14 DIY Dog Crate Covers You Can Make at Home
By Jessica Kim
Updated on
Dogs can feel a sense of security when they know that they have a designated space where they can go to rest undisturbed. Crates can feel like a safe bed, and you can add an extra element of comfort if you put a cover over your dog’s crate. Crate covers can protect your dog from reaching and pawing at items outside of the crate, and they can dim the interior of the crate to create a cozy atmosphere.
Making your own dog crate cover can be a fun and creative project. DIY dog crate covers can help you save money or enable you to make a completely unique work of art. Here are 14 DIY dog crate covers to inspire your next homemade project.
Top 14 DIY Dog Crate Covers:
1. End Table Dog Crate Cover
| Material:Â | Plywood, paint |
| Tools:Â | Nail gun, saw, sander, paintbrush |
| Difficulty:Â | Easy |
This simple dog crate cover also functions as an end table and conveniently covers up your dog’s crate. While it may be intimidating to make your own wooden table, this project includes easy-to-follow steps and minimal supplies.
If you’re not familiar with or comfortable with sawing your own plywood, you can always request your hardware store to cut sizes for you. Once you sand down the table, you can either leave it as is, stain it, or paint over it.
2. Snazzy No-Sew Doggie Crate Cover
| Material:Â | Cloth, thermal heat bond stitching, ribbon |
| Tools:Â | Fabric scissors, straight pins, safety pins, iron |
| Difficulty:Â | Easy |
This simple project uses one piece of cloth to create a cute crate cover. The example used in the project instructions was made with a curtain, but you can purchase any kind of cloth or modify any fabric you have laying around at home.
Another convenient thing about this project is that it uses thermal heat bond stitching. So, you can quickly attach pieces together without having to sew, and your project will still end up with a clean look.
3. Mary Martha Mama Dog Crate
| Material:Â | Fabric |
| Tools:Â | Scissors, sewing machine, pins |
| Difficulty:Â | Easy |
This crate cover is a relatively easy project if you have basic sewing skills. It also doesn’t require too many materials, since you really just need fabric and a sewing machine.
What’s nice about this design is that it provides a nice border around your dog crate’s door. You can also use any type of fabric you’d like to make it. If you’re feeling extra creative, you can use two different fabrics to make a reversible crate cover.
4. IKEA Dog Cage Cover
| Material:Â | IKEA table, extra strength magnets, lattice panels |
| Tools:Â | Saw |
| Difficulty:Â | Easy |
The most challenging part of this project is building the IKEA table. You can choose any sized table that fits above and around your dog’s crate, but it’s important to find one that’s made with metal, not wood.
Once you build a basic IKEA table, you can add lattice panels to create more privacy for your dog and hide the crate’s metal bars from view. After you attach a set of extra strength magnets to the panels, you just have to stick them to the sides of the table to create a fancier-looking side table that conveniently functions as a crate cover.
5. Cuteness Simple Dog Crate Cover
| Material:Â | Cloth, Velcro, ribbons |
| Tools:Â | Sewing machine, scissors |
| Difficulty:Â | Easy |
This crate cover is another easy sewing project for beginner sewers. Once you get the measurements of your dog’s crate, you can cut out panels and quickly sew them together.
One great feature of this crate cover is that it comes with a roll-up curtain. So, if your dog’s not using the crate and you have guests over, you can roll down the curtain to cover the crate’s door and make the crate look less conspicuous.
6. Framed Dog Crate Cover
| Material:Â | Cloth, ribbons |
| Tools:Â | Sewing machine, scissors |
| Difficulty:Â | Easy |
This crate cover is a great option for people that like simple and minimal list designs. The pattern for this project provides a nice and snug frame around the door. Also, make sure to wash the cloth beforehand to prevent shrinkage when you have to rewash it.
You can use any type of cloth to make this cover. So, you can keep it simple and use a cotton cloth with a solid color, or you can use other fabrics like velvet or faux fur to create a completely unique design.
7. Quilted Dog Crate Cover
| Material:Â | Quilted fabric, ribbons |
| Tools:Â | Sewing machine, scissors |
| Difficulty:Â | Intermediate |
This crate cover creates a truly comfortable space for your dog. Along with covering your dog’s crate with a nicely padded quilt, the pattern also includes a quilted siding that you can insert and tie to the side of the crate.
If you’ve done several sewing projects in the past, this crate cover will be a simple and straightforward DIY project that you can complete within a day. The average time it takes to complete it is about 3 hours.
