How To Build A Dog House Made Out Of Blocks

A block dog house can provide sturdy shelter for your dog without you having to worry about finishing the outside of it like you do with a wooden dog house. In addition, a block dog house will not warp or sustain water damage like a wooden dog house can. Building a block dog house is a little more challenging than building a wooden dog house, however. Move-in time for your dog will be a bit longer, as well.

Step 1

Sketch out a drawing of the dog house before you begin working. You should decide how big you want the house to be and what sort of blocks you want to make the house out of. You can use brick or cinder blocks. Either way, you should have a good idea of what the finished product will look like before you begin actual work.

Step 2

Choose the spot where you would like to build the dog house. The ground where you intend to build should be level, so if need be, level the ground using a 2x4. Do that by repeatedly dragging the 2x4 over the area you want level.

Step 3

Set the blocks up on the leveled ground. You should begin laying the blocks out in the form of the dog house. Stack the blocks on top of each other so that they form a square or rectangle, following the sketch that you drew prior to beginning work.

Step 4

Pour the easy-mix cement into a bucket and add water, according to the directions on the bag. You should not have to add anything to the cement except water if it's the easy-mix variety. Stir the cement until it's completely blended.

Step 5

Use the trowel to get some cement, spread it on one side of the block and put that block face-down on the block beneath it. Then place cement on the edge where two blocks meet. You will want to follow the model you made when stacking the blocks. Start with one row, then continue stacking the blocks with cement between them until the desired height for your dog house is achieved. Allow the cement to dry before you allow your dog to go inside the house.

Step 6

Add a roof to the dog house by using a flat piece of plywood. Use the saw to cut the board so that it fits over the hole in the roof. You can also use cement to bond the board to the top of the house so that it doesn't come loose. Just use the trowel to spread cement around the blocks at the top of the house, then lay the board down. Just make sure the board fits securely, otherwise the cement will not hold it in place properly.