Dog Kennel
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We badly need a dog kennel, to provide a safe place for the dogs to be outside when we are not at home, yet allow them access to part of the house. We decided to go off the back of the house with it, and provide a doggy door into a large walkin closet in the bedroom. The dogs often sleep in there, so we figured this would work out well. We can allow the dogs to have access to just the closet, the bedroom only, or the whole house. With all the options, they have heat, air conditioning and a clean place for their food and water.
The framework is mostly up, and we've begun adding the infill. The design will blend in nicely with the perimeter fence design, another project we'll start this summer. Plantings around the kennel, the lath infill on the upper 4 feet along with the board infill below will help minimize any noise, should they decide to bark. The lath infill is attached to the inside of the stringers, the welded wire mesh will be attached to the outside. Everything is assembled with construction adhesive and high quality screws, except the lath. It is held on with a single screw at the top and bottom of each piece, so that they can be easily replaced as necessary.
All of the wood, including the lath, is painted with clear waterproofing prior to assembly. This ensures that all surfaces get coated. Combined with the construction adhesive, this prevents moisture from getting trapped by the joinery and the structure will last much longer. The support posts get three coats prior to setting them in the concrete. The post holes are 3 feet deep, with a foot of gravel in the bottom. The posts were braced, we mixed the concrete and poured it. After two days for it to set good, we resumed construction.
The lath infill is very inexpensive and can be found at any lumberyard or home center. When treated with the waterproofing, it will last for decades and it's much tougher than you might think. It moderates the wind and sun well, makes a nice backdrop for landscaping and provides a good climbing trellis for ornamental vines.
Lucky likes to inspect the progress at the end of the day, apparently to see if we're leaving him an escape route. He digs and climbs better than any dog I've ever had, so the kennel will be covered and have welded wire mesh under the woodchips to keep him in, and other critters out.
The kennel will be 16 feet long, 10 feet wide and 6 feet high. The dogs live in the house with us, and we supervise them while they are out in the yard, because it isn't fenced, yet. Sadie will stay in the yard unattended and won't go onto the road, but the puppy is another story. He chases every animal he sees, but not cars. For their own safety, we need to be able to confine them when we're not at home. This arrangement will also allow them to go out into the kennel whenever they want to.