Dog crates are a necessity for many dog owners, but they aren’t very pretty to look at. Crate covers are an excellent way to make your pet’s crate blend in better with your décor. Unfortunately, they can be expensive.
Instead of buying one, you can make one yourself! It’s much easier than you would think, and several unique designs are available. From simple fabric covers to covers that double as tables, you’ll find a plan on this list that matches your skill level.
The 13 DIY Dog Crate Cover Plans
1. Dog Crate Cover Makeover
| Materials: | 2 tension rods, 4 pre-built table legs, five 1 x 4” boards, curtains |
| Tools: | Screwdriver, screws, Kreg jig, hammer nails |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
If you don’t want to deal with Ikea furniture, this is the plan for you! It’s relatively easy to construct since you’ll use pre-built table legs and a Kreg jig to splice the wood together for the top part. Any skill level should work for this crate cover.
There’s also a tutorial on how to stain wood if you want to enhance the look of your table crate cover!
2. Dog Kennel Cover w/Antique Door
| Materials: | Antique door, ¾” to ½” piece of plywood, 5 8-foot-long 1×3’s, 2 8-foot-long 2×2’s, 3 cans spray paint, spackle/putty, brown paper, painters tape |
| Tools: | Kreg jig, clamp, 1” long pocket screws, power drill, countersinking drill bit, 2” screws, 2 sawhorses or worktables, miter saw, circular saw, sanding sponge |
| Difficulty Level: | Difficult |
We’ll tell you right off that this plan requires serious handyman skills and time. However, if you want a crate cover that’s fancier than just a fabric one, this plan is ideal. After all your materials have been gathered, you’ll cut your boards down to size. Then, you’ll drill pocket holes and attach the boards with your pocket screws. Next up is attaching legs and covering the top of your design with your antique door.
Finally, you can paint your new kennel cover (leaving the antique door unpainted) in any color you like.
3. Dog Crate Cover & Fuzzy Dog Crate Pad
| Materials: | Fabric, ribbon (optional), thread, double-fold bias tape, polyfill |
| Tools: | Sewing machine, iron, self-healing cutting mat, rotary fabric cutter, measuring tape, scissors, yardstick, straight pins, fabric clips, heat & bond |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
Work better when you have a visual to go by? This YouTube video shows you how to make a cute cover and fuzzy dog crate pad! Though the video is only about 7 minutes long, making the crate cover will take longer than that (but not much time). To begin, you’ll need to measure your furry friend’s crate and cut out pieces of fabric accordingly.
The next step of folding in the sides can be done via sewing or with tape and iron if your sewing skills aren’t great. When that’s done, you can add the bias tape and piece it all together.
The finished product looks lovely!
4. No-Sew Dog Crate Cover
| Materials: | Twin sheet set, ribbon (optional) |
| Tools: | Needle & thread (optional), scissors |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
If you’re looking for a budget dog crate cover for a smaller crate, this is the plan for you. Provided you use sheets that you have lying around the home or cheaply bought ones, this cover will hardly cost a thing. Plus, it’s so simple to make. All that’s required is to fold the fitted twin sheet in half and fit it around your dog’s crate.
You can be finished at that point, but if you want to spruce things up a bit, you can use ribbon to make decorative “tie-backs” for the sides of the cover or to create a pretty bow you can sew on. That is all it takes for this crate cover!
- Related Read: Best Collapsible Dog Crates: Reviews & Top Picks
5. Double Dog Crate Furniture
| Materials: | ¾” wood, ½” thick plywood, wood stain (optional), minwax polycrylic finish (optional) |
| Tools: | Wood screws, drill, saw, hammer, nails |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
Do you have more than one dog crate? Then, look at this double crate cover that functions as a table! It will take a little while to put together, but it shouldn’t be too hard. As always, you’ll need to measure your dog crates—both crates placed side by side—so you know how long your wood should be.
You’ll cut your plywood into several planks to create the top part, while the ¾” wood will be used for the legs and braces. This plan gives you step-by-step instructions on constructing the frame and hand-drawn diagrams to help you visualize it.
Once this is finished, you’ll have a crate cover and a table!
6. Dog Kennel Hutch Cover
| Materials: | Fabric, thread |
| Tools: | Measuring tape, chalk, scissors/shears, sewing machine |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
If you can use a sewing machine, this hutch cover should be a breeze. The design is simple, and you only need to cut five pieces of fabric that will fit your dog’s crate. Once you have those, it’s time to break out the sewing machine to hem the fabric, sew it all together, and add ties so the front flap can be rolled up.
