How to heat a dog house in winter. Insulating a dog house - a step-by-step guide to building a structure

The dog is constantly on the street, and its activity is highly dependent on the living conditions. In order for the vitality of the pet to be always positive, it is necessary to improve its habitat. This article will focus on the insulation of a dog house.

Floor insulation in a dog house

Insulation of the kennel begins with the floor. The work is performed in the following sequence:

Wall insulation in a dog kennel

The main requirement for a dog house is the absence of drafts. If there are gaps or holes, fill them with boards. If there are many holes, stuff a plywood sheet or similar material over the entire wall. The booth will become warmer if you make the walls double, and put foam or other insulator between them. True, the weight of such a booth will double.

For wall insulation, you can use traditional heat insulators (felt, foam, mineral wool), which are mounted according to the standard scheme:

  • Waterproofing.
  • Heater attachment.
  • Facing work (to protect the insulation from dog claws and teeth).
  • Vapor barrier.

If mineral wool is used as a heater, follow these rules:

  • Do not use glass wool, it is fraught with the health of the animal.
  • A protective lining is required.
  • Perform waterproofing.


Insulation of the roof of the booth for dogs

Check the roof for leaks. To protect against leakage, make a pitched roof, nail a sheet of linoleum on top. The roof must be removable. Starting with inside fix the insulating film and then the heat insulator. Insulation from the inside can not be closed with a wooden ceiling.


Entrance to the dog house

Make the entrance opening as small as possible. If necessary, reduce it with boards. Curtain the entrance with a curtain made of dense fabric, which is attached to a plank nailed on top. The curtain should be wider than the entrance by 5 cm on each side and 10 cm below the threshold. The design should not be an obstacle for the dog.


An economical way to insulate a kennel

If the booth is located in an aviary and is protected from precipitation, the cracks in the walls can be sealed with several layers of plastic wrap. Thermal film Tavic, Ozospan, etc. will cost a little more. The film is attached to the walls with a stapler. The canvas is rolled out so that the fibrous side is adjacent to the boards, and the smooth side is out.


The dog obeys only his instincts, and he does not understand why it is not necessary to tear the foam on the wall or tear the canopy at the entrance. Therefore, choose durable materials for insulation or take measures to protect against claws and teeth. For the same reason, it is desirable to use natural materials for thermal insulation.

Many cynologists believe that a dog needs an insulated kennel only if it belongs to a short-haired or smooth-haired breed. Furrier animals are able to endure cold winters. A thick undercoat provides warmth to a four-legged friend.

This article will describe different methods how to prepare a booth for a dog for a cold period.

The main stages of warming the kennel

Many are wondering how to insulate a dog house for the winter. Do not forget that our four-legged friends also need good care and comfortable living conditions. Let's look at how and how to insulate a dog house for the winter. Instructions and a detailed description of the process will help us in this important matter.

First of all, you should start working from the inside. For this purpose, a material protecting from the cold is laid under the outer layer of the skin. It is hidden with plywood or lining.

The inner lining must fit snugly against the insulation. At the same time, be careful that he does not crawl out from under it. Otherwise, cold air will enter your pet's home, which is already a danger to the health of the dog.

If the ceiling at the kennel has a hinged design, then you will need to lay additional material. If you are new to this business, be sure to read all the information you need, and also look at the drawings that explain in detail how to insulate the dog house for the winter. Photos of such structures show that there is nothing complicated in the process of their creation.

Roof sheathing is made of two or three layers. Metal, plastic or bitumen is perfect for roofing. Protecting the booth from the cold is complex and is carried out using different materials.

What is the structure made from?

How to insulate a dog house for the winter with maximum efficiency? Usually the gasket is placed in all parts of the kennel. Used for floors, roofs and walls different materials, based on their characteristics, as well as positive and negative sides.

How to properly insulate a dog house for the winter and what material to use depends on the location of the kennel and the personal choice of the dog owner, as well as how often the dog sits in his house.

