Wood dog houses have been the top choice of most dog owners for many years now. If you had a dog as a child, there was probably a dog house made of wood in your backyard. You may remember nostalgically how your pet enjoyed his house, and want the same type of shelter for the dog you have now.
Perhaps you have gone shopping for your dog, in hopes of finding a selection of wood dog houses that you could choose from, and were surprised when you were unable to locate even one. You may have seen wood dog houses in kit form, but decided that you would rather not go that route. That leaves you with the option of building a dog house yourself, or having one built for you.
Building wood dog houses is not a difficult task. In fact, you may decide you enjoy this endeavor so much that you will end up creating dog houses for your friends and family members, who would probably be thrilled to have a well-constructed haven for their own pet. If you have never worked with wood before, never fear! Instructions and plans abound on the internet for the designing and building of wood dog houses. Once you know what size dog house you want to build, you can print out not only the instructions, but a list of materials that you will need.
Some of the materials that are needed to build insulated wooden dog houses are items you may already have lying around your garage or workshop. They are not specialty items, merely wood and something to cut it with, nails or wood screws, roofing material, and something to measure with so that you can be sure you are cutting the wood in the right places. You’ll also more than likely want to choose a color of paint for the outside of the dog house. Before you know it, you will have created a house for your pet that you can feel very proud of!
You may decide to find someone who has built wood dog houses before, and is familiar with all of the steps needed to do so successfully. In that case, you can still choose the style of house, the size, and the type of wood you will use, and just let your chosen builder put it all together for you.
Wood dog houses are pleasing to the eye, and natural and healthy for your dog. A wooden house will keep your dog dry and warm in the winter, and dry and cool in the summer. Wood is a natural insulator, and this is one reason why it has been used for years to create shelters for both humans and animals. Unlike other materials that animal homes can be fashioned from, wood can breathe, which helps keep your dog healthier. No one is sure just what it can do to a dog to inhale the fumes from plastic, as he or she has to do when housed in a plastic dog house.
Wood dog houses, if cared for properly, can last for many years. If you are going to go to the expense of providing your dog with an outside shelter, it just makes good sense to choose a material like wood that will be the most practical in the long run.
Anyone with a wood burning stove or fireplace needs a place for firewood storage. If you purchase firewood every time you want to build a fire, or in small quantities, you are probably paying a lot more money for the wood than if you purchased it in bulk. If you like the smell and cozy feeling of a wood burning fire, you need to purchase enough firewood to last you through the winter.
Many people balk at the idea of buying a half a cord of wood, which is usually enough to last the average family through the winter. The reason they do not want all of this wood at one time is because they have no where to store the wood. Instead, they spend twice the amount to purchase smaller quantities of wood and store it in the garage. This invites mice who will build a nest in the wood when the weather gets cold. You should never store firewood inside the garage.
If you purchase a firewood storage unit, you can order a large quantity of wood at the beginning of the season and save quite a bit of money. You can also keep the wood in the storage unit outside, instead of in the garage. Most firewood storage units are enclosed and have racks that allow you to stack the wood neatly and keep it in a dry environment. While firewood can get wet, it needs to dry out before it can be burned. You do not want to have to dig down in the stack, that may be filled with mice, in order to get wood to burn.
You can purchase an outdoor firewood rack or unit that can either connect to the side of your house or be free standing. This will discourage mice from nesting in the wood as it will be off of the ground a few inches. In addition to keeping your firewood dry, it will also keep it neatly stacked. This can be essential if you are going outside to grab some wood in the winter. You do not want to grab wood and have the entire stack fall down.
A firewood storage unit is also safer than leaving firewood stacked up high in the yard, especially where children and pets are concerned. Children have a habit of climbing on firewood piles and can fall down and get hurt. Pets can also get injured with falling firewood. Firewood racks are a safer option for anyone who has a substantial amount of firewood.
If you have a wood burning fireplace or stove, you should consider purchasing a good firewood storage unit so that you can take advantage of the special deals on cords of wood that are available in the fall. You can even split a cord of wood with your neighbors so that everyone can save money. This is the cheapest way to buy firewood and ends up saving you about 10 times of that which you would pay if you purchased the wood every time you wanted to light a fire.