DIY Modern Plywood Kitty Litter Box

By Trisha Sprouse Jul 19, 2018 12:52 pm EST

Trisha Sprouse

Cute as our furry feline friends may be, you can't escape the eyesore known as the kitty litter box. While kitty litter box furniture is available, it's often pricey. Or, TBH, it can be a design downer. Our solution? Build a storage space for the litter box made out of plywood that you'll be proud to put on display — not to mention it's perfect for people living in smaller spaces. It opens and closes from the top, making it super convenient for you to scoop the litter, and it also gives kitty some privacy. The angled legs add a midcentury modern flair while the clean lines of the plywood infuse a bit of Scandinavian minimalism into your space. We're calling that a win for kitty and a win for you.

And if you like this DIY, you're going to lurve this modern kitty hammock!

Things Needed

Litter box pan
Measuring tape
1/2-inch thick plywood sheets
Large plate or bowl
Jigsaw
Sandpaper
Tarp or sheet
Wood glue
Painter's tape
Hammer and nails
2-inch-by-1-3/8-inch door hinges, ( 2 )
Power drill
Screwdriver
1-1/2-inch-by-5-1/2-inch end table legs, ( 4 )
Table leg angle top plates, ( 4 )

TIP: You'll find there are a variety of wood grains available in plywood sheets. We opted for birch plywood because we liked the color tone and Scandinavian feel it has, but you can use whatever type of plywood works best for your budget and aesthetic.

1. Determine the size.

Measure the length, width, and height of your litter pan. You'll need these measurements to determine what sizes to cut the plywood boards. For reference, our litter pan measured 18.5 inches long by 15 inches wide, and 5 inches high.

Trisha Sprouse

Calculate the dimensions of your plywood box using the dimensions of your litter box. The length measurement for all six pieces will be 20 inches (to make the box tall enough for kitty and high enough in height). For the width of the front and back pieces, you'll need to add at least 1 inch to the width measurement of your litter pan. For the width of the two side pieces, you'll need to add at least 1 inch to the length measurement of your litter pan. For the width of the top and bottom pieces, you'll need to add exactly 1 inch to the width of your front/back pieces. This will allow for a snug fit but also a little wiggle room inside the box. You could add more than an inch to make it bigger if you'd like — just don't make it smaller, obvs. Use the image below as a guide for calculating the dimensions of your plywood box.

Graphic showing how to calculate dimensions of box

Trisha Sprouse

2. Cut the plywood.

Have your plywood sheets cut for free at the hardware store (or cut them yourself if you're feeling extra). You'll need six boards total: two for the top and bottom, two for the sides, and two for the front and back. For reference, here are the dimensions we used for our plywood box:

Top and Bottom: 20 inches by 17 inches
Sides: 20 inches by 20 inches
Front and Back: 20 inches by 16 inches

Trisha Sprouse

3. Cut an entrance hole.

To determine where to cut the round entrance for kitty on the front piece of your box, set the litter pan on top of the bottom piece of plywood and hold the front piece of plywood up to it. Mark the height of the litter pan on the front piece.

Marking height of litter pan on front piece

Trisha Sprouse

Lay the front piece flat and line a plate or bowl up with the mark you made for the height of the litter pan. Make sure the diameter of the plate or bowl is large enough for kitty to fit through (we used an 8-inch plate). Trace around the plate or bowl with a pencil.

Tracing around a plate on the front piece

Trisha Sprouse

Drill a few holes inside the circle to create entry points for your jigsaw blade, and then carefully cut out the circle.

Trisha Sprouse

4. Sand the boards.

Sand any rough edges around the entrance hole on both sides of the board. This is also a great time to sand the edges on the other boards, too.

Sanding the round hole cut out of front piece

Trisha Sprouse

5. Glue the boards together.

Now for the assembly! Protect your floor with a tarp or sheet and place the bottom piece of plywood flat on the ground. Use wood glue to attach the back piece and one of the side pieces to the bottom piece.

Gluing the back and side piece to bottom

Trisha Sprouse

Tape the corner together to keep them in place.

Taping the corners of plywood pieces together

Trisha Sprouse

Now glue the other side piece and front piece in place, taping the corners as well. Allow the glue to dry.

Front and second side piece glued in place

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6. Nail the boards together.

Once the glue has dried, hammer several evenly spaced nails along each side of the side pieces as well as along each side of the bottom piece to reinforce the box. You can now peel off the tape on the corners.

Trisha Sprouse

7. Install the door hinges.

Place the top piece on top of the box. Space the door hinges three inches in on each side and attach one side of the hinges to the top piece and the other side of the hinges to the side piece. Pssst: It helps to tape the hinges in place and pre-drill pilot holes before screwing them in.

TIP: You could install the hinges on the front piece instead of the top piece if you prefer to have the door open from the front instead of the top. (We felt it is easier to scoop the litter from the top, so you don't have to reach into the box.) Just switch out gluing the top piece instead of the front piece in Step 5.

Installing two door hinges on the top and side pieces

Trisha Sprouse

8. Install the legs.

Flip the box over so the bottom piece is facing up. Space the four angle plates for the legs two inches in from each side and screw them in place on the bottom piece. Again, pre-drilling pilot holes makes the job infinitely easier.