My cat had been sleeping in a cardboard box for years and was due for an update. I came across this DIY crate pet bed on Pinterest from a blog called Meet the B’s. This blog was about The Great Crate Challenge, where several bloggers purchased the same crate from Michael’s and came up with different ideas for repurposing the crate. I decided to give this one a try myself.
Materials:
wooden crate
wooden pegs (for the legs)
paint brush
wood glue
gray wood stain
Americana Decor chalky finish
permanent marker
Using a hammer, remove the top two pieces of wood to create the “front” of your pet’s bed. Next, paint the crate with wood stain, let the stain sit for about 10 minutes, and wipe away excess stain with paper towel.
I also followed the “white wash” technique from this blog. Just mix 1/3 paint with 2/3 water.
Paint the crate with the “white wash” and wipe away excess with paper towel. Don’t forget to use the same techniques on the legs.
Once the paint is dry, glue the legs to the bottom of the crate. Allow time for the glue to dry.
To get the design on the front of the crate, I chose a font from Microsoft Word and typed the word Kitty (choose anything you would like for your pet) in large letters onto a blank document and printed the document. To get the scroll design, I searched “scroll typography” online, and chose a design I liked from “images”. Print out your image also.
I learned this wonderful transfer technique from the blog as well. First, cut out your words and designs to fit your crate.
1. Using a pencil, scribble on the back of the word and design, covering the entire area the you want on the crate.
2. Place the scribbled side down on the crate, positioning the design where you would like it to be.
3. With a pencil, trace the outside edges of your words and design. This will press the scribbled pencil onto the crate and give you an outline of your design.
4. Lastly, fill in your words and design. I used a black Sharpie, but feel free to use paint as well.
For the finishing touch, place a blanket or pillow in the crate and you’re done!
Two Savvy Cents 