This is a very simple project that my daughter, and I put together this weekend.
This only has one level because it is next to the cat tree, so they didn't need platforms/steps down.
I spent around $100 after using my lowes coupon (I buy them from Ebay)
This could be made cheaper by cutting your own inside support boards, base, and top and using a cheaper material for covering or a smaller diameter concrete form.
You can find coupons for lowes online. I make use of these whenever possible.
Material list:
Structure-
1. 1x cardboard concrete form
(I used a 12" x 48" form but the come in multiple sizes and can be found at Lowes or Home Depot) $20
2. 4 boards 1"×2"×48" (on sale for $2.50 each ) $10 total
3. 1 1/2" screws #8 (I used deck screws because I already had some) $0
4. package of #8 washers $3
5. L brackets 1 1/2" x8 $6
6. A round, rectangular, or square base. I chose a 24" round base from appearance board at lowes $20 (it would be cheaper to buy plywood and cut your own base and top)
7. A smaller matching appearance board. I chose a 16" round board. $10
Material for covering:
1. I bought a large piece of felt material to make a gripping surface. This probably isn't needed. $12
2. I purchased a package of 10 sisal coffee bags from Amazon. I paid $40 but they are now $60. I only used 2 of them for this project.
3. 2 x 150' 1/4" sisal rope for trim. I bought the green, so I paid $20 for a roll $40 (could cut amount I only used 1 1/4 rolls)
4. Padding/round pillow foam for the top. (I already had this)
Tools:
Glue gun
Heavy duty stapler
Drill
Sewing machine or hand needle
Instuctions:
1. We attached the inside support board, placing a washer on each side of the cardboard form, and drilling through into the wood. Repeating x4.
2. We glued the felt to the form and stapled it through the cardboard at the seams.
3. We cut the sisal bags, and then doubled them, so that they would be very thick. We cut them so that the desired pattern would show, and so that they were the correct size plus a generous seam allowance. After stitching the sides and the front& back together, we placed it on the form using hot glue and staples. We folded the ends to create a nice finish and glued and stapled them to the cardboard.
4. We then added sisal rope to the top, bottom, and a strip in the middle for trim. To do this, we punched a hole in the cardboard tube, and pulled the rope inside. We stapled it well, and then pulled it tight and wrapped it around the post. To tie the end off we just glued the end and placed one staple through to the cardboard tube.
5. We added the L shaped brackets to the support posts and then attached them to the base and top.
6. We made a padding for the top plate using more sisal and a little padding. We used hot glue and staples to attach it to the wooden top. We used a little more rope to trim around the top, so that the fabric edges did not show.
Finished photo:
This only has one level because it is next to the cat tree, so they didn't need platforms/steps down.
I spent around $100 after using my lowes coupon (I buy them from Ebay)
This could be made cheaper by cutting your own inside support boards, base, and top and using a cheaper material for covering or a smaller diameter concrete form.
You can find coupons for lowes online. I make use of these whenever possible.
Material list:
Structure-
1. 1x cardboard concrete form
(I used a 12" x 48" form but the come in multiple sizes and can be found at Lowes or Home Depot) $20
2. 4 boards 1"×2"×48" (on sale for $2.50 each ) $10 total
3. 1 1/2" screws #8 (I used deck screws because I already had some) $0
4. package of #8 washers $3
5. L brackets 1 1/2" x8 $6
6. A round, rectangular, or square base. I chose a 24" round base from appearance board at lowes $20 (it would be cheaper to buy plywood and cut your own base and top)
7. A smaller matching appearance board. I chose a 16" round board. $10
Material for covering:
1. I bought a large piece of felt material to make a gripping surface. This probably isn't needed. $12
2. I purchased a package of 10 sisal coffee bags from Amazon. I paid $40 but they are now $60. I only used 2 of them for this project.
3. 2 x 150' 1/4" sisal rope for trim. I bought the green, so I paid $20 for a roll $40 (could cut amount I only used 1 1/4 rolls)
4. Padding/round pillow foam for the top. (I already had this)
Tools:
Glue gun
Heavy duty stapler
Drill
Sewing machine or hand needle
Instuctions:
1. We attached the inside support board, placing a washer on each side of the cardboard form, and drilling through into the wood. Repeating x4.
2. We glued the felt to the form and stapled it through the cardboard at the seams.
3. We cut the sisal bags, and then doubled them, so that they would be very thick. We cut them so that the desired pattern would show, and so that they were the correct size plus a generous seam allowance. After stitching the sides and the front& back together, we placed it on the form using hot glue and staples. We folded the ends to create a nice finish and glued and stapled them to the cardboard.
4. We then added sisal rope to the top, bottom, and a strip in the middle for trim. To do this, we punched a hole in the cardboard tube, and pulled the rope inside. We stapled it well, and then pulled it tight and wrapped it around the post. To tie the end off we just glued the end and placed one staple through to the cardboard tube.
5. We added the L shaped brackets to the support posts and then attached them to the base and top.
6. We made a padding for the top plate using more sisal and a little padding. We used hot glue and staples to attach it to the wooden top. We used a little more rope to trim around the top, so that the fabric edges did not show.
Finished photo:
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