Commonly used:

  • Mineral wool. Great for insulating rooms. However, over time, the material goes astray and loses its original characteristics.
  • Penoplex are lamellar plates that do not let moisture through and perfectly protect against freezing in winter. However, when this material is installed, a large number of seams that do not prevent the cold and require additional insulation.
  • Glass wool. This material has many advantages. The disadvantages include the presence of the smallest particles of fiberglass, which irritate the skin of the hands during installation work. There is also a risk that the fragments will fall into the lungs or eyes of a person and a dog.
  • Polyurethane foam is a modern insulation that is applied by spraying. He has no cons. It does not pose a health hazard, does not burn, is not subject to deformation and does not rot.

We build on our own

Many are wondering how to insulate a dog house for the winter with their own hands. After all, you want to make your pet a good home, where he will feel comfortable and safe. He will tell you in detail how to insulate a booth for a dog for the winter, instructions. Photos and drawings will show the whole process in detail.

The dog kennel is small in size, so gaps between materials should not be allowed. Even the smallest gap will nullify all your efforts. How to insulate a dog house for the winter so that gaps do not form?

The selected material is fixed on the roof and inner walls of the booth. The installation method varies. Felt is usually nailed. Styrofoam and foam plastic are screwed with screws or glued. The thermal insulation layer should be sheathed with plywood, OSB board or clapboard. The floor of the kennel is sprinkled with hay or sawdust. They should be kept dry. Such materials do not let the cold through. Periodically, they will have to be shaken up and changed. So that the entrance of the kennel, which is open, does not release heat, it can be closed with a special curtain. It should close the hole with a margin.

How to install a curtain for a booth

The main purpose of the curtain is to maintain the optimum temperature in the kennel in the winter. The material from which the curtain is made should protect the booth from drafts. For this purpose, the following are used:

  • Tarpaulin. It is distinguished by density. In the manufacture of this material is covered with a special mixture that prevents fire. The main advantage of tarpaulin is its elasticity. Therefore, the tension of the curtain can be easily adjusted depending on the size of the entrance.
  • Felt on an artificial basis perfectly retains heat. It can be easily cut. At the same time, the edges of this material do not crumble, so they do not need to be processed.

The curtain should completely close the entrance and not prevent the dog from getting in and out. The material must be labeled correctly. Determine the size you need and add allowances: 5 cm on the sides and 10 cm on the bottom. To prevent the dog from accidentally tearing off the curtain during sudden movements, it should be fixed to the top of the entrance with a wooden plank. The curtain is installed using self-tapping screws.

Insulation of the kennel with polyurethane foam

This material does not pose a danger to human and pet health, it is resistant to moisture. It is one of the best thermal insulators. Differs in affordable cost. It is attached to the inner surface of the booth. Usually flexible polyurethane foam is used. This is due to the openness of its structure and increased moisture absorption. Therefore, it is not used outside.

Polyurethane foam with a rigid structure is suitable for fastening from the outside of the kennel. In principle, this is the best solution when protecting a dog house from the cold. The material is non-toxic, since its basis is plastic. It can be purchased in both liquid and solid form. The liquid material is applied by spraying, while the solid material is in the form of slabs.

The plates are large and not suitable for insulation. We advise you to resort to the use of a liquid form, the main advantages of which include:

  • filling all cracks and gaps;
  • protection of the kennel from mold fungi and decay;
  • ensuring isolation from noise;
  • long service life (over 30 years).

Insulation of the booth with foam

As a rule, foam plastic is used to insulate a doghouse, the thickness of which is 50 mm. It is resistant to moisture. The material is attached to the walls and ceiling inside. All gaps formed can be filled with mounting foam from the outside and inside.

Mandatory sheathing of foam plastic should be carried out using plywood, OSB boards, and other materials. Otherwise, the sheets will crumble from the constant contact of the dog's body with the walls of the booth. In addition, the animal can scratch the material with teeth and claws.

Minus insulation through foam

In a hot period, such a booth will become a real steam room for a dog. After all, it is hermetically sealed and prevents the flow of fresh air.

A hinged lid saves the situation. This allows you to make a draft and somewhat improve the situation. But when designing a kennel, a removable insulation must be provided. Penoplex should be installed so that it can be removed during the hot period.

We use hay

How to insulate a dog house for the winter with hay? This is a rather old method. Outside, the kennel is upholstered with burlap, but not tightly, but so that it lies freely. Straw is placed in the resulting holes. The booth takes a round shape and becomes soft. Straw is also placed inside, in which the dog makes a nest.

