior white paint (walls/trim) – 1 qt = $18.99
  • [ ] Exterior blue paint (roof) – 1 qt = $18.99
  • [ ] Silicone caulk – Already on hand
  • [ ] Deck screws – 2½″ + 3″ = Already on hand

💰 Estimated Total Cost: ~$145 CAD

✅ Step 1: 🧱 Foundation (Posts & Base Frame)

  1. Cut four 4×4 posts to 36″ long.

    • This gives ~8″ of clearance under the house.
    • Use pressure-treated 4x4s to avoid rot.

  2. Lay them out in a rectangle:

    • 36″ apart front-to-back.
    • 24″ apart side-to-side.
    • These are your corner posts.

  3. Cut four 2x4s for the sill plates:

    • 2 × 36″ (front/back)
    • 2 × 24″ (sides)

  4. Screw the sill plates around the 4×4 posts about 8″ up from the bottom — this forms the foundation frame the floor will sit on.

✅ Step 2: 🪚 Wall Framing & Joists

  1. Cut four more 2x4s for the top plates:

    • 2 × 36″ (front/back)
    • 2 × 24″ (sides)

  2. Cut 4 vertical wall studs, 24″ each.

    • One between each corner post on the long sides.
    • Screw these between the sill and top plates.

  3. Cut floor joists (2x4s):

    • 2 or 3 pieces at 24″, laid across the narrow width.
    • Screw into the sill frame.

  4. Add blocking between joists for added strength (optional but good practice).

✅ Step 3: 🏠 Gable Roof Framing

  1. Cut 8 rafter pieces from 2x4s:

    • Each about 22″ long with a 45° angle at one end.
    • These will pair to form 4 triangular rafters for the A-frame roof.

  2. Pair each set into an inverted “V” shape.

    • Fasten at the peak with screws.
    • Use a birdsmouth notch to help each rafter sit flat on the top plate.

  3. Place one rafter at each gable end.

    • Place two more evenly spaced between them.
    • Screw them directly into the top plates and gable panels.

✅ Step 4: 🪵 Sheathing

  1. Use 1/4″ plywood cut to 4’×4′ in-store.

    • 2’×4′ also works for some panels.

  2. Sheath all surfaces:

    • Floor: one 24″×36″ piece.
    • Side walls: 2 × 24″×24″.
    • Front/back walls: 2 × 36″×24″ + triangle gable pieces.
    • Roof: 2 × 36″×30″ (or wider depending on overhang).

  3. Fasten sheathing with screws or nails.

  4. Cut a 12″×16″ door centered on the front panel, ~3–4″ up from floor level.

✅ Step 5: 🪚 Roof Covering (Fence Boards)

  1. Cut fence boards to ~36″ long.

  2. Lay boards from bottom to top on each roof slope, overlapping ~1″.

  3. Secure each with 2–3 screws per board into rafters.

  4. At the peak, use two short boards for a ridge cap, overlapping both sides.

✅ Step 6: 🚪 Door & Trim

  1. After cutting the door opening, sand the edges.

  2. Trim the doorway with 1×2 pieces:

    • Cut to frame each side and top.
    • Fasten with nails or screws.

  3. Optional: Add a door flap later using canvas or rubber.

✅ Step 7: 🎨 Paint & Finishing

  1. Prep: Sand rough edges and fill screw holes if desired.

  2. Caulk: Use leftover silicone at panel seams and trim edges.

  3. Paint:

    • White for siding and trim
    • Blue for the roof
    • Use exterior-grade paint only

  4. Apply 2 coats and let fully dry between each.

🎁 Done

You now have a weatherproof, elevated, framed doghouse worthy of a golden retriever named Max. Built to survive three moves and Canadian weather.