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11 Helpful DIY Porch Potties You Can Make Today (With Pictures)
Even if you don’t normally think of yourself as a DIYer, there are times when making something on your own can save you lots of time and money. If you’re a pet parent, for example, you might have noticed how expensive some porch potties are for your dog. So, why not just build one yourself instead?
The 11 DIY Porch Potties
1. Dog Porch Potty by Instructables
| Materials: | Wood beams, linoleum, tubing, caulk, screws, artificial turf, linoleum glue, pressboard, plastic fluorescent light grate |
| Tools: | Drill, circular saw |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
If you have a circular saw and you’re looking for a weekend project, then this dog porch potty is a great option. This project does involve some careful measurements and cutting, as well as ensuring the linoleum is properly secured into place. If it isn’t, then you could end up with dog urine underneath the linoleum. This means that you won’t be able to clean it properly and the wood may begin to rot from moisture.
You’ll also need to ensure you provide adequate drying time for the glue and caulk. Otherwise, things may slip out of place and make your porch potty less secure. It’s a good idea to have more than one piece of artificial turf that is cut to fit your porch potty so you can always have a clean one down while you clean and dry the other.
2. Porch Potty Build by Caleb's Shop
| Materials: | Pond tubing, plywood, steel pegboard, deck screws, wood beams, PVC pond liner, exterior sealant, artificial turf, brad nails |
| Tools: | Drill, impact driver, miter saw, table saw, jig saw, brad nailer, pocket hole jig, tape measure |
| Difficulty Level: | Difficult |
Do you have technical know-how and multiple power tools? Then this porch potty build is just for you! This project does require quite a bit of measuring and cutting, as well as some specific tools and technical ability, so this isn’t the best project for a weekend project with your kids. However, if you’re looking for a porch potty that’s going to look beautiful on your patio, then you’re in the right place with this one.
3. DIY Pet Porch Potty by Living to DIY
| Materials: | Astroturf, resin fire hydrant, metal grate, metal handles, wood beams, dowels, screws, wood glue, PVC pipe, durable plastic sheet or pond liner, wood stain (optional) |
| Tools: | Drill, miter saw, tape measure |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
This DIY pet porch potty can be put together in a day or two, making it a great option for a weekend project. It does require the use of some power tools, so you will need to be prepared for some technical skills and careful measurements. It also requires creating divots in the wood beams for the dowels and PVC pipe to fit into, so you may need a specialty drill bit to create perfectly sized divots.
This project uses wood stain to make a more appealing porch potty, but this step is optional and is dependent on how you want it to look. Also, the fire hydrant is optional but definitely creates a fun touch that your male dog might appreciate.
4. Balcony Porch Potty by Oodle Life
| Materials: | Pine wood, PVC plastic board, wooden battens, steel lattice, pond liner, spare wood, cable ties, fake grass, timber screws, nails, wood staples, PVC pipe, L-shaped PVC piece, metal pipe fastener, silicone sealant |
| Tools: | Drill, hammer, nail gun, circular saw, impact drill |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
This balcony porch potty is a very similar build to the previous DIY project, except this one includes instructions on how to pipe your porch potty away from its base. This makes it a good option for balconies or raised porches.
Piping it out will allow you to set exactly where you want the waste and cleaning water to exit the potty. Without piping it out, your drain will simply drain to the closest and lowest point. By piping your potty out, you will be able to prevent mishaps with drainage and pipe the waste away from things like flower beds and children’s play areas.
5. Homemade Doggy Potty by Instructables
| Materials: | Boot tray, tile or linoleum, fake grass, puppy pads, decorative garden fence (optional) |
| Tools: | Box cutter or knife |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
It doesn’t get much simpler than this homemade doggy potty, and most of the materials can be purchased at your local dollar store. If you’re lucky, you can create this entire build for under $10! If you want this to last, you might consider getting more expensive, higher-quality materials than what you can find at a dollar store, though.
Puppy pads should be changed at least once a day, but most puppy pads will need to be changed multiple times per day, especially if your dog produces a lot of urine. The artificial grass will also need to be cleaned and disinfected every day to keep it hygienic and prevent unpleasant smells.
6. DIY Porch Potty Design by Imgur
| Materials: | Drip pan, plywood, drain spout, wood, steel, screws, nails, and sod |
| Tools: | Hammer and a screwdriver |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
While this might seem like a simple porch potty at first glance, all the advanced features it offers make it an outstanding choice if you’re looking to customize the exact dimensions a bit to match your porch. Just know that while it’s an excellent porch potty, it doesn’t have a self-flushing system, which is why we recommend flushing it with a watering can after each use.