Protecting the kennel from the cold with straw is undesirable, as fleas can start in it, causing inconvenience to the dog.

The main types of electric heaters

How to insulate a dog house for the winter with electricity? This can help:

  • Panel based heaters. Metal structures are in a metal case. Their thickness is no more than 2 cm, which allows a compact arrangement in the booth. They are attached to the casing with self-tapping screws.
  • Film based systems. This is a special thermal film that heats the booth with infrared radiation. It is installed under the lining of the kennel.
  • If you decide to install electric heater under the dog house, then they must fill the floor with a solution. The screed is made on foam. The dog does not like to lie on concrete, so either lay a shield made of wood.
  • When installing a heating film on the side walls, it should be covered with plywood.

Advantages of electric kennel heating

This type of insulation has many positive aspects:

  • On frosty days, an electric heater will create optimal conditions for a four-legged friend.
  • The kennel will be dry, which will prevent the appearance of molds.
  • Humid air exhaled by the dog will not turn into condensate and will not settle as frost on the walls of the booth.
  • The heater does not consume much electricity - only 100 W/m².

Cons of heating with electricity

Electric heaters also have their negative sides:

  • The pet is always active. In case of poor protection of the electrical wire, the dog can gnaw through it and die.

  • Don't forget about moisture. Film-based electric heaters are protected by a bitumen sticker. But if moisture constantly settles on their surface, then they are a danger to the life of the pet. If you insulate the booth with your own hands, then protect the device from moisture. Water gets into the booth from snow, which the dog brings on its paws and wool. Also, snow is blown by the wind if there is no curtain, or if it lets air through.

There is an alternative

For a long time, many cannot decide how and with what to insulate a dog house for the winter. Should you protect the kennel from the cold yourself at all? After all, such warming does not always guarantee optimal conditions for the pet and requires certain knowledge from the owner. In the cold season, it is better to keep the dog at home or buy a ready-made kennel for her, which is designed for very low temperatures.

Such booths have a well-thought-out design and are made using modern insulating materials. A kennel of this type will bring comfort to the dog on the coldest days.

How to insulate a dog house for the winter?

In the article, we will analyze the options for performing thermal insulation and try to select materials that will provide warmth to your pet at minimal cost.

Basic principles

Do you need insulation

Let's start from afar - with arguments about whether a dog needs insulation in principle.

On the one hand, wild relatives of domestic dogs - wolves do not look for a warm shelter for the winter, even in severe cold. A typical wolf's lair is a pit, somehow covered with spruce branches or located under an eversion. Yes, after a heavy snowfall, it is comparatively well sheltered from frost and bad weather; however, when looking for shelter, the wolf does not pick up too much shelter for itself.

Caring for your pet, who guards the house, is understandable. However, does it need to create greenhouse conditions for it?

In the humble opinion of the author, warming the booth for a dog is desirable only if you have a short-haired or smooth-haired breed. Dogs with long hair perfectly adapt to the cold: they quickly grow a thick undercoat, thanks to which the dog sleeps well on bare snow.

The booth is an excellent shelter in case of rain and strong winds. However, a dog that lives in the cold is in most cases healthier than a pet.

However: in extremely severe frosts, dogs are usually just allowed into the house.
Remember the proverb about bad weather and a good host?

insulation requirements

When deciding how to insulate a booth for a dog, you need to remember: we are dealing with an animal that obeys, first of all, its instincts. You can’t explain to the beast that you don’t need to tear the rug on the floor, gnaw at the canopy at the entrance and claw at the foam on the walls.

  • Insulated dog kennels should not have internal or external walls that are easily damaged.. Styrofoam padding on the floor or Styrofoam interior lining is not an option.
  • Any mineral wool insulation must be reliably isolated from the internal volume of the booth. Rock wool fibers irritate human organs breathing - what can we say about a sensitive dog nose! And they will rise into the air with any strong shaking.
  • Pole is a good idea. But it must be dense and very durable: the dog will surely play with it. Considering the grip strength of guard dogs, a tarp or insulated vinyl will not last long.

Such a curtain will reduce heat loss, but it will not last long.

  • It is desirable that the heat-insulating material be natural or emit in environment as few harmful substances as possible.

Electric heating

It is possible. We will not discuss its expediency: if it is possible to supply power to the booth, it is quite possible to make it heated.

