I made a crate for puppy! He keeps outgrowing the ones we bought, so I made a large one out of his playpen panels that should be big enough until he’s fully grown.
The floor is a sheet of plywood. I put vinyl wrap on it for waterproofing (turns out it’s too fragile, by the time I made the rest I made a couple of tears).
For the top, I made a lip out of PSE wood (I think 25mm), to give more rigidity and allow fitting a hinged top.
Cabin hooks for the door, but they turned out to be too loose, so I added a Brenton bolt.
Puppy likes it, so overall a success!
Progress pictures :
The host of the crate:
Why do you choose to keep your dog in a cage?
Offering a crate as a safe and cosy space to relax, sleep, etc. is recommended by the RSPCA (and the Dog Trust, Battersea, and many more).
In normal use it’s fitted with a small mattress, vet bed, toys (that I didn’t show because I didn’t make those myself).
It’s also a good idea to have your dogs crate-trained for emergencies and visits from the types of people they may have trauma with.
OP has a poodle as well, which means either hair cuts at home or regular grooming. Many groomers keep dogs in crates between wash and cut, which is a lot easier on the dog if they consider crates safe.
You live in one yourself, they get one away from you.