That might take away some of the convenience, but it’s how it will last month after month and year after year.
7. DIY Rock Porch Potty by Photographic Mom-ory
| Materials: | Shower pan, wood tote, and river rock |
| Tools: | Hammer and a drill |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
While most porch potties use a grass base, there are a ton of advantages to going with a stone porch potty like this one. It’s easier to clean, lasts longer, and it looks great! The tradeoff is that lots of dogs don’t want to do their business on stone, but once you train them to use it, you shouldn’t have any problems.
The most effective method to get them to go there is to spread the scent of their urine there, although this isn’t always the most pleasant process from start to finish.
8. Super Simple DIY Porch Potty by Firefly's Haven
| Materials: | Wooden tray, screws, plastic tarp, kitty litter, grid, and sod/turf |
| Tools: | Table saw, drill, and sandpaper |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
You don’t need to overthink it. When you want to build a porch potty for your dog, you need layers to get everything to drain properly, and that’s exactly what this porch potty design offers. There’s a grass, litter, filter, and tarp layer, and when you piece it all together, you get an excellent porch potty that can last years.
Even better, the guide does a great job of walking you through everything you need to do to build it, making it easier than ever to build your own!
9. Quick and Easy Porch Potty by HubPages
| Materials: | 4’ x 4’ plywood, (4) 8’ x 2” x 2”, 3” nails, and (2) rolls of sod |
| Tools: | Drill and drill bits |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
You need a porch potty, what you don’t need is a massive and complicated project to build one. If that sounds like you, this super simple, easy, and effective porch potty is exactly what you’re looking for. It uses a plywood base, some nails, and some sod, making it an excellent choice for novice DIYers.
You also don’t need a ton of tools. As long as you have a drill and a drill bit, you should be able to get the job done.
10. DIY Fancy Porch Potty by dengarden
| Materials: | (2) 2” x 6” x 8’ boards, (2) 1” x 4” x 8’, (2) 1” x 2” x 8’, 0.5” x 4’ x 8’ plywood sheet, plastic shower curtain, (2) 0.5” x 10’ PVC pipe, 0.25” 23 gauge steel hardware cloth, 1.5” PVC 90 degree elbow, 1.5” x 2’ PVC pipe, #10 3” wood screws, #8 1 5/8” construction screws, silicone kitchen and bath sealant, sod, and staples |
| Tools: | Drill and driver, staple gun, tape measure, driver bit set, hole saw with arbor, 6” spade drill bit, and 2 foldable sawhorses |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
Just because you need a porch potty doesn’t mean it can’t look great. This isn’t the easiest porch potty to build, but once you finish, you’re getting a great-looking porch potty that can last for years. Not only that, but it looks great and features enough filtration that it shouldn’t smell bad either.
It uses natural grass, and you can customize the dimensions to give your pups as much space as they need while still fitting on your porch!
11. DIY Gravel and Grass Porch Potty by Balcony Boss
| Materials: | Lumber, screws, peg board, landscape fabric, garden soil, grass, and pea gravel |
| Tools: | Drill |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
Some porch potties use grass, and others use gravel, but with this one, you get both! But while the design looks great, there are functional advantages to having a rock side. It’s easier to maintain and helps with filtration, and over time, your pup can get used to using the rock side to relieve themselves.
Overall, the guide does a great job of walking you through everything you need to do to build it yourself, and you can customize the dimensions a bit to fit your porch or balcony.
In Conclusion
No matter what type of porch potty you need for your dog, there is something here for you, even if you aren’t technically inclined. Porch potties are a great option for people who live in condos and apartments, dogs who have trouble getting up and down stairs, and house-training puppies.
Some people also use porch potties during bad weather, so their dog has a comfy place to potty without making a mess in the house. Just remember that porch potties all require routine cleaning and maintenance to keep them clean, safe, and stink-free.
See Also:
Featured Image Credit: VidaHawaii, Shutterstock
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After nine years as a veterinary assistant, Brooke Billingsley transitioned to a career as a nurse in 2013. She lives in Arkansas with her boyfriend, sharing their home with three dogs, two cats, five fish, and two snails. A dedicated animal lover, Brooke has a special place in her heart for special needs pets, including a three-legged senior dog and a famous cat with acromegaly and cerebellar hypoplasia. Fish keeping is one of her hobbies, and she is constantly improving her knowledge to care for her aquarium pets. Brooke is an active yoga enthusiast, having obtained her 200-hour yoga teacher certification in 2020. She believes in the importance of continuous learning and dedicates time each day to developing new skills and expanding her knowledge.
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