A very cute, inexpensive (about $25) bed for cats, dogs, or any animal that will have it. I kept the design simple so that anyone might be able to do it with nothing but a saw of your choice and a drill. But of course if you want to embellish yours, there are a myriad of ways to do so. Very customizable in finish and fabrics.

*Size can also be adjusted to fit your pet. Just remember to keep your boards 1" shorter than your round dowel pieces. That way they come out to the same length when assembled.

Supplies

1 - 1x4x8 Board [$6]
2 -1" Square Wooden Dowels (36" Long) [$7]
2 - 1/2" Round Wooden Dowels (36" Long) [$5]
4 - Wood Finials [$6]

Cut List:

2 - 1x4 boards cut to 11"
2 - 1x4 boards cut to 23"
4 - 1" square wooden dowels cut to 18"
2 - 1/2" round dowels cut to 12"
2 - 1/2" round dowels cut to 24"

Step 1: Drill Pocket Holes

Drill pocket holes into each end of your four 1x4 pieces of wood.

This method is optional. You could also use dowel pins, screw it from the outside in, or hammer in nails.

Step 2: Drill Into Top of Square Dowel

Mark the center point in the top of your square dowels, and (using a drill bit slightly smaller than the attached screw) drill the depth of your finial screw down into the dowel. You should be able to screw it right in.

Step 3: Observe Screw Depth

Look how far into the square dowel your finial screw goes. When you attach the round dowel, you don't want it to collide with the metal screw. Allow for at least 1/4" space between the two.

Mark where you want your round dowel to enter.

Step 4: Stagger Round Dowels

For the same reason as the last step, you'll need to stagger the height of the round dowels. That way they don't knock into each other and cause problems in assembly. I chose to make the smaller sides a little lower. Once again, I left about a 1/4" space between the two.

Mark the centers on each square dowel where you will be drilling the holes. To make certain you have marked the correct places, lay the dowel posts out as if you already had the bed assembled. You don't want to have holes facing the wrong way!

Step 5: Check Dowels

Using a 1/2" drill bit (the diameter of your round dowel), drill 1/2" into your square dowels on the markings you made. Don't go too deep and come out the other side! A piece of tape placed 1/2" up your drill bit can be a good indicator of when to stop.

Push the dowels in to make sure they fit. You will also want to make sure that they go roughly 1/2" in. A little more is okay, but any less and you'll want to keep drilling.

Step 6: Assemble

You're ready to assemble the bed now if you want this style where it sits flat on the ground. You won't have to worry about a bottom for the bed. Put a cushion in and your floor acts as the bottom. I chose to raise mine an inch off the floor (detailed in the following steps).

!Remember! that when you screw the boards into the square dowels, make sure the round dowels are already in place! It might damage the bed to pull the posts apart and try to squeeze them in after.

Step 7: Optional Bottom

I had some spare quarter round that I cut to two 21" pieces to act as a ledge. You can use whichever piece of wood you have or that you think would work best. (A 1/2" square dowel cut to size would do very well.) I used wood glue to attach one to each of my long boards with the flat edge facing up. I clamped the trim to the boards, let it dry a bit, and hammered a few finishing nails into it for extra stability.

While the glue dried, I assembled the smaller walls.

Step 8: Assemble End Walls

I screwed my boards to the square dowels and left about an inch of space from the bottom as a personal choice. You can keep the bed flat on the floor or go even higher if you want. Just not too high or your pet won't fit. Remember to have the round dowel inserted when you screw!

Step 9: Finish Assembly

I screwed all four walls together using pocket screws. As you can see, I also put in some spacers to raise my boards up a little, making them flush on the inside and giving a bit of a reveal on the outside (about 1/4").

Step 10: Slats

I cut a piece of 1x3 into five 11" pieces to act as slats. (You can use any width of wood you want. I thought the 1x3s gave it a cute look.) The slats rest on the quarter round ledge I installed earlier. I applied a bit of wood glue to keep the slats in place, but gravity will do almost as well if you don't want to glue them down.

Step 11: Cat Test

Cat approved. He went right to it.

I added a piece of cardboard in the bottom, cut to fit. It gives an extra feeling of stability to your pet, but it is optional.

Step 12: Finish

This bed can be finished in any style you want. Because it's wood, you can stain it. I chose to paint mine white.

I bought a piece of 2" foam for a mattress, and all it needs as a sheet is a pillow case. That way you can remove it to launder.

I plan to do more with the curtains, but they are another great customizable aspect of this craft. You can use any pattern you want and attach them in any style you choose. Or have an open bed with no curtains. Your choice!