Pet Nest
Pet NestTIME REQUIRED: half day (time needed for cutting, building, and assembling project; does not include drying time of glue or finish)

Here's a great project to build for your best friend. Our drawer like pet cradle will become the favorite snoozing spot for your cat or dog. It is made from a single 8 foot 1x6 and scraps of flakeboard and carpeting. The carpeting isn't tacked down so it can be removed or replaced when necessary.

The base of our pet nest is cut from a piece of 18 inch flakeboard shelving. If your pet needs a larger area, have the yardman at your local lumberyard cut a base from a scrap piece of flakeboard to fit your pet, and then increase the length of the sides and front and back.

Construction is fast and easy. Begin by cutting the sides (B) and front/back (C) to size, following the Cutting List. Then lay out the front door on C. Use a combination square to draw two 45-degree lines sloping 4 inches from the end of C. Lay out the bottom of the door by drawing a line 2 1/2 inches from the top and parallel to it.

Drill a 3/8 inch pilot hole at the intersection of your angle lines and straight lines. If you don't have a 3/8 inch drill, any size hole will do, or you may skip this step and leave the board straight.

Cut out the door opening with a saw, then sand the edges of the opening smooth with number 120 sandpaper wrapped around a small block of wood.

Drive five evenly spaced number 4 finishing nails 3/8 inches from the bottom of B and C. Drive a number 4 finishing nail 3/8 inch from the top corner of front/back (C) to hold the front and back pieces tightly against the ends of the sides (B).

Assembly is easy. Have one team member hold the base (A) while the other runs glue down its side edge. Place the side (B) flush with the ends of the base (A), and nail it into place. Install the other side, and then glue and nail on the front and back.

Give your pet nest a sanding with number 120 sandpaper to round slightly any sharp corner. Then cut a piece of scrap carpet to fit the base. We made our nest a very personal home with pressure-sensitive vinyl letters.

Click here for the full sized building diagram:

Click here for diagram

Shopping List
Materials Quantity
1x6 pine8 feet
3/4' flakeboard18' X 24'
carpet scrap18' X 24'
number 4 finishing nailssmall box
2 inch vinyl stick on letters1 set
carpenter's wood gluesmall bottle
number 120 sandpaper2 sheets
Cutting List
Part/Name Quantity Size Material
A/Base1 3/4' X 18' X 24'flakeboard
B/Side2 3/4' X 5 1/2' X 18'pine
C/Front/back2 3/4' X 5 1/2' X 25 1/2'pine


Build It Together by Gene and Katie Hamilton (Stackpole Books)
copyright HouseNet, Inc 1996

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