I recently went on a picnic with a good friend. She had a new puppy which was full of energy. I watched her attempt to set up a commercial puppy pen. I asked her how much it cost; I nearly choked on my sandwich.
Since the pen was still new, and no matter how hard she tried it would not set up, I told her to pack it away and take it back. I would design and build PVC panels she could use to make a puppy pen for far less than the commercial one.
These panels can be customized for any size or height.
If you are using them for small toddlers, attach outdoor shading fabric to the panels using zip ties. The ties hold the fabric securely.
You will need:
- Hacksaw
- Sandpaper
- 90º connectors
- PVC pipe
- 4-way connectors
- T-connectors
- PVC cement
- Marking tools and measuring tape
- Hook and loop tape, zip ties or hose clamps
Step One:
Plan the height and length of your fence section. My sections were 6-feet long, and 3-feet high. I planned on dividing the panel into four equal sections.
Step Two:
On the floor, I spread newspaper on the floor and marked a 6′ by 3′ rectangle. I made a horizontal mark across the middle, and separated the panel into four equal sections horizontally.
Step Three:
At each corner, I placed a 90º connector. At each top, bottom and side intersection I placed a t-connector with the middle pointing inward. At the intersections in the middle, I placed a 4-way connector. I held them in place with clear tape.
Step Four:
I measured the distance between each connector, ensuring I had enough length to insert the pieces into the connectors.
Step Five:
I cut sections of the pipe according to the measurements and sanded the cut edges lightly.
I dry fitted the pipes into the connectors and checked for square. To do this, measure both corners diagonally, ie, from top left to bottom right. Both diagonals should match. If not, adjust the pieces now.
Step Six:
I took the panel apart and cemented the pieces together. It’s very strong and lightweight.
I made four panels and took them to my friend. We attached solar screening fabric to the panels with zip ties.
Setting them up outside, we connected the panel sections with hose clamps. The puppy enthusiastically explored his new territory.
You can use this in a garden by changing the bottom 90º connectors to t-connectors and the t-connectors into 4-way connectors. Drive rebar into the ground and set the panels over the rebar. PVC pipe that is ½” in diameter works for this as well. Guy wires will help secure the panels in place.
I would recommend 1″ regular PVC pipe for a lightweight fence. My horse is trained to stay within a barrier, so I could make one for her. Her stablemate however, will walk right through it.
The panels can be used as a fence for camping, birthday parties, RV parks and more.
To have a decorative top, change the top connectors as you did for the garden fence and cement PVC pipe into the connectors. Cement decorative tops to the fence.
Source: The author of this article has over 40 years of experience in diverse forms of DIY, home improvement and repair, crafting, designing, and building furniture, outdoor projects and more.
