Home » Repurposed Furniture » Repurposed Crib Dog Crate
Please choose a color:
Mindi is a wife, mother, runner, dancer, and a lover of all things fun and DIY.
A few years ago she discovered blogs and fell in love with the idea that she could do things she had always dreamed of doing. Like build furniture from pallets, and make cool projects for her home.... Mindi was inspired by other bloggers that empowered her to create.
Mindi decided to give back and possibly reach someone out there that has a desire to create like herself. She believes we all have that desire in some form or another, and we all DO create in our own way, every day. Whether it be crafty or not, even creating happiness in others is a gift that many share.
Mindi loves to learn and use that knowledge to make beautiful and useful things for her home.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
By accessing this site you agree to the following:
The information provided on this site is of a general nature and may not be applicable to your particular circumstances. Please seek the assistance of a professional if you have any queries before undertaking your DIY task.
The owner of this site cannot be held liable for damage, by following the instructions laid out within this site or on any of the sites linked to this site.
My Repurposed Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
Advertising.
This Site is affiliated with CMI Marketing, Inc., d/b/a CafeMedia (“CafeMedia”) for the purposes of placing advertising on the Site, and CafeMedia will collect and use certain data for advertising purposes. To learn more about CafeMedia’s data usage, click here: www.cafemedia.com/publisher-advertising-privacy-policy
Hi there! I know I’m pretty late to the party, so not sure if you’ll see this 🙂 I would love to make a couple for both my dogs(70 pounds and 60 pounds) but I don’t have access to many tools. Do you think it would be okay safety-wise to just use a drill to attach a piece of plywood onto the top of a crib and do the same with a thicker piece of plywood to help reinforce the bottom? I could use a handsaw to cut off the legs of the crib prior to this and then attach casters as shown. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Annette,
I read all of my comments (eventually) I didn’t make this project, my good friend Mindi made it. You may have to use some brackets to secure the plywood to the crib rails. Maybe some metal plumbing (pipe holders) ??? The screws into the crib may not hold. But I think it’s definitely doable. Not sure if it would work for such large dogs.
If you get into it and have any questions, let me know. 🙂
gail
I just love this project! Absolutely stunning!! I just had a quick question before I attempt to recreate it, how thick did the bottom piece need to be so that you don’t risk it sagging or snapping? And was curious if over the years if you’ve had any trouble with either? Thank you 😊
Hi Brooke! I am so glad you like it! You will need a piece of 3/4” thick plywood for the bottom piece, anything less wouldn’t be sturdy enough. It has been almost 4 years since I built this crate for Sunny, and it is still as solid as the day I built it! Sunny loves it, it is her safe place, and she sleeps in it every night. I would love to see your crate when you finish, good luck! Thanks!
Hello! I came across your post a year ago and promptly found a crib about to be taken to the dump – score! Life happened and I didn’t get to the crib before the winter arrived and then we got a second dog. I have been thinking about making two and then saw a double dog crate. So I am merging the two! Using the reclaimed wood from the crib with a little extra to make a double doggie crate. Wish me luck!!
Lots of luck!
gail
Hi Mindi, I absoultly LOVE the dog house. I was just wonderimng what type of dog is in the pictures? We have just bought a puppy that looks just like yours.
Thanks
Thank you Diana! I am so glad you like the crate!! Sunny is a Rhodesian ridgeback, but she looks very similar to a Vizsla, same coloring but bigger and with ridge. 🙂
Hi Mindi!
This is brilliant and so very creative.
However, for me I think a wooden box will not be convenient for scratchy pets as they will be prone to breakdown.
Thanks.
Hey James, Thank you! You are so right, if your pet is scratchy or chews on things a wooden crate wouldn’t be the best option. My dog Sunny has never had a problem with this, so I guess I am lucky! She sleeps in this same crate still and loves it!
Oh my goodness I’m so excited we still have my kids crib and my husbands crib…. I can’t wait for these to be made!!
Hi! I love this repurpose! Did you use white spray paint on the crib or regular latex paint? Making one right now!
Seriously obsessing over this dog crate. SO creative and chic! It’s like a little doggy palace. thank you for sharing!
