Hello everyone,

I was surfing through Pinterest when I came across the picture below. Right now I kind of have a small room, and was thinking about doing this project to have the open space for the koolaroo bed. So my question is, do you think this would be too hot for my future dog because at least three sides of the crate are covered by wood? (Right side, back, and top) I would make sure to have a fan on her. Granted, I will probably cave and have her sleep with me.

Thanks for your help!

I like the concept. It might be hot. My concern would be cleaning the floor if they have an accident. Second would be the height of the bed. You would want to make it tall enough for the dog to be able to stand. Plus the height of the mattress ...it could get to be a pretty tall bed.

I always love these sorts of pins on Pinterest. I guess it would really depend on the dog. If the dog is inclined to chew, it may not be the best idea especially if it is 90% wood.

Or what you could do is just create the entire frame for the crate out of metal (or even use a wire crate and recess it in the bed) . It may not look as nice as the slats but it may be more resilient.

I really like the idea of using a wire crate and building around it. That would be cooler and easier to clean.

Thanks for the responses I was thinking of building the bed around one of the indestructible crates. the only trick would be to make it so I could slide the crate out if I needed to clean it. Side note...do any of you have the Coolaroo bed? If so what size did you order?

You could just put felt furniture slides on the bottom. That would make it slide. Can't help you with the pet. Would you put the coolaroo bed in the crate? I'm not sure that would work.

That's a good idea! The coolaroo bed would not be in the kennel. I would have it out in my room if, I have the room, or out in the living room. Just not sure on the size.

That is a neat concept & all, but like bellecma mentioned before, it would probably be challenging to clean.

For adult, crate trained, dogs I love this idea. I've been considering buying a king sized mattress lately, because my dogs tend to all 3 sleep in bed with me, and seeing this makes me think that I will just build a custom bedframe that is 3 kennels. Forgive me for being super excited by this, but it would be awesome to make it so you could pull off your mattress and get top access for cleaning, and of course have removable floor trays on the bottom.

Oh man. Time to buy graph paper, and take over my dads garage and tools for a weekend

This is so cool, thnk you for posting this.

subscribed!!

K9_Eric wrote:

For adult, crate trained, dogs I love this idea. I've been considering buying a king sized mattress lately, because my dogs tend to all 3 sleep in bed with me, and seeing this makes me think that I will just build a custom bedframe that is 3 kennels. Forgive me for being super excited by this, but it would be awesome to make it so you could pull off your mattress and get top access for cleaning, and of course have removable floor trays on the bottom.

Oh man. Time to buy graph paper, and take over my dads garage and tools for a weekend

This is so cool, thnk you for posting this.

I definitely want to see pictures if/when you do build it!

I think we have a queen size.

Either way the frame for it was custom built by a carpenter friend of ours when we lived in a tiny apartment. The goal, since we had ZERO space, was to create drawers under it.

It stands taller than a normal bed by a couple of inches, but apart from that everything else is perfect with it. Even though we have since moved into our house we, or at least I, still use at least one of the drawers on it.

In terms of a crate I don't see how it would be any different. though I agree one with an option to at least remove the flooring would be a good idea just in case.

Quote :

I've been considering buying a king sized mattress lately, because my dogs tend to all 3 sleep in bed with me, and seeing this makes me think that I will just build a custom bedframe that is 3 kennels.

Would indeed be pretty cool to see.

And it goes without saying but just make sure you absolutely have enough support for you and the mattress. 1 crate or kennel doesn't take much out of the structure but 3 different ones could very well do that .

Either way pics or it didn't happen.

~Chris~

You mean to tell me you don't think 3 folding wire crates will hold a king sized mattress and a grown person? Get outta here

No, I won't be able to turn this out quickly because A. I have no time right now and B. When I set out to hand make something, I obsess about quality craftmanship, so I sand and stain and sand for like a week straight, etc.

I really want to use a dark wood like walnut or cherry for the bedframe/kennel, but I worry about stability, and kennel integrity. I have access to a welder, and could build a steel frame, and then just take it into my dad's work and have a car painter powder coat it black for me.

Either way, I'm hoping to find time to draw a few different plans out tonight. Ill start a thread when I do.

Considering this also for the new place, be neat if I could do it the way i would like, cleaning is a priority. Moving this weekend over there, well most the stuff, so will have to look at the room and see about it

kevo wrote:

Considering this also for the new place, be neat if I could do it the way i would like, cleaning is a priority. Moving this weekend over there, well most the stuff, so will have to look at the room and see about it

If you share all your ideas, tips and tricks, ill share mine.

That works, i can do that, just need to survey the whole thing and make out a though. I am also looking into the future as to what "she"might want incase that ever happens so thought is a level floor basically under the bed about the crates so if you roll off you don't go all the way to the floor. Also, building it open platform basically and use posts to hold up the floor and allows for airflow around the crates. just a couple thoughts as of now

Where the EFF is my tape measure, and why does my gosh darn lab always have to be just barely one size bigger than Panzer and Soshanna? Anyways, I'm thinking a simple tall steel frame, built just big enough to slide wire crates in and out of is the way to go.

Using a King, you have 76"w, by 80"l, so, even if you use 3 of the 42lx28wx30h crates, you've only got to make the bedframe a few inches longer than the mattress, which you could cover with a footboard of some kind. Also, if you trade out a boxspring for just a piece of plywood over your frame, your mattress will only be like 38" high, as opposed to 46". Once everything is fit in, there's no reason you can't deco it up with some wood trim boards or slats, or whatever.