- Galvanized 1/2"x1/2" to 2” x 3” grid-opening fencing wire (depends on how you want it to look)
- 2x2 wooden boards (8' long)
- Boards for shelves
Free version of Trimble Sketchup (formerly Google Sketchup): https://app.sketchup.com/app
The free version is now a web-browser based app. Unfortunatly, the desktop version is no longer available for free, but there's a 30-day trial period.
Here's the image with dimensions from Maya:
Placement:
Problem: hard to build. Solution: Turn into panels (front, side, and back panels). Also, there's no door to the right yet.
Updated design has 6 panels.
- 1 front panel
- 3 side panels
- 2 top panels
Further simplified:
- lower and top box are constructed separately
- 6 different panel types (each type has the same dimensions) make up the whole catio. 10 panels total. (2 panels have hinged doors.)
The top cage could be lifted off, if attached with some kind of pin and hook system, for example.
An exploded view shows that panel type A (28x48'') makes up almost all of the top part, and is used once in the lower part.
To make cutting and clamping easier, the panel has been slightly updated so that all horizontal pieces have the same length (26 inches).
Panel B is basically Panel A with a small door.
Panel C is comprised of a large rectangular frame, with a small door at the lower left.
Panel D faces the wall, and has an opening to the cat door that leads inside the house. One could divide the left section using a horizontal strut (2'3'' long), and cover the top section with mesh, leaving only a small part where the door is uncovered.
Panel E is the lower top cover.
The topmost cover panel.
I'd probably drill some pilot holes, so that the screws hit the rectangular face of the lumber right in the middle. (Also, less chance of the wood splitting.) The better the 90-degree cuts of the 2x2s are, the easier it will be to get a frame that's also rectangular.
