Our 8×10 DIY catio · Rocco & Reeses
An 8×10 catio for our Philadelphia strays.
The site is called The Crafty Catsman for a reason. We started this journey in Philadelphia, completing DIY projects while the neighborhood strays watched us.
Rocco and Reeses came with us when we moved. This is how we gave them a little more freedom outside.
By The Crafty CatsmanPublished Updated
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From our backyard
The enclosure was usable and furnished by this point. The pressure-treated frame still had to dry before I painted it.
See how the enclosure fits together
Explore my catio in 3D
Rotate the frame, follow six assembly stages, and select individual pieces. You can hide a wall, separate the assemblies, or print a model reference to keep beside the build photos.
This illustration follows my own build and reported measurements; remaining dimensions and connections are unverified. It is not a construction-ready cutting plan.
I built our 8×10 catio on a separate raised platform, moved the door to the front, enclosed it with black welded wire and a clear roof, then connected it to a small two-level window catio through a hidden tunnel under the deck. These are my build notes; the 3D model and modified dimensions are illustrative, not construction-ready plans.
Why we built it
Seven neighborhood strays. Two became family.
We had quite a few—at least seven regulars would hang out back.
Philadelphia · the breakfast window
Our first catio started beside her breakfast bench.
Our first catio started as an outdoor setup paired with the window bench I built for our daughter, so she and the cats could eat breakfast together.
This grew, with two strays really making a connection to her: Rocco, our website's mascot and the pilot of the spaceship in Worlds, and Reeses. When we decided to leave Philadelphia, these two were so ingrained in our family that we decided to take them with us.
See the window bench they shared
The move · a different kind of street
I hated the idea of taking away their freedom.
The suburbs have different predators than the streets of Philadelphia. Our neighbors cautioned us that the tree line behind our house was home to more than one hawk, along with other predators our two furballs had never had to deal with.
We wanted them to go outside. I hated the idea of taking away their freedom, so I drew up plans that would give them the feeling of free roaming while putting a strong boundary between them and the wildlife beyond the mesh.
The connection · hidden beneath the deck
Two catios, connected by a secret tunnel.
Our catio system is interconnected by a secret tunnel. We love secret entrances—our hidden bookcase door is proof—so I ran this one beneath the deck.
The tunnel connects a smaller, two-level deck catio to the large 8×10 full-size one. From inside the house, the cats can choose the little room, follow the hidden route, or keep going until the larger enclosure opens around them.
The point of no return
First, I had to get sign-off from my wife.
Getting sign-off from my wife—and asking her to trust me enough to cut a hole in our deck. Thankfully, she did.
The project is a lot easier than it might seem. For the larger catio, building a platform deck at the base made the rest of the project cleaner and easier.
See the floating platform deck method
Choose your scale
Start with the space that fits your budget.
A compact window enclosure and a room-size catio solve the same problem at very different scales.
Smaller window catio
Basic enclosureA compact first build
About$100to start
A compact frame-and-mesh enclosure at a simple site can reasonably start around this target. Price the cat access, clear roof, exterior finish, mounting, and any tunnel separately. Your dimensions and local prices decide the total.
See the smaller buildFull 8×10 catio
estimateA raised platform and enclosure
Plan$1,500–$3,000
This is a planning range, not our receipt total. The hidden tunnel, interior cat furniture, lighting, and landscaping sit outside it.
Plan the larger buildI designed the layout around our space: a smaller catio on the deck, a hidden tunnel beneath it, and this 8×10 room on its own floating deck. The front-facing door, tunnel entrance, and cedar climbing tree grew out of what worked for our yard, Rocco, and Reeses.
- Footprint
- 8×10 feetRaised platform beneath the enclosure.
- My build time
- Several weekendsThe usable enclosure came before paint and finish work.
- The connection
- Two enclosed spacesA window catio and an 8×10 room, joined beneath our deck.
- Current status
- Usable; finish work ongoingPainting and small finish jobs continued after move-in.
Seven walkarounds
I didn’t video document too much, but I did take progress videos of the space as I cleared and built it.
The shrubs came out first. Then came mulch, perimeter boards, the joist grid, deck boards, standing walls, and rafters. I was recording the work as I went, not setting up a tripod, so the angle changes from one visit to the next.
- 01Clearing the corner
- 02Site preparation
- 03Laying out 8×10
- 04Platform frame
- 05Working surface
- 06Wall framing
- 07Roof line
01 Clearing the corner
The shrubs had to come out first.
Cut branches, exposed soil, and the deck lattice were still filling the frame. There was no platform to measure from yet.02 Site preparation
I cleared and mulched the footprint.
The rake was still sitting in the bed. This was the unglamorous part: clear the roots, watch the grade, and make room to work.03 Laying out 8×10
The first boards fixed the footprint.
Once the pressure-treated perimeter was on the ground, I could stop imagining the size and start checking the rectangle.04 Platform frame
The joist grid turned the outline into a floor.
I checked level and square before closing it up. The supports and member sizes still have to be worked out for the site where you build.05 Working surface
Deck boards gave me a place to build the walls.
The finished platform became the workbench. I could lay each wall frame flat, square it, and stand it from the same surface.06 Wall framing
The walls went up one at a time.
Each frame was braced, plumbed, and tied to the next. I kept the front opening for the door I had moved from the source layout.07 Roof line
The rafters made the enclosure take shape.
The ladder was still inside and the roof was not finished, but this was the first walkaround where the full height was easy to read.
Designing for our space
A floating deck below. Room to roam above. A hidden connection between both catios.
I learned from other catio builds, then worked out a layout for our own yard. I built a separate floating deck, put the door on the yard-facing front, and made the tunnel opening fit the space under our deck. Your platform and openings need measurements taken where you build.
How I set the range: the source plan currently estimates $1,000–$2,500. I widened that to $1,500–$3,000 for a separate raised platform, DeerBusters wire, a clear roof, exterior hardware, and a basic finish at July 2026 prices. It does not include the tunnel, cedar tree, furniture, lighting, or landscaping, and it is not a total from my receipts.
Support
A simple 2×4 base on a thoroughly leveled or paved area.
A separate pressure-treated post-and-joist platform with blocking and deck boards.
Support sizes, spans, depth, drainage, frost conditions, and local requirements for your site.
Openings
A wall schedule with a door opening and an adjustable tunnel opening.
I moved the door to the yard-facing front and routed the cat entry under the deck.
Door swing, finished opening, tunnel arrival, cleaning access, and escape control before cutting wall parts.
Enclosure
Generic hardware cloth or wire attached to the exterior frame.
Black PVC-coated DeerBusters welded wire: a 3×100-foot roll, 14-gauge galvanized core, and a 2-inch grid.
The spacing, strength, fasteners, overlaps, and edge treatment your cats and local wildlife require.
