DIY Wood Dog Bed Frame

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How to make your dog a wood dog bed frame – Kolchak Style

Step 1: Order your hairpin legs.

You guys, this is probably the most difficult part of this project: waiting for your fancy metal legs to arrive. I bought the 4″ metal hairpin legs that I used from Above and Beyond on Etsy. I love that they came with little rubber feet on them so if you have laminate or hardwood floors, they won’t slide around or scratch. I really think they make the beds look great and were absolutely worth the wait, but if they aren’t your style, you can find all sorts of styles of furniture legs at the hardware store, along with the hardware to install them.

Step 2: Determine what size your bed is.

Koly and Fe have these awesome luxury dog beds that they love from P.L.A.Y. It takes a pretty awesome dog bed to woo my dogs off the couch and their Greenery beds consistently get the job done. So, since they’re our fav, we’ve created shopping lists that have the measurements for each of their standard sizes.

However, just in case you have a much-loved dog bed that is made by another brand, we’ve got you covered:

Measure the length and add 3″, then Measure the width and add 2″.

This is the size you will cut your plywood.

Step 3: Grab your shopping list and head to the Home Depot.

You can totally choose a different hardware store, if you want, but I love the Home Depot because they will cut your lumber for you, which means you don’t need any fancy power tools to create these beds and there’s way less mess for you to clean up at home.

You can download the shopping list and print it to take with you, but here’s a rundown of what you’ll need:

• 1/2″” or 3/4″ Plywood
• 1×2 Framing Lumber
• 4″ L Brackets/Corner Braces
• 4″ Mending Plates
• #10 x 1/2″ Tapping Screws
• #10 Washers
• Sandpaper
• Interior Paint in your chosen accent colour (the tester size is more than enough)
• Optional: Varathane Clear Coat

 Step 4: Prep the wood.

Pull of any splinters and use the sandpaper to smooth out the edges and surface of your plywood and framing lumber.

Step 5: Paint the edges & Seal

Paint the edges of the plywood in your chosen accent colour. This may take 2 or 3 coats depending on the colour of paint you choose.

If desired, cover the surface of the plywood and all of the framing lumber pieces with clear coat. Allow to dry.

Step 6: Screw on the Legs and L Brackets

Measure 1/2″ away from the edge of each corner and screw on the hairpin legs. Pay careful attention to the placement. You want your legs slanted toward the outside of the bed with the long side of the leg plates running on the short sides of your plywood. Make sure you use a washer, so that the screw doesn’t poke out the other side of your plywood…like mine did on the first try. (Ugh.)

Place the L bracket against the feet on either end of the length and screw into place. (Again, use those washers folks.) Measure the center point of the length of your bed. Screw in the third L Bracket.

Step 7: Add the back bars

Line up the 1×2 with the long edge of your bed. Position the board so that the top of your L bracket is covering about an inch of the 1×2. (See the photo below for placement.) Screw in place. Repeat for all three L bracket

Set a mending plate on top of the L Bracket making sure it sits flush. Screw in place. Repeat for all three mending plates.

Line up the 2nd 1×2 with the edge of your bed. Position the board so that the top of your mending plate is covering about an inch of the 1×2.

Set a 2nd mending plate on top of the first mending plate making sure it sits flush. Screw in place.

Line up the 3rd 1×2 with the edge of your bed. Position the board so that the top of your mending plate is covering about an inch of the 1×2. Screw in place.

When you’re finished, it will look like this:

Step Eight: Put your dog’s bed on the frame and add a couple cute accent pillows.

 …and you’re done. I know. You thought there would be more steps, right?

I told you this was easy.

Do you prefer Felix’s super cute bed frame?

Jump to:

Felix’s Bed Tutorial

Printable Shopping Lists