The advantages of this solution are obvious:

  • Even in severe frost in the booth, the temperature will be quite comfortable.
  • More importantly, it will always be dry there.

Please note: among other things, this means the absence of mold.
A dog, like any other living being, exhales humidified air, which will condense on cold surfaces. In a warm booth, you can forget about this problem.

The cost of electricity will be more than small: with an area of ​​​​a square meter, a warm floor will require no more than two hundred watts of electrical power.

What's the catch?

There are two problems:

  1. Dog activity. If the heating elements are not protected absolutely reliably, sooner or later a situation will arise when the dog scratches the floor or walls and gets to them.
  2. Don't forget about humidity too. Yes, underfloor heating film tires are protected with bituminous stickers; however, in a pool of water, a short circuit is still theoretically possible. As a result, we will get not an insulated dog house, but a delayed action portable electric chair.

Where will the water come from if the booth is thermally insulated and heated? There are a lot of options - from snow brought on its paws to a situation where a sick or frightened dog forgot where the nearest tree is.

  • As a heat source, you should choose not a film heater, but a heating cable. It has reliable protection against short circuits along the entire length.

The cable is also well protected from accidental damage. But it is still better to hide it from the dog.

  • If the heating element is placed on the floor, it is better not to be lazy and fill in the screed. Since it is pointless to warm the soil, the screed is poured over the laid foam. Of course, sleeping on concrete is a dubious pleasure, so it is better to lay a sheet of thin felt on top.
  • When laying in the walls, the heating cable is protected by plywood or other durable material. Yes, in this case, a significant part of the heat will be absorbed by the gasket, but the alternatives are simply dangerous.

Thermal insulation options

So, how to insulate a dog house? Let's look at several options of varying complexity.

Felt

In terms of time and money, this option is the easiest and cheapest.

It can be implemented with your own hands in just a couple of hours.

  • Mats are cut out of thick felt according to the size of the walls, roof and floor. For cutting, a regular sharp knife is used.
  • They are fastened inside the booth with the roof removed with ordinary roofing nails with wide hats.
  • The roof is in place.

What is the result? We get a fairly effective insulation that will not be blown by the wind. The material is environmentally friendly and will not harm the health of our pet. What is no less important - it has good vapor permeability: there will be no dampness in the booth.

Mineral wool

Let's be honest: its use is rather doubtful. The design will turn out to be quite complex; in addition, for the sake of high-quality insulation, the walls will have to be made very thick.

How to insulate a dog house with mineral wool?

The instruction for thermal insulation work itself is familiar to anyone who has ever performed insulation of a loggia or balcony with the help of this heater:

  • The walls are covered with a vapor barrier, which is attached with a stapler.
  • On the walls around the perimeter of each, a crate is stuffed from a bar of 50x50 millimeters.
  • Mineral wool mats are cut to size with a knife and inserted into the crate, after which the second sheet of vapor barrier is hemmed with a stapler.
  • Outside, along the crate, the booth is sewn up with plywood, OSB or wooden clapboard.

Styrofoam

Against the background of the previous insulation, the foam has several noticeable advantages:

  • It provides the same effective thermal insulation with less thickness.
  • Styrofoam does not cake and does not get wet (therefore, it is often used to insulate balconies). Its heat-insulating qualities do not deteriorate over time.

How to insulate a dog house for the winter with foam? Minus unnecessary vapor barrier - just like mineral wool.

However: you can get by with a much smaller thickness - from 2 to 4 centimeters.
Against the background of heat loss through the manhole, the difference with a thicker insulation will not be felt.

Along with home-made designs on sale you can find already insulated dog kennels. In most cases, it is the foam that is used in them, laid between the two walls of the lining. To look at such a product is quite informative.

Roll insulation

Let's be realistic: with an open hole, thermal insulation will not significantly affect the temperature in the booth. It is much more reasonable not to increase the thickness of the walls, but to reliably protect the dog from drafts.

In this case, you can get by with inexpensive roll heaters.

  • Foamed polyethylene provides reliable wind protection and good thermal insulation already at a thickness of 4-6 millimeters. It is attached to the walls, floor and roof of the booth with the same stapler, after which it is again sheathed with any durable material. The crate is not needed: short self-tapping screws can be screwed directly through the insulation into the boards, so long as they do not stick out inside.

