i save lots of household items, to re-use. or recycle if i can. i need to build a doghouse this summer.. for summer shade and rain protection. then as weather gets cold more weather proof. she is not a "YARD dog" she is our family too.. but when she is out i want her to be happy and comfy... we have a lot of fenced in yard to work with. BUT<< ALL MATERIALS HAVE TO BE FREE>>> AS WE ARE KINDA BROKE RIGHT NOW>>> vet bills get paid first before we can go to home depot.. ANY suggestions on materials or where to get them free?? that would be safe to use for doghouse, nontoxix?
2007-07-22 04:49:57 · 9 answers · asked by im a goonie 5 in Environment ➔ Green Living
Use as many recycled or salvaged materials as possible and use passive solar techniques for heating. www.greenhomeguide.com
The floor could be leftover bricks from a home-improvement job—ask your friends and you might get lucky. Bricks will give the floor thermal mass, keeping it cool in the summer and warm in the winter if the sun shines on the floor. Use wood scraps from your workshop or a neighbor’s, or take apart pallets found in a construction yard (though be sure to ask the foreman before helping yourself). There’s perfectly good wood there that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
If you can find an old single-pane window, use it on the south side of the doghouse—but make it removable so that the breeze can blow through in the summer.
Since a doghouse is so small, you don't need much in the way of roofing—you might even be able to find asphalt shingles left over from a roofing job in your neighborhood. Leave enough of an overhang so that it will shade the opening from the high summer sun, but not too much. (The lower winter sun has to shine into the windows to heat the space.) Go to the Sustainable by Design website for a great tool to calculate how much of an overhang will work. While you're at it, you could even build a nice wrap-around porch so that the dog can rest in the shade!
Normally, I would insulate a house to the fullest extent possible to keep the heat in. Since this is just a doghouse, I wouldn't bother unless I had some insulation lying around. If you do insulate, don’t use fiberglass batting. Fiberglass decays and becomes airborne, and it’s a possible carcinogen. Rigid insulation would be better for your purposes. If you’re concerned with keeping the doghouse cool in the summer, add the insulation under the roof. If you want it warm in the winter, you have some challenges: You’ll want to insulate the walls, but all your heat will go out through the window. Also, you’ll need to add a door that a dog could open and close. I suggest that you let the dog into your house in the winter. The dog could sleep with you and you could turn the thermostat down a couple of degrees!
Use any leftover paint you have to paint your doghouse—or leave it natural and funky. Good luck!
2007-07-22 07:46:33 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Wood, wood and more wood. Wood holds in heat for cold days and keeps out heat well for hotter days. Use wood that others don't need. The wood wont last forever if you want a "natural" house for the dog. But it's free, easy and works for a couple years before it starts to rot. Use other panels of wood to keep the bottom off the ground to help prevent rot.
For bedding, get any clothing materials (blankets) that others have no need for anymore. Everything you ever need for a dog house is free and "green" right here on Freecycle! If others don't need it, use it rather than have it go to the curb.
Good luck. ;)
2007-07-22 09:14:55 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look in place's like Craig's List for salvagable wood. You might need to place a carefully worded ad specifying the size of wood and other materials you need. Tell them what its for and you should soon have the products you need to build. It may not look store bought but it will be green.
Ask for neighbors, too. Sometimes people hang on to things because they don't want to dump them, and will be glad to see their spare wood and materials put to good use.
Good luck!
2007-07-23 05:20:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should check out www.freecycle.org in your area. You'll probably need to make some offers first, but then you can post a "wanted" ad for leftover or previously used building materials.
2007-07-22 15:38:27 · answer #4 · answered by bethie_biker 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
For shingles, coke cans, uncrushed and cut open with tin snips, then lay them flat. For the walls, firewood and bottles or jars, stacked like firewood, but with mortar or a good mud mixture holding them together. If mud is used instead of mortar, make sure there is a good overhang on the roof.
A different idea would be to ask Lowe's for scraps or use pallet wood.
2007-07-22 16:57:53 · answer #5 · answered by Sarah M 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The best insulator for hot or cold is polyurethane foam .. the foam used in sofa cushions. Try to find an old sofa or chair, and insulate the inside of the dog house with it. Be sure to put a layer in the bottom, sandwiched between to pieces of plywood or something.
2007-07-22 16:30:55 · answer #6 · answered by jdkilp 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I seen a dog house that the roof was shingled with plastic bottles cut opened and laied out, it was unique looking and worked.
2007-07-22 07:47:03 · answer #7 · answered by ? 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Do you realize that wood is a renewable resource?
2007-07-22 07:17:04 · answer #8 · answered by truthisback 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
chop down one of the trees in your back yard.....peel off the bark...you will need that for roofing....its water proof....depending on the size of the tree use the rest of the tree to fashion a large or small dog house....then paint the damn thing green.....walla... a green dog house...no thanks required
2007-07-22 08:49:38 · answer #9 · answered by TLB 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