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13 DIY Dog Crate Table Plans You Can Make Today (With Pictures)

Gregory Iacono

By Gregory Iacono

Welsh corgi pembroke dog in an open crate during a crate training, happy and relaxed

If you’re fed up with ugly dog crates that just don’t go with your furniture, why not take matters into your own hands with a bit of DIY? With a simple dog crate and a few basic materials, you can make your own dog crate table, add a cozy, stylish touch to your dog’s chillout area, and really make the most of the space you have.

We’ve scoured the web for the best DIY dog crate tables, and we hope you leave feeling crafty and inspired! Please refer to the plans linked in each description for the specifics regarding materials, tools, and full instructions on how to complete each project.

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Top 13 DIY Dog Crate Table Plans

1. Easy Build DIY Dog Crate Side Table by The Palette Muse

Easy Build DIY Dog Crate Side Table by The Palette Muse
Image Credit: The Palette Muse
Materials: Wood panel, dog crate, polyacrylic, stain, table legs, hinges
Tools: Circular saw, palm sander, electric drill, drill bits
Difficulty: Easy

This cute, simple dog crate side table is perfect for small dogs that enjoy sleeping in your bedroom. The table is made to fit over the crate rather than being attached to it, which makes it easy to move around and rearrange whenever you feel like it. If you don’t feel like using tools to put everything together, a (very lazy) solution is to simply buy a table that fits over your crate!


2. Large DIY Double Dog Kennel from Build Blueprint

Large DIY Double Dog Kennel from Build Blueprint
Image Credit: Build Blueprint
Materials: Lumber, hinges, rebar, pocket screws
Tools: Cordless drill, tape measure, pocket-hole jig, miter or circular saw, screwdriver, sandpaper or sand block
Difficulty: Medium-difficult

If you’re a multiple-dog household and need something a little larger that looks classy instead of bulky, we recommend this double dog kennel for large dogs. This one may be a little hard for beginners, but if you’re patient and don’t mind spending a bit of time on a project, why not give it a go? If it’s a bit much for you, though, keep reading for simpler options.


3. DIY Dog Kennel Cover by DesignCo

Materials: Pine plywood, fence boards, wood glue, wood screws, oak trim, paint, wood conditioner, stain, polyurethane
Tools: Circular saw, miter saw, table saw, drill, sander, pocket-hole jig, tape measure
Difficulty: Medium

For those with a hefty tool set already on hand, this simple design turns a boring dog crate into an elegant coffee table. We’d recommend this project for intermediate and advanced DIY-ers that don’t mind a bit of a challenge, as it’s pretty equipment heavy but the end product is definitely worth it.


4. DIY Wooden Dog Crate Cabinet by Woodshop Diaries

DIY Wooden Dog Crate Cabinet by Woodshop Diaries
Image Credit: Woodshop Diaries
Materials: Plywood, boards, dowel rods, dowel for joinery, pocket-hole screws, butt hinges, surface blot latch, wood glue, wood putty, edge banding, paint, spray paint, poly
Tools: Circular saw, miter saw, pocket hole jig, Forstner bit, dowel jig, nail gun, cutting guides
Difficulty: Medium

For medium-sized dogs, you might want to consider making this cabinet crate, the top of which can be used as a table to put your bits and bobs on. This cabinet fits in beautifully as a piece of furniture with its warm, modern appearance. It offers plenty of space for medium-sized dogs (or even large dogs, if you’re happy to change up the dimensions) in need of something a bit roomier.


5. DIY Dog Crate Cover by Heather’s Handmade Life

DIY Dog Crate Cover by Heather's Handmade Life
Image Credit: Heather’s Handmade Life
Materials: Wood, stain, crate, screws
Tools: Sander, drill, saw
Difficulty: Easy-medium

This sweet dog crate cover doubles up as an end table for you to pop your cup of tea or a book on while your dog snoozes. It looks like the perfect size for a small-sized dog (it was originally made for a Boston Terrier) but could certainly be adapted for larger dogs. The creator didn’t adhere to strict measurements, so if going with what works well at the time is more your style, this could be just the DIY project you’re looking for!


6. Tasteful DIY IKEA Bench Dog Crate from IKEA Hackers

Tasteful DIY IKEA Bench Dog Crate from IKEA Hackers
Image Credit: IKEA Hackers
Materials: Ikea storage bench, hinges, hook for door
Tools: Drill, tools to reinforce the floor and top
Difficulty: Easy

If you aren’t that hot on DIY, you can minimize the hassle with a ready-made IKEA bench. This Ikea bench was made into a dog crate for a small dog, measuring around 20 inches at the shoulder. We couldn’t find specifics as to the tools needed for this project, but judging by the picture, it doesn’t seem like you’d need too many.


7. DIY Barn Door Dog Crate by Shanti 2 Chic

DIY Barn Door Dog Crate by Shanti 2 Chic
Image Credit: Shanti 2 Chic
Materials: Plywood, barn wood, wood glue, spray paint, pocket-hole screws, metal bars
Tools: Saw, drill, jig saw, cobalt drill bit, clamp
Difficulty: Medium-difficult

This cozy dog crate is a great idea for medium to large-sized dogs. Instead of using a standard metal crate, this crate is made from scratch from plywood and leftover barn wood. If you’re up for a bit of a challenge, the end result is truly beautiful. We love the rustic-style door that gives it such a cozy, comfortable vibe.


