Looking for an awesome homemade dog bed that doesn’t cost a fortune to make and will hold up against even your most slobbery dog? Check out how I made this easy waterproof bed out of pallets! When you have dogs that slobber or are not fully house trained, a water proof bed is a must have. Unfortunately, many dog beds aren’t waterproof. They can also be a pain to wash since you have to wash the entire bed. With this dog bed, your pets won’t be sleeping on a hard ground, and you can easily remove the cover to wash.
This bed is best made in two stages, since you will need to let the bed frame dry overnight. The total work time for this project is about 1-2 hours depending on how quickly you work. This no sew water proof pallet dog bed is adorable, affordable, and easy to make. I used a pallet I already had that my kids painted bright yellow. It was in good shape, and perfect for this project. The instructions below do not include exact measurements because each pallet differs in size. If you don’t have a jig saw, that’s fine. You can build this dog bed using a hand saw if necessary. I suggest you invest the couple dollars into a carpenter’s triangle to ensure your lines are straight. It will save you a lot of hassle. Check out the video tutorial, then read on to make your own!
My Waterproof Homemade Dog Bed
Materials:
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- 1 Pallet
- 1 2×4
- 1 tub liquid nails
or other adhesive
- 1 inch thick upholstery padding
- 1 vinyl shower curtain from dollar store
- Durable fabric for cover
- Paint color of choice
- Hand saw
- Jig Saw (optional)
- 4 – 3 ½ inch screws
- Drill
- 7 9/6 drill bit
- Scissors
- Measuring Tape
- Carpenters triangle
- Circular sander
How to Make
- Use a hand saw to cut a pallet in half. You will be cutting along the width, not the length.
- Determine which side of the pallet will be the front of the dog bed and which will be the back. Measure the length of the back of pallet. Mark the length of the pallet on the 2×4.
- Line up the carpenters triangle to draw a straight cutting line across the 2×4.
- Cut the 2×4 using the jig saw. You can also use a hand saw if you don’t have a jig saw.
- Line up the piece of 2×4 you just cut with the pallet. Measure the length of each side of the pallet. Cut the remaining 2×4 to size. You should have 3 pieces of cut 2×4, a back and two sides.
- Sand 2×4’s a pallet to remove splinters.
- Drill 2 holes on each side of the 2×4 that will act as the back of the dog bed.
- Line sides pieces up with the back piece. Screw sides into place. It will form a u shaped bed rail.
- Glue bed rail to pallet using Liquid Nail or other multipurpose adhesive. Set the other half of the pallet you are not using on top and let dry overnight. When dry you should be able to lift the entire bed by the rail without it falling off.
- Prime and paint dog bed. Leave outside to dry completely.
- To make dog pad, measure the length and width of where the pad will go. Cut 2 pieces of 1 in upholstery padding to fit the bed.
- Wrap padding in vinyl shower curtain. Use a glue gun to seal the edges. Trim off any excess vinyl. Your cushion is now waterproof!
- Place the cushion in the center of your material. Cut around the cushion, leaving 3 inches of extra material all the way around. You will do this twice so that you have a top and bottom cover for your dog bed.
- Cover cushion with material. Cut 3 inch strips in the material all around the cushion on 3 sides. Tie the strips together. You will tie one strip from the top cover with one strip from the bottom.
You are all done! Just place the cushion on the dog bed for your furry friends to enjoy. When you need to wash the cover, just slip the cushion out and throw in the wash!
- 1 Pallet
- 1 2x4
- 1 tub liquid nails or other adhesive
- 1 inch thick upholstery padding
- 1 vinyl shower curtain from dollar store
- Durable fabric for cover
- Paint color of choice
- Hand saw
- Jig Saw (optional)
- 4 – 3 ½ inch screws
- Drill
- 7 9/6 drill bit
- Scissors
- Measuring Tape
- Carpenters t
- Use a hand saw to cut a pallet in half. You will be cutting along the width, not the length.
- Determine which side of the pallet will be the front of the dog bed and which will be the back. Measure the length of the back of pallet. Mark the length of the pallet on the 2x4.
- Line up the carpenters triangle to draw a straight cutting line across the 2x4.
- Cut the 2x4 using the jig saw. You can also use a hand saw if you don’t have a jig saw.
- Line up the piece of 2x4 you just cut with the pallet. Measure the length of each side of the pallet. Cut the remaining 2x4 to size. You should have 3 pieces of cut 2x4, a back and two sides.
- Sand 2x4’s a pallet to remove splinters.
- Drill 2 holes on each side of the 2x4 that will act as the back of the dog bed.
- Line sides pieces up with the back piece. Screw sides into place. It will form a u shaped bed rail.
- Glue bed rail to pallet using Liquid Nail or other multipurpose adhesive. Set the other half of the pallet you are not using on top and let dry overnight. When dry you should be able to lift the entire bed by the rail without it falling off.
- Prime and paint dog bed. Leave outside to dry completely.
- To make dog pad, measure the length and width of where the pad will go. Cut 2 pieces of 1 in upholstery padding to fit the bed.
- Wrap padding in vinyl shower curtain. Use a glue gun to seal the edges. Trim off any excess vinyl. Your cushion is now waterproof!
- Place the cushion in the center of your material. Cut around the cushion, leaving 3 inches of extra material all the way around. You will do this twice so that you have a top and bottom cover for your dog bed.
- Cover cushion with material. Cut 3 inch strips in the material all around the cushion on 3 sides. Tie the strips together. You will tie one strip from the top cover with one strip from the bottom.
- You are all done! Just place the cushion on the dog bed for your furry friends to enjoy. When you need to wash the cover, just slip the cushion out and throw in the wash!
