Dog crate end table

[Jay]

I'm designing and building a dog crate/end table this weekend and have some finishing questions that I was wondering about. I figured I'd also convey my initial design thoughts in case others have some potential caveats to point out.

Basically, I'm building a four-sided box with lattice panels on the side held into the frame with dados. Think end table with a lattice skirt around the legs. I'm considering a plywood bottom, although I'm considering whether it really needs a bottom. I'm thinking if I do a bottom, I'll use removable casters to make it somewhat portable. One of the sides will be face-framed with a hinged lattice door. The top will most likely be edge-banded birch ply.

The purpose here is to create something a little more asthetically appealing than the standard wire crates that also fills a furniture space we've needed for a while. I'm using cheap materials (pre-made lattice and Borg Pine) because I expect a certain amount of abuse on the end product. I also suspect that I will have to scrap and rebuild after a certain amount of time, so I'll be saving the plans :)

I'm staining it pretty dark to come close to matching some of the other furniture in the room. Now, for the questions...

1. I'm considering using basic Minwax stain or gel to get the depth of color I need. I expect the wood to get chewed up somewhat. Will the stain be toxic? If so, to what extent?
2. What should I use as a finish coat, shellac, poly, or something else? I'm not opposed to different finishes on the lattice bottom versus the top, which will be much more visible. Once again, chewing is the concern. I'm leaning toward shellac because I suspect it will be easier to retouch when the crate gets scartched or chewed up.
3. Any thoughts on the design as a dog crate?

[firstjois]

It seems like everyone in the world who decides to visit me, brings a puppy. Only one puppy has broken out of the plasticky kind that is often labeled for travel - and that was an American Eskimo Spitz and he did that by jumping up and down until he had shaken the bolts out of the plastic nuts. A lovely and handsome Sheltie chewed through 3-4 wooden gates and a great big Akita chewed 2 wooden gates (am I a slow learner or just extra hopeful?) from the very bottom to about half way up. I know how tempted I might be to have a table vs a crate but what kind of dog are you planning to put in there? My own two dogs still sleep in their travel crates at night and often nap in them during the day - but I'm not sure they'd still have their crates if they'd been made of wood when they were puppies. Too much chewing.

How about a table that fits over a crate? a table top over the crate?

Jois

[Badger]

We went for the steel mesh fold flat crate, with a home made mdf top with 1/2" quarter round on the top to support the carved 1,1/4" dress strip (which also locates the top) and form an anti roll off edging. Given our lab still naps/sleeps in it it make a useful table and hidy hole for him when the kids get load...

Badger

[Jay]

Here's the reply to the question I posed to MinWax themselves...

Hi Jay,

Currently Minwax does not manufacture a stain or clear finish that is FDA approved. We do not perform animal testing and cannot test for ingestion. Most Minwax clear coatings are fully cured in 14-30 days. Once cured, the film is considered inert and is no longer releasing toxins or chemicals.

I suggest contacting Liberon @ 1-800-245-5611 (online @

or Mohawk @ 1-800-545-0047 Both Liberon and Mohawk manufacture coatings that are safe for infant furniture, high chairs, recreational objects (games, puzzles, children's toys) salad bowls, wooden utensils, chopping/butcher blocks, and food preparation surfaces. Here's another link you can also try: you for contacting Minwax.

Sincerely, Eric