PVC Shelter Cot
A raised, washable dog bed built only from parts in the plumbing aisle of any big-box hardware store. No specialty furniture fittings, no online orders. Every screw and fabric edge sits underneath, out of reach.
Shopping list
Build it
Cut the pipe
Yellow = parts added in this step · Swipe or use ← →
Shelter notes
Cleaning
Hose it down or wipe it with the shelter's normal disinfectant. Check the label says it's safe on vinyl and PVC, follow its contact time, then rinse. There's no padding to soak up urine.
Chewers
Screw heads and fabric edges are all on the underside. If a dog starts working on the frame itself, pull the cot and give that dog a different bed. PVC shards are not safe to swallow.
Wear parts
The fabric is the part that wears out. Back out the 28 screws, cut a new 44 × 36″ panel, and the frame keeps going.
Sizing
This is the medium cot. Small and large versions only change the B, C, and fabric lengths, which makes them easy to add later.
What's already out there
Kuranda
The bed most shelters already use. Their ShelterBeds program lets donors buy discounted beds off a shelter's wish list. Strong product, but costly for small rescues.
DIY PVC cots
Popular plans (HGTV, Formufit) need furniture-grade 3-way corner fittings that big-box stores don't stock. This plan swaps those for standard tees and elbows.
Cat towers
Shelters report carpeted cat trees are hard to disinfect and fall apart. They want wipeable, non-porous towers that come apart fast for cleaning.
The gap
Nobody publishes clear, picture-first guides that a volunteer can follow with a single trip to the hardware store. That's the niche.
Plan series
Dimensions are calculated from standard 1″ Schedule 40 fitting depths. Dry-fit before gluing and adjust cuts by ⅛″ if your fittings seat differently. Prices are estimates and haven't been checked against a store yet.