Gather Your Supplies
These supplies can be found at your local home improvement store. The wood pieces will be sold in a longer piece and you’ll need to cut them down yourself. If you’re feeling iffy about it, some home improvement places can help you make these cuts in-store. For the fabric, try to pick something made of a tough upholstery fabric that will be easy to clean pet hair off of and not easily ripped by your kitty’s claws.
Supplies
8 18-inch pieces of 1"x1" pine 4 8-inch pieces of 1"x1" pine 2.5-inch finish nails Decorative fabric Brass upholstery tacks
Tools
Hammer Saw Sandpaper Rubber mallet Tape measure Pinking shears
Create the Top and Bottom
Honestly, the hardest part of this project is cutting the wood pieces. Once those pieces are all set, it’s basically all about attaching them together. To ensure a nice, smooth finish with no splinters for delicate paws, use fine-grit sandpaper to smooth each wood piece. Then place the 18-inch pieces in a square and using your nails, hammer them together to form a frame. Repeat this process for the bottom square. You should end up with two square frames that are the same size.
Add the Legs
To take this shape to the next level, you’re going to want to add the legs. Using the finish nails, nail the 8" pieces in at each corner. Take your time and make sure the pieces are straight before you start hammering in the nails. Towards the end, when the nail is almost completely in, be sure to watch that you’re not going overkill with the hammer. You don’t want to leave dents in the wood that you’ll see when everything all is all done. Since this won’t be stained or painted it would be tough to hide.
Add the Fabric Piece
Adding the fabric piece is easier than you might think. Instead of sewing the edges, use the pinking shears instead. It allows you to cut the fabric to size without hemming and helps to keep the edges from fraying. The length of the fabric should be about 15 inches wide, but the length will depend on your cat. You don’t want the fabric to hang too low, especially if your cat is on the heavier side. To affix the fabric, use the upholstery nails to nail it to the top of the wood frame. Space the nails out evenly and be liberal with them to get a stronghold. Repeat on the opposite side. Then it’s time to enjoy! Invite your furry friends to come to relax in it. They might be a little skeptical at first but a sprinkle of catnip will definitely encourage them to explore this awesome new bed.