8. DIY Dog Crate with Sliding Door by Woodshop Diaries

DIY Dog Crate with Sliding Door by Woodshop Diaries
Image Credit: Woodshop Diaries
Materials: Drawer slides, plywood, pocket-hole screws, wood screws, wood glue, edge banding
Tools: Kreg pocket-hole jig, drill, miter saw, circular saw, clamp
Difficulty: Medium-difficult

As adaptable as wire crates are, they do have an unmistakable “prison” look about them. If you’d like something that doesn’t feel so “shut up”, this awesome DIY dog crate utilizes a sliding door instead. It doesn’t appear to be the easiest crate to make, but it doesn’t require any hard-to-come-by materials and is put together with a few simple tools.


9. DIY Crib Dog Crate by My Love 2 Create

DIY Crib Dog Crate by My Love 2 Create
Image Credit: My Love 2 Create
Materials: An old crib, plywood, pocket-hole screws, hinges, bolts, paint, poly sanding
Tools: Miter saw, drill, clamp, circular saw
Difficulty: Medium-difficult

If your dog is medium-large in size, repurposing an old crib as this creator did is a great way to give them the space they need. By covering the top with wood, it can double up as a shelter for your dog and a tabletop. It clearly takes quite a bit of time to put everything together, so this DIY dog crate may be best for an experienced crafter.


10. DIY IKEA Dog Cage Table by IKEA Hackers

DIY IKEA Dog Cage Table by IKEA Hackers
Image Credit: IKEA Hackers
Materials: Ikea table, lattice pieces, dog crate, panels, magnets
Tools: Saw, hot glue
Difficulty: Easy-medium

Another great design by IKEA hackers, this IKEA table was jazzed up with a few lattice pieces, some magnets, and some hot glue. We’re seriously impressed by how the creator managed to turn a drab black metal crate into a classy piece of furniture with only a few simple tools and materials. We think this one should be fine for beginners and intermediate DIY-ers.


11. DIY IKEA Furniture Dog Crate System by IKEA Hackers

DIY IKEA Furniture Dog Crate System by IKEA Hackers
Image Credit: IKEA Hackers
Materials: IKEA desks, crates
Tools: Drill
Difficulty: Easy

Here’s another IKEA hack! This one is so simple that you may not need any extra tools or materials other than the desks and some standard dog crates. The construction appears to be as simple as popping the crates under the desks and kitting them out to make your dog comfortable. This is a great option for people who aren’t too comfortable with DIY but want a simple way to hide ugly crates around their homes.


12. Large DIY Wood Pet Kennel End Table by Ana White

DIY dog crates table
Image Credit: Ana white
Materials: Various pine and plywood boards, set of hinges, latch, pocket hole screws, wood glue, brad nails, sandpaper, primer, wood conditioner, paint
Tools: Tape measure, speed square, pencil, safety glasses, ear protection, Kreg jig, drill and bits, circular saw, brad nailer, sander
Difficulty Level: Moderate

Ana White has some amazing DIY projects, and this large wood pet kennel end table is one of her best. This is a DIY dog crate table for large dogs and needs a large space in your home to accommodate it. It’s also suggested that this could be a dog crate table for several smaller dogs that get along well or for a litter of puppies. This will likely take at least a weekend or two, but the results are attractive and practical. When finished, the crate table can be placed anywhere your dogs like to relax, sleep, and de-stress.


13. DIY Dog Crate Console by Shanty 2 Chic

DIY dog crates table
Image Credit: Shanty-2-chic
Materials: Framing and Pine Lumber, pocket hole screws, staples, pin nails, wood screws, PVC coated welded wire, three sets of drawer slides, four hinges, two latches, two dog bowls, wood  glue
Tools: Miter saw, drill,18-gauge nailer,18-gauge stapler, jigsaw, table saw, nippers, Kreg jig
Difficulty Level: Moderate to High

Made for two smaller dogs, this DIY dog crate console by Shanty 2 Chic is, in a word, fantastic! Not only will you have two dog crates for your small dogs and a large table to display pictures, tchotchkes, and other items, but they also have three drawers. The bottom drawer is also made to hold two dog bowls, which is incredibly practical. This is a moderate to high difficulty level project that will demand a decent DIY skill set. As for tools, however, most are common in an average person’s tool shed or garage.

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Conclusion

If you don’t mind spending a bit of time on a DIY project and enjoy a challenge, building a DIY dog crate table from scratch is likely more up your alley. If you’re looking to get started in DIY, there are plenty of easy DIY table crates that require minimal materials and tools.

For DIY-phobes who like to keep things as simple as possible, you can always go the easy route with a piece of—usually IKEA—furniture and place your dog’s crate inside it!

Whichever option you choose, we hope you’ve enjoyed perusing the amazing works of the very talented creators above and have found some inspiration for your dog crate table project.

See Also:


Featured Image Credit: Jus_Ol, Shutterstock

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