Building a dog pen/run

[hongman]

Ok so we've been looking around for a dog pen/run for a while now for the garden and they are extortionate for what they are.

I'm convinced I can knock something up twice the size and half the cost, if not less.

The only thing I'm not sure about is what to coat the wood in? Something that will be dog safe should they chew it, but also weather proof.

I;m not looking to make anything super fancy, just a bog standard rectangular/square shape pen with a roof.

Thinking it should be (ideally) at least 3 x 3 x 1.5.

[Nobbylad]

I knocked up some panels from some slate battens and some wire fencing from Wickes. Think it cost me about £20 altogether and I just tied them together. It's more of a run/safety area for outside the back door so when we let the pupster out for the toilet, she doesn't bomb off down the end of the garden (120ft) and start eating slugs/frogs and all sorts of other bad stuff.

[hongman]

Did you bother to weather-proof the battens?

Thats pretty much what I was going to do, except screw them together as this will be more of a permenant area set aside for the dogs.

It's for them to have a bit of fresh air in ze garden without worry of them fence hopping and running off etc.

[Nobbylad]

No - tile battens are pre-treated/weatherproof.

This thing is only temporary as she'll be jumping over it soon I would imagine anyway (5 months old, but paws the size of a lion's so she's gonna be big!).

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a161/nobbylad/IMAG0469-1.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a161/nobbylad/IMAG0698-1.jpg

[hongman]

Aww lol.

Looks the ticket.

As they are all uniform I can just buy as many as I need screw em together.

Cheers bigears~!

[Nobbylad]

From memory, the battens came in a pack of 8 or summat. Taking into account the height of the wire fencing, I was able to get all 6 panels made without any waste timber. There's loads of fencing left, so if I ever wanted to extend it, I could no probs.

I can't believe how much she's grown in such a short space of time lol! That first pic was taken in January!

[hongman]

Sweet.

Just working out how much I need now, prob get it delivered :)

[Nobbylad]

What?!?! You'd be able to pick it all up in a car no probs. The fencing is in a roll and the battens were nylon strapped together and they're only about 8ft lengths or summat

[hongman]

I drive a 1 series...

And I dont want to damage the inside of my car :D

Last time I did this with decking boards and it was tragic.

[Nobbylad]

Send your missus to get them lol

[hongman]

She'd come back with a pint of milk

[widepants]

She'd come back with a pint of milk
and shoes:takeabow:

[Sir Trev]

Try some of the local builders merchants. Not all of them charge a fee for delivery and they are often cheaper for timber than the DIY sheds. They may have rolls of fencing too but then you can easily get that in your car from anywhere.

Long narrow lengths go in a car quite easily. Tilt the front passenger seat way back and load through into the front passenger footwell. Dust sheet on the front seat and one where the timber rests on the back seat and you're unlikey to have any damage!