Useful: on sale you can find polyethylene foam with an adhesive layer. The method of its fastening is familiar to you if you have ever performed insulation of plastic windows or steel doors with self-adhesive window insulation: after removing the protective glossy paper, the material is simply pressed against the surface. In this case, temporary fastening with a stapler is not necessary.

  • Penofol - an advanced version of roll insulation. On one side of the polyethylene foam, aluminum foil is applied, which reflects infrared radiation. Fixed between the inner and outer walls of the booth, the material will further reduce heat loss.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a lot of options. If you are still thinking about how to insulate a dog house, in the video presented in this article you will find Additional information on this topic. warm winters you and your pet!

On the eve of cold weather, every dog ​​owner thinks about whether the pet needs additional protection in winter, how to create ideal conditions for wintering and whether the dog needs it.

Does it freeze in winter

Most dogs can comfortably tolerate the cold and even sleep in the snow, depending on the breed of the dog. Hunting breeds tolerate cold well, by winter they grow dense wool and, in principle, it is not advisable to keep them at home, as this spoils the innate scent.

However, even representatives of the same breed react differently to cold depending on the conditions in which they live.

When a dog lives in an apartment, she sheds more often, since she does not need an undercoat in an apartment. When an animal lives in a booth, then by winter it grows a warm undercoat, which ensures the safety of heat.

In addition to the undercoat, the size of the animal affects the preservation of heat. Large breeds dogs lose heat more slowly than small ones. Pets that lack undercoat or have it underdeveloped need winter clothing.

How to prepare

In order to take care of the comfort of your pet in the cold season, you must follow a few rules:

materials

Consider insulation options dog kennel:

  1. Booth insulation. Mineral wool is an excellent insulation, however, due to the small size of the kennel, the process will be laborious. The mineral wool layer will need to be waterproofed. For insulation, it is not recommended to use glass wool.

Expert advice: the insulation layer must be sheathed with a layer of plywood or OSB, otherwise the dog may simply destroy the insulation.

  1. Thermal insulation of a dog kennel. Styrofoam with a thickness of 0.5 cm or more will be an excellent insulation. Unlike mineral wool, it is not subject to external influences, therefore waterproofing is not required, but protection from dog claws is needed.
  1. Insulation of the booth with heat insulators. Rolled heat-insulating materials, such as polyethylene and penofol, have excellent thermal insulation properties. They are very easy to attach and also need additional sheathing.
  1. Thermal insulation of the booth with felt. In addition to the fact that felt is a natural material, it is absolutely safe and inexpensive. It will always be dry inside the booth, as it is vapor-tight. In addition, this is the only material that does not require sheathing, ordinary nails with large hats are suitable for fixing.

Sequence of work

Warming should start from the floors, you need to protect the bottom of the kennel. A finishing floor must be laid on top of the insulation. Further, the walls of the kennel are insulated, in accordance with the selected material.

The roof is insulated last; sheathing is not required here.

The roof must be protected from moisture and wind.

Consider: when installing the insulation, the presence of cracks or other blown areas is unacceptable. In no case should moisture enter!

There are many ways to insulate the house of the booth and there is absolutely nothing complicated in them. If your faithful pet is dear to you, then it is better to take care of his living conditions, especially during the winter months.

Watch the video in which the specialist tells how to build warm booth for a dog with your own hands:

September 7, 2016
Specialization: master in the construction of plasterboard structures, finishing work and laying flooring. Installation of door and window blocks, facade finishing, installation of electrics, plumbing and heating - I can give detailed advice on all types of work.

If you have a private house and there is a pet that lives on the street, then the issue of building a home for him requires the closest attention. We will figure out how to make an insulated booth in which the dog will be comfortable both in winter and summer, we will also figure out how to choose optimal dimensions what materials to use and in what sequence the work should be carried out.

I have lived almost all my life in the private sector, so I have experience in building booths.

Determination of optimal sizes

This is the most important aspect, because if the dimensions of the structure are not designed for the dog, then it will be uncomfortable for her to stay in the booth. If it is too small, then the dog will be crowded, and if it is too large, then it will be cold in the booth in winter, which is also highly undesirable.