8. Dog Crate Table with Curtain
| Material:Â | Plywood, paint, tension rods, curtain |
| Tools:Â | Saw, sewing machine, paintbrush, nail gun, sander |
| Difficulty:Â | Intermediate |
This DIY crate table cover adds an elegant touch by inserting an optional curtain. Once you finish measuring and nailing the pieces of plywood together, you can attach a tension rod to either one or two sides of the table. Then, you can select a curtain of your own to hang on the rod.
The end product will look like your table has a fancy skirt, and your dog will be able to have more privacy when inside the crate.
9. Slipcover Dog Crate
| Material:Â | Fabric, Velcro |
| Tools:Â | Sewing machine, scissors, pins |
| Difficulty:Â | Easy |
This simple project is a quick and easy way to hide your dog’s crate. It’s an excellent option for beginner sewers with little to no experience. All you need is a sewing machine. The hardest part is measuring out the correct sizes for each panel of fabric. Then, you can sew them together with the sewing machine.
If you’d like, you can attach Velcro strips to the front panel to roll up the fabric and keep the crate entrance open.
10. Home and Garden Easy DIY Dog Crate Cover
| Material:Â | Plywood, wood stain, paint |
| Tools:Â | Nail gun, sander, saw, paintbrush |
| Difficulty:Â | Intermediate |
Building this tabletop cover is a process that’s similar to other DIY table crate covers. However, what makes this project unique is that it provides instructions on making sure that you can fit two crates underneath the cover.
This table cover is an excellent option if you have a small living space because it works as a multi-functional piece of furniture. Just keep in mind that the crates fit very snugly underneath the table and it’s difficult to remove them. So, make sure to have your crates positioned where you want the table to be so that you can avoid the struggle of trying to move them once the tabletop is complete.
11. DIY Dog Kennel Tabletop
| Material:Â | Plywood, wood stain, paint |
| Tools:Â | Wood glue, sander, saw, clamp |
| Difficulty:Â | Easy |
This crate cover is a quick version of a tabletop-style crate cover. It omits adding wooden legs to your dog’s crate and just places a tabletop cover on your dog’s crate. While you can secure the plywood using a nail gun, wood glue also works. Just make sure to use a clamp to help everything keep its shape.
If you think your dog needs extra privacy, you can use a staple gun to attach curtains to the side of the tabletop.
12. Dog Kennel Cover with Antique Door
| Material:Â | antique door, plywood, spray paint, screws, pocket screws, brown paper |
| Tools: | Kreg jig, clamp, power drill, countersinking drill bit, sawhorses, miter saw, circular saw, spackle, sanding sponge, painter’s tape |
| Difficulty:Â | Intermediate |
If you prefer antique or vintage styles, this dog crate cover will be an excellent fit for your home. It’s a fun project for someone who has experience with making furniture and has a lot of different carpentry equipment.
The top of the crate cover is made with an antique door, which adds an elegant and nostalgic feel to the whole project. You can also add color and unique patterns by using spray paint and painter’s tape.
13. Sewn Dog Crate Cover
| Material:Â | Fabric, thread, polyfill, heat and bond, double fold bias tape, ribbon |
| Tools:Â | Sewing machine, iron, cutting mat, rotary fabric cutter, measuring tape, scissors, yardstick, fabric clips |
| Difficulty:Â | Easy |
If you’re looking for side-by-side instructions, this video tutorial can provide extra guidance for making a crate cover. The number of tools required is a bit extensive, but the actual process of completing this project is pretty simple and straightforward.
An added bonus to this project is that it includes steps to make your own dog pad. So, you can have matching crate covers and dog pads after you follow all the instructions.
14. Matching Dog Crates
| Material:Â | Fabric, padding, ribbons |
| Tools:Â | sewing machine, pins, scissors |
| Difficulty:Â | Easy |
These instructions for crate covers are helpful for dog owners with multiple dogs because it offers patterns for crates of different sizes. You can use any fabric you want, and the pattern includes a border to personalize your dog’s crate.
Another great thing about this project is that it includes bumper pads to make your dog’s crate extra comfortable. By the time you complete this project, you just might have a difficult time convincing your dog to get out of its cozy crate.
Final Thoughts
DIY crate covers are a great way to help your dog’s crate blend in with a room and personalize pet supplies. Since crate covers can be pretty expensive, DIY versions are a great way to save money while expressing your creativity. Regardless of what you create, your dog will surely appreciate it and enjoy having a cozier and more comfortable crate to rest inside.
Featured Image Credit: Christine Bird, Shutterstock