7. Snazzy No Sew Dog Crate Cover
| Materials: | 1 curtain (84’), straight pins, safety pins, ribbon |
| Tools: | Fabric scissors, thermal heat bond stitching, iron |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
Another great plan for the non-sewers among us is this snazzy crate cover. You’ll need to drape the curtain over your pet’s crate and then cut away excess material. After that, you’ll be hemming the edges of the fabric with the thermal heat bond. Finally, you can use ribbon to make tie-backs to hold the front flap up (though this is optional, of course).
We can’t imagine this crate cover will take long to make.
8. Dog Crate Table Topper
| Materials: | Wood, SafeCoat, old-fashioned milk paint |
| Tools: | Nails, hammer, paintbrush, sander, sandpaper |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
Dog crate covers that double as tabletops are a popular trend, and this table topper is a bit simpler to construct than the others on this list. There are only seven steps to complete: measuring your pup’s crate (and adding 2” to the measurement), cutting the wood, creating a base, cutting plywood for the top and hammering it on, sanding rough edges, and painting!
Overall, the estimated cost for this one is less than $20, and it only takes about an hour to make.
9. Dog Crate Cover Without Sewing
| Materials: | Fabric |
| Tools: | Measuring tape, scissors |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
This cute doggy crate cover doesn’t require sewing, nor does it require sheets or curtains. Instead, you’ll need to find fabric that’s easy to tie off. Before doing that, you’ll measure the sides and top of your pup’s crate to figure out how long your fabric should be; you’ll need three pieces of fabric.
Then, you’ll wrap each piece around the crate according to the instructions and cut fringe along the edges. With the fringe, you’ll tie the pieces together, eliminating the need for sewing or thermal heat bonding!
10. Dog Crate Topper
| Materials: | Wood, screws |
| Tools: | Measuring tape, saw, drill, wood glue, sandpaper |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
If you’re in a smaller home or apartment and want to save space, you can have your dog’s crate double as a side table with this easy crate topper. Plus, this wooden topper comes with the benefit of video instructions if you’re a more visual learner. This wooden crate topper is simple to construct, but you must use a saw and drill to assemble it.
Unlike others on this list, this one doesn’t involve making a base to go around the sides of your pet’s crate; it’s only a tabletop. Once you’ve measured your crate and wood and cut the wood to size, you’ll need to screw the pieces together with a drill.
11. Cute & Cozy Dog Crate Cover
| Materials: | Fabric of any kind |
| Tools: | Measuring tape, needle and thread or sewing machine, pins, scissors, fabric glue (optional) |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
This cute & cozy dog crate cover is another that has a roll-up flap in the front. It requires some sewing, but it’s still relatively easy to create. As always, you’ll need to measure your four-legged friend’s crate to determine how long your fabric will be.
Once you’ve done that, you can cut four pieces of fabric, place them on the crate, and pin them where they should be connected. Then, you’ll glue it all together. The plan only calls for the sewing of the front panel that will be rolled up, so whether you want to sew the rest is up to you!
This one shouldn’t take long, and your dog will love their new jazzed-up space!
12. Utility Dog Crate Cover
| Materials: | Fabric of any kind, thread |
| Tools: | Measuring tape, sewing machine, pins, scissors, iron |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
Unlike many other crate covers on this list, this one doesn’t involve a front flap that rolls up. Instead, it provides a window for your dog. This plan involves sewing, but it doesn’t look like it will take long to assemble.
After you’ve measured your pet’s crate and cut your fabric according to those measurements, you can sew it into a single, fitted sheet-like piece with Mary Martha Mama’s directions. Constructing the window will be the most challenging part of the project.
Although this one is rather plain, it’s a moderately easy way to cover up your dog’s crate!
13. Ikea Dog Crate Cover
| Materials: | Gulliver changing table, Matilda sheer curtains, tension rod |
| Tools: | Screwdriver, screws |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
If you’re a fan of Ikea, you’ll love this Ikea hack for smaller dog crates! All you need is a Gulliver changing table that you’ve put together (but leave the middle shelf out so your dog’s crate will fit), a tension rod to add to the front side, and the Matilda sheer curtains to hang on the tension rod. That’s all you have to do to have this crate cover that doubles as a bedside table!
And if you prefer something other than Ikea furniture, this hack can be easily tweaked with the furniture of your choice.
Conclusion
Don’t shell out a lot of money for a fancy crate cover; make one yourself! Making a cover for your dog’s crate is much simpler than you think, and there are several ways you can create one. Whether you want to go the uber-easy route of making a fabric cover or test your handyman skills with a cover that doubles as a table, you’ll find a plan to suit your needs on this list.
Related Reads:
- Best Dog Crates For Separation Anxiety: Reviews & Top Picks!
- Best Collapsible Dog Crates: Reviews & Top Picks
Featured Image Credit: Jaclyn VernaceP, Shutterstock
The 13 DIY Dog Crate Cover Plans