There is a whole algorithm for determining sizes, but I will not bore you with scientific calculations, but will tell you everything as much as possible simple form, in principle, the table below contains information that is suitable in most cases, and below I have outlined the main recommendations that you need to consider:

  • The height of the booth inside should be 10-15 cm higher than the height of the dog, this is taking into account the fact that a warm bedding will be laid on the floor;
  • The width should be 10 cm more than the height of the dog so that it can lie on its side with legs extended;
  • The length of the booth should be 5-10 cm longer than the length of the dog, while the tail is not taken into account;
  • The size of the hole is calculated as follows: its width should be 5 cm more than the width chest dogs, and the height is less than the height of the dog by 5-10 cm.

Now let's deal with the optimal location of the booth, since its choice is also of great importance:

  • The kennel should be closed from wind blowing, take into account the predominant direction of movement of air masses and place the structure behind the barrier;
  • If your dog guards the courtyard, then position the booth so that lying in it, the dog can see the gate and most of the yard;
  • The structure should be located near the entrance, preferably on the south side;
  • There should be a shaded area within reach of the dog so that he can hide there in the summer heat;
  • It is important that the structure is not flooded in the autumn and spring, place the booth on a hill, if not, then make an embankment on your own.

Step by step description of the workflow

Now let's figure out how to organize the work and what you need to have on hand. I will talk about a simple option that can be implemented in just an hour if you have experience, and in a couple of hours if you are a beginner and do everything slowly. Let's start with the preparatory measures, since without them it is unlikely that it will be possible to cope with the work.

Gathering everything you need to work

First you need to collect all the materials, we will use this set:

Beam 50x50 We will use pine elements, they are easy to find, and they cost a little. The strength of the bar is suitable for us (it will withstand all loads without problems), and its dimensions, because we will use a 50 mm thick insulation, you can use a 10 mm layer on the floor, so you can buy a 100x50 bar, or you can connect two elements. Choose dry material and be sure that the bars are even and do not have pockets of mold
clapboard This material will be used for outdoor, you can use the remnants of the material left over from finishing the house or other buildings, both a block house and an imitation of a bar will do. You can use any wood finish you have on hand. For interior decoration lining is also suitable
floor board Most often, 1-2 pieces are enough, I advise you to use it because it is durable and there are grooves on the joints that ensure a perfect fit of the elements. Ordinary edged board will not fit as well, and you will have to additionally insulate the gaps
Plywood This material can be used for the interior lining of the booth, it can also be used for the floor (in this case, the thickness should be such that it can easily support the weight of the dog). You can do without plywood, it all depends on what is at hand and what is easier to purchase
Styrofoam We will use elements with a thickness of 50 mm, if you want to achieve the best insulation, then it is better to purchase extruded polystyrene foam, it is much denser and has higher thermal insulation performance. In addition, this material is more durable.
waterproofing material If you have leftovers from construction, then you can use them, and if not, then buy a roll of glassine, its price is low, and the material is well suited for our purposes
roofing material Here you can use what is at hand - from roofing material or glass isol to metal tiles, corrugated board, soft tiles, etc. The size of the structure is small, so choose the option that will be most convenient in your case.
fasteners To assemble the structure, you can use nails or self-tapping screws, I prefer the second option due to greater reliability. To strengthen the frame, it is advisable to add metal corners, they will make it much stronger and more reliable.

Remember that dogs have a very delicate sense of smell, so treatment with various chemicals from fungus and pests can have an irritating effect on the pet. In extreme cases, you can cover the outer parts with the composition, but not the inner ones.

When carrying out work, you can not do without a tool, we need the following set:

  • To cut materials, you can use either a conventional hand saw or a power tool: a jigsaw, reciprocating or circular saw, etc. In principle, there is not much work and you can get by with a hacksaw, among other things, it also cuts the insulation well;

  • To tighten the screws, you will need a screwdriver, and if you use nails, then a hammer is enough. If you will be using self-tapping screws, then make sure you have the right type and size of nozzles;
  • All measurements are made using a tape measure or a metal ruler; any suitable pencil can be used for marking. To make perfectly even ends, it is best to use a carpenter's square.

When preparing, I strongly advise you to draw a sketch of the future design or find a ready-made version on the Internet. Believe me, if you clearly represent the final result and know all the design features of your booth, then in the process of work there will be no unnecessary questions, and you will not think what to do next, because there is a ready-made plan before your eyes.

