All dogs need a comfy place to take a nap and some pups may prefer a cot-style bed over a pillow-style one. To create a cot-style bed for Fido that you can customize to his size and preferences, use inexpensive, yet durable, polyvinyl chloride piping to make the frame for it. Choose a strong, washable fabric to create the cot part of the bed itself, where your pup can stretch out in style, while elevated off of the cold, hard floor.
Measure your pooch in his favorite sleeping position to determine the size of the dog bed frame. PVC beds work best for small- to medium-size dogs because if any of the sides of the bed are longer than around 40 inches, the pipe may sag in the middle when Fido sits on it.
Cut four pieces of 1 1/2-inch PVC pipe pieces using a saw. To make a perfect square, cut each piece to the same length or to make a rectangular bed, cut two pieces to the desired length of the bed and the other two to the width of the bed.
Connect the PVC pipe sides using four, three-way PVC pipe connectors. Slip a pipe into each side of the connector, with an open leg facing upward; keep all open leg pieces facing upward. Tap your pipes securely into place with a hammer.
Cut four 4-inch pieces of PVC pipe to create the legs of the bed and tap them into the open spaces of the three-way connectors. Increase the length of the legs if desired for larger dogs and make them shorter for small dogs, especially elderly ones.
Add rubber end caps over the ends of the legs so that the bed won't slip around when standing. Reinforce the corners of the frame by drilling in washer-head 1/2-inch screws where each pipe piece connects in the three-way connectors.
Cut a piece of durable cotton duck or twill cloth that is 3 inches larger than the length and width of the bed frame. Fold in the four corners of the cloth until they fall just inside the corners of the frame. Fold in an additional inch around the cloth to create a hem.
Wrap the cloth around the sides of the frame and secure it with washer-head 1/2-inch screws. Do this with the frame sitting on the folded cloth upside-down, so that the screws won't be visible once the bed is finished. Place screws approximately every 3 inches along the length of each side.
Flip the completed bed over and secure each of the four fabric corners with three to five additional washer-head 1/2-inch screws.
Tips
To build a dog bed with sides larger than 40 inches in size, divide the piping used into two equal parts. Add a tee connector to create another leg in the center of each side for support. The resulting bed will have six legs instead of four. Connect the ends of the two additional legs with two 90-degree elbow connectors and a length of pipe that runs under the bed itself for additional support.
Tips
To build a dog bed with sides larger than 40 inches in size, divide the piping used into two equal parts. Add a tee connector to create another leg in the center of each side for support. The resulting bed will have six legs instead of four. Connect the ends of the two additional legs with two 90-degree elbow connectors and a length of pipe that runs under the bed itself for additional support.
Items You Will Need
- 1 1/2-inch diameter PVC pipe
- Four three-way PVC pipe connectors
- Hammer
- Rubber end caps
- Washer-head 1/2-inch screws
- Drill
- Durable cloth such as twill or cotton duck
References
Resources
Tips
- To build a dog bed with sides larger than 40 inches in size, divide the piping used into two equal parts. Add a tee connector to create another leg in the center of each side for support. The resulting bed will have six legs instead of four. Connect the ends of the two additional legs with two 90-degree elbow connectors and a length of pipe that runs under the bed itself for additional support.
Writer Bio
Based in Las Vegas, Susan Paretts has been writing since 1998. She writes about many subjects including pets, finances, crafts, food, home improvement, shopping and going green. Her articles, short stories and reviews have appeared on City National Bank's website and on The Noseprint. Paretts holds a Master of Professional Writing from the University of Southern California.