Covers How to make a lid for cage out of closet shelving?

[magicpiggie]

Hi everyone!

In the near future, I am going to upgrade my cage to a 2x5 C&C cage. I also plan on making a lid out of closet shelving. But I don't quite get how to make the lid. From what I understand, the shelving will only take up half of the width of the cage. Will I have to get two pieces of shelving and zip tie it together? How will the lid not droop into the cage?

Could somebody please explain to me how to make the lid? It would be greatly appreciated if you would post pictures or videos as well.

 

[bpatters]

Two pieces of shelving, no need to tie them together. Just put them over the top of the cage.

 

[magicpiggie]

Will that be dog and toddler proof?

 

[bpatters]

Dog proof for sure, maybe not toddler proof. But you can get all sorts of clips at a hardware store that would let you clip the lid down.

 

[magicpiggie]

I'm still a bit confused, if not more, after reading more threads. So if you don't tie the lids together, you just take the shelving off completely every time you lift it up? And which side does the lip go on? I know a bar is not needed, but would it make the lid more sturdy?

 

[sallyvh]

I just recently built a new closet shelving cage with closet shelving lid for my girls. It's dog and 5 cat proof.

I used two panels of shelving and placed the lips hanging over the front and back ends of the cage. I used an aluminum bar for mine as I didn't like how much it swayed in when the cats were sitting on it.

I zip tied the two pieces together loosely so that they are still attached but act as a hinge so I can fully open the front panel. The back lid piece is zip tied on to the back corners of the cage.

Every time I open my cage I just lift the front panel and it bends over to rest on the back.

I don't have really any detailed pictures of the lid but I can take some tomorrow and post them. For now I'll just post what I have to see if you can get an idea.

 

[bpatters]

Like @sallyvh, I let the lip hang over the front and the back. To clean the cage, I just flip the front piece over the back piece, or take them both off if I'm wiping down all the coroplast/walls/back grids/etc.

We have a 17 pound cat, and the grids don't sag in the middle on our cage.

Just try it out and put it on any way you like. There's no right or wrong way, just whatever works for you.

 

[lissie]

Make sure to get the 16" deep shelves. The regular 12" deep shelves won't work.

 

[magicpiggie]

@lissie The width of a 2x5 is 28", correct? So should I get one 12" and one 16" so both of them will match up to 28"? Because if I get two 16" it will be too wide.

 

[lissie]

@lissie The width of a 2x5 is 28", correct? So should I get one 12" and one 16" so both of them will match up to 28"? Because if I get two 16" it will be too wide.

That could work, but make sure to measure them first. They might be 11.50" or 11.75" for the actual depth. If you want overhang on both sides, the 16" deep (actual depth might be 15.75") will work for sure.

 

[sallyvh]

You want it to be a little longer on the front and back. A little overhang is a good thing.