Construction construction

To begin with, I will show you a diagram so that you understand the sequence of work, and then I will tell you in detail about each of the stages, everything is quite simple and you do not need to be a professional builder to master this process:

  • First you need to make the frame of the lower part, it can be assembled either from a 50x50 mm bar, or from a 100x50 mm bar, it all depends on what temperatures are in your region in winter. The second option seems to me more solid, so I chose it, the structure is connected with self-tapping screws from 7 to 8 cm long or nails 100 mm long, jumpers are laid to increase strength, which are fastened in the same way;

  • Then the flooring is nailed to the upper part, it is important to fix the elements as firmly and reliably as possible.. After that, the structure is turned over, glassine is laid on it from the inside, after which pieces of polystyrene are cut out and laid in the cavities, the remaining gaps are filled with mounting foam, it will serve both as a heater and as glue. Then another layer of glassine is laid outside, and the surface is covered with clapboard or;

From below, you can additionally attach two longitudinal bars or separate supports so that the structure is not located on the ground and is not saturated with moisture. This simple addition increases the life of the booth by at least one and a half times.

  • Vertical racks are exposed, if your roof is gable, then they should be the same size, and if single-pitched, then one side should be higher than the other, the angle should be at least 15 degrees. Racks are best strengthened using a metal corner, which allows you to quickly assemble a very strong frame, it is important to set all the elements evenly so that the booth is neat;
  • The frame is reinforced with crossbars at the top and in the middle, and the end parts should be made as separate shields that can be fastened securely and quickly. As a result, you should get a design similar to the one shown in the diagram below, there are no special requirements, the configuration may differ, the main thing is to strengthen the location of the manhole with bars on both sides, so that later you do not have to redo the frame;

  • Next, you need to sheathe the inner surface of the walls of the booth, for this a lining is cut or pieces are cut out of plywood of the required size. When attaching, try to position the heads of self-tapping screws or nails so that they do not protrude above the surface, as the dog can get hurt on such elements if they stick out. Try to do everything as carefully as possible so that all the details fit together as best as possible;

So that the dog does not drive splinters, I always grind the surface of the lining or boards before sheathing the inner surface, this is a very important aspect that should never be forgotten.

  • Then a heater is laid in the frame, I used polystyrene, but if you suddenly have mineral wool left after work, then it will do. It is important that the material does not emit small particles that can disturb the dog's sense of smell, glass wool is not suitable for this purpose. The entire space is filled with insulation, after which the joints can be blown out with mounting foam, and the surface can be covered with waterproofing material;

  • After that, the outer part is sheathed, it is best to use lining for work, it looks great and has good thermal insulation performance. After finishing, all the cracks are again sealed with mounting foam, you should get a kind of sandwich panel like the one shown in the photo below. This design will perfectly protect the pet in the winter;

  • Since I'm looking at a lean-to roof option, the top-opening design will become great solution. It will allow you to check what is happening inside, especially if the pet is sick and does not go outside for a long time. The hinged part can be attached to two door hinges, while in order for the joint to be reliable, pieces of felt or non-woven material can be stuffed around the perimeter;

  • Then, insulation is laid between the bars of the roof frame, after which the surface is covered with waterproofing material and sewn up with plywood or board. Further, a crate is stuffed on top and roofing material is attached, if you buy it, then the easiest way is to order a piece of corrugated board of the required size. It must be screwed with special roofing screws;
  • Lastly, the outer part is painted or coated with a weatherproof impregnation or varnish.. This will protect the wood from moisture and make your booth more attractive. After the composition dries, you can put the structure in place and populate your pet in it.

As for operation, you can put a litter inside, there can be many options: from a cover sewn to size, in which foam rubber or non-woven material is placed, to finished products that are sold in stores. In especially cold periods, you can put straw in the booth.

For the winter period, you can nail a curtain made of dense material over the manhole, it will protect the opening from the penetration of cold.

Conclusion

I hope that this simple instruction will help you build a warm and comfortable booth for your four-legged friend. The video in this article will clearly show some points of the workflow and help you understand the topic even better. If you have any questions, then write them in the comments below the review.

September 7, 2016

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