Does anyone know someone who would make this for me? Please… Denise Enders
Can we buy these from you
Hi. My mom and I found this and decided to build a medium sized crate for a dog for a fundraiser. We got everything together that we needed and got started measuring and cutting and laughing and talking and….well, we got to putting the 2 ends on the sides. Well, the ends totally did not match up and after fighting with it to figure out how to fix it, we left it for my dad to finish. Though it did not work as well as we had hoped, it was an awesome time for a mom and daughter to have a great time doing something totally new and different. We just passed it off to my dad yesterday, so not sure how it is going at this point. He has until Thanksgiving weekend to finish it up, if he can fix it. Sometimes things work out and sometimes, not so much. 🙂 Thank you for posting this.
I loved reading your story Tisha! It’s something I could my daughter and I doing together. I recently heard a podcast that mentioned “it’s the things that go wrong that make life memorable–the things we can laugh about later”. I’m so happy you found Mindi’s repurposed crib dog crate.
I hope it goes well for your dad.
gail
I’ve been looking for something to use for a movable island for my kitchen. I think this idea would work great! It would add so many cup board ideas.
hi there,
I was wondering if we would be able to exchange emails, im a beginner when it comes to projects like this, I love the idea, I have a few questions I was hoping you could help me out with. Planning on building something similar for my dog with 2 crib pieces and some other materials I have lying around.(not sure if the wood I have will work).. Please help 🙂 Thanks a bunch Jo.
Jo,
You should be able to respond to this comment via email.
gail
Genius! Pure genius! Love it and when I finally get a dog this will be a great way to go for a crate! Thank you for sharing.
This is amazing and inspiring!!
Could not find PRINT icon-help??
If you right click the article on a pc, you can pull up the print menu.
Let me know if you can’t get it.
gail
Love this!!!!! I’m going to see if I can find cheap or free crib… Not in big rush, have 3 1/2 month old Akita pup..
She will just love this and will look much better in our home that Kennel Cab… Thanks for posting directions!!!!!
This is just brilliant. It looks so much better than my dog’s plastic crate!
This is genius! I wonder if there’s something I could use to rig up a similar but smaller solution for my tiny pup…
How big was the crib before you cut it down? I have a Great Dane puppy who just cleared 100 pounds – I am wondering if this would be a good option for when he is full grown. I made beds for our dogs using old outdoor cushions someone was tossing (no mold – just didn’t like them anymore) but I think a crib mattress might be a better option when our boy is full grown! Thanks for the great ideas!!
I love the crib/dog crate idea. I do have a suggestion for you. My dogs love a good, comfy dog bed but most of the ones filled with fluff break down over time and some are not easily washed because of their size. Memory foam and orthopedic beds are very expensive. I’ve been buying crib mattresses (Craigslist) for around $5 each, sometimes less, and I use the crib sheets to cover them. If there’s an accident, the sheets wash and dry easily and you can readily find crib sheets at most garage sales. The mattress is vinyl and easy to clean. I keep one in the bedroom next to our bed and in the morning it’s easy to shove it under the bed and get it out of the way. They are sturdy enough to hold a 100 pound dog and they’re so much better than most dog beds.
Great idea!!! Gonna look into finding used ones!!!
Wow. What an ingenious idea. I love it. I have a big dog also (she’s still a puppy) but she will be outgrowing her large crate soon. I’m going to have to make me one just like yours. Thanks for the detailed instructions. I love the rollers. You can move it from room to room so much easier if you want her close to you. Yours looks like a nice piece of furniture. I just have to find me a free crib.
I love it…that is very creative.
Is Sunny a Vizsla? She’s beautiful – that crate is awesome. I will have to give it a try. Cheers!
Been sharing your photo and instructions with all my doggie connections. Very lovely and creative idea. Thanks for sharing.
Super cool idea!
What a great idea! We got an early Christmas puppy and I was looking for a stylish option for her. I happen to have my daughter’s crib in the attic that I was saving for just the right project. Tho it is a sleigh version so may be a bit tricky. But a growing doberman needs her space. Thanks so much for your wonderful walk thru!
This is gorgeous, and a very creative re-use of an old crib. But I have some safety concerns about the design. First, the curved openings in the corners where the crib ends meet the rails look big enough for a curious dog to stick a paw through them. My luck with inventive dogs always runs bad, and I envision that paw getting caught, causing the dog to panic and injure a leg. Second, some dogs are crate chewers, and could gnaw themselves out of a crate like this in no time. At the moment I can’t think of a way around the chewing issue, other than to know your dog really well before putting them in a crate like this. But the corner opening problem could be fixed by cutting off the curved edges of the ends before assembly, or by not using a crib with that curved accent on the ends. 🙂
As for a pad for inside the crate—will a crib mattress still fit in there? If so, get a used one and cover it with an old comforter. Our dogs used crib mattresses as dog beds for years and loved them!
