Our sunroom renovation has officially begun.
Step #1: Get rid of this:
Any indoor cat owners in the house? I know you feel my pain.
This litterbox situation has been a seemingly unresolvable issue from day one. We don’t have a traditional laundry room (which I assume would be the most common place to keep it), and we nixed the garage idea due to safety concerns (cats + cars = bad news).
This meant we had to find a place for it inside. In the beginning we kept it in the most unused, unseen place in the house: the guest bathroom (in the bathtub hidden behind the shower curtain). Of course, this was not a good long term solution.
When it got cooler outside, we relocated her to the sunroom which seemed to be a better solution, but still only temporary.
We had tossed around the idea of some sort of external box that she could access through the house. This would not only eliminate the ugly plastic box out in the open, but the smell seeping into the room as well (let’s face it… cat waste is foul).
After trying to find a premade box, we realized our dimensions were too specific and we had to custom build it.
So I measured and sketched out a plan:
And we headed to Home Depot to grab our supplies: 1/2″ and 3/4″ MDF, roof shingles, cat door, litter pan, liquid nails, and spray foam (we had the rest at home). Total cost came to around $75.
We had the square pieces of wood cut to size, and we cut the angled sides with a jigsaw at home (we made the roof angled for easy water runoff.)
Here is the construction process, demonstrated in pictures:
Woohoo, it fits!
Once everything was screwed together, we gave it a few coats of paint for extra wood protection (and also to make it prettier).
As the paint was drying, we got started on the roof.
We picked up a couple sample shingles for $2 each, which was just the right amount for this project.
A couple nails on the edges was all it took.
Once in place, we trimmed off the excess (this stuff cuts like butter):
And our box was done!
The next step was fabricating a door (along with a kitty door inside of that).
We used the kitty door template and traced the hole…
and Brad cut it out with a jigsaw:
Ok, so it wasn’t the straightest cut… but it would be hidden so it was good enough. (Maybe I’ll try cutting next time).
Back inside, we measured our opening and used the jigsaw to cut a hole in the sunroom wall.
Ta-da!
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| Stop laughing at our vertical blinds… Brad doesn’t want to part with them yet for some reason. |
Outside, we wiggled our box into place…
And used bricks to set it flat and level against the house.
For a waterproof seal, we applied weather stripping around the opening and drilled long screws from the inside to secure it to the house. Brad also applied caulk and foam all the way around the outside. I think it’s safe to say nothing is getting into this box!
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| I know… this line isn’t straight either…. luckily it’s hidden also! |
Perfect fit!
The last step was drilling the door into place. We used simple white self closing hinges, so the door pulls shut on its own. No knob or latch needed.
And finally, I touched up the screws with white paint to make everything blend in so it’s as low profile as possible.
Kristen @ Popcorn on the Stove says
This the smartest way I've ever seen a litter box hidden!
Beach girl says
I think this was a great idea! The kitty picture is my favorite though!! 🙂 Eris and I are very inspired by your blogs and all the diy stuff. We cant wait to get into a house and do projects! Great job on all your stuff!
Sharon-The OKI StampQueen says
This looks like my “Inky!” The one with bladder issues (stress related-I might add!) We have 3 inside cats (4 if you count the one who has her own room!) and when Ink was sick-the vet said–one more box than cats–oh dear God-where to put another box! I loved the pieces of furniture to disguise a cat box-you know, they look like endtables? Hubby is handy—so we have 4 now! No one has ever come in and recognized them or suspected that's where the box is! Hmm…maybe I need to do a post on that for my cat lover followers! Love your idea-but we're up on pilings so they'd really be hanging out there! lol! Thanks for sharing! Blessings, Sharon
Alice says
Oh, that is so cool! I wish I could have the litterbox hidden like that. Unfortunately one of my cats is not the brightest and one is too skittish, so I can only have litterboxes with no doors, ahhh…
The DIY Show Off says
Awesome!!!! What a great idea!
Debi says
I have often wondered about doing something like this. I'll be interested to know how how it works out for you long term. Have you tried the new Breeze litter system? The litter is in a pellet form, but in the lower tray there is a pad that collects all the urine. There is so much less mess and smell. Best purchase I ever made!!