Thank you so much Kathy! I can see your concern with the opening, and you are right it would be an easy fix. Luckily Sunny has had no problem with it. 🙂 To address the chewing, I was concerned about that while I was building. I had a plan in my mind if Sunny thought she should try and “Eat” her crate, luckily she hasn’t even tried. I know some dogs would, and so you have to be aware that this crate will not work for all dogs. I had planned to add hardware cloth on the inside of the rails if she attempted chewing, but I didn’t have to worry about it, thank goodness. I made some laundry bin drawers with hardware cloth and you can see those here: http://www.mylove2create.com/2014/02/final-touches-master-closet-makeover.html It would be the same concept, except bigger. It might solve the chewing problem for some dogs, but probably not all. 🙂 That is a great idea with a crib mattress, I could cut one down to fit!
Do you make and sell the dog crib, I just love it, and do you ups it to customer. If so could you please give me a price to make it and send it to Dracut Mass Thank you Corene Teneriello
I cannot even deal with your creativity…unreal! This is really so amazing and the best part is how it looks like a piece a furniture!
How much to make one for me? I am in Colorado and I am a goat rancher. I often end up with baby goats in my kitchen being bottle fed, This would be so much better and easier than a standard dog crate and much better than a box.
Another great Mindi creation! You are so creative and also so productive!
Fabulous! What a savings, oh but what a lot of work! I am to lazy to take on something of this magnitude.
You did good again. Merry Christmas!
Sorry Gail, I did not read the first line of this post and was confused. Please pass this comment on to Mindi. Her crate creation is beautiful.
Gail, this crate is high end furniture quality. This could easily sell for $300 – $400 in some places. It works great for your needs and it is beautiful besides. My only concern is the castors are not the locking kind and I wonder if it wiggles around if Sunny stands up and moves around in the crate? Do you have a way to chalk it so it won’t roll away with her in it? (not that it would roll too far, but maybe locking it would give her a bit more stability). A great job especially for building it on the fly and without a plan.
You are right to be concerned about the wheels not locking. If I ever use it on a hard surface I will for sure replace them with locking casters, the dogs safety is most important. In fact, the crate does not need wheels at all, I just knew I would need a way to move it when my husband wasn’t around. I have the crate in my room on the carpet and the wheels do not move. I was worried about it at first, but have noticed that it has not been a problem at all, even when she stands up and moves in her crate. Maybe it is because they are older casters and don’t roll very well, lol! Thank you so much for your concern and kind words! 🙂
Hi there!
I love it! much classier than those metal cages! What about adding a doggie door to one of the short ends? Then you can leave those big doors closed and Sunny could come and go as she pleases…just a suggestion.
Clap! Clap! Clap! You have such an amazing imagination! Maybe someone will dump a load of cribs on you and ask you to make a circus train for their front yard…. which would be so cool.
Aaaahhhh! I’m screaming… this is so great!
My daughter has an English Mastiff…she isn’t full grown yet, I wonder if she’d fit in there?
this is great for a big dog…I bet my Buster would fit (my mixed pup)
FANTASTIC…!!!!!!!!!!!
What a lucky puppy Sunny is! Your creation is awesome!!! I need something like that for our little Doxies. Thanks for sharing your genius idea with us.
Christmas blessings, Edie Marie
I don’t always call my husband over to see the creativity of others, but yup – he was summoned, and I pinned it.
Mindi! This crib was the perfect piece to use for a dog crate! Oh my gosh, I absolutely love how you transformed the crib into a dog crate. That is the reason you are part of the MRL team!
FREE? the best part. I’ve never seen a crib like this. Those ends could be so many things.
Did you know Kreg has a smaller jig? It uses a smaller bit and screws. I think it would have worked great on those furring strips.
Gail
Love this! !!!
Sunny’s crate is beautiful! I agree, the wire cages aren’t appealing. Your crate is a very pretty and functional piece of furniture.
All I can say to this is WOW! Love it!
Gail you never cease to amaze me! Beautiful!! Love it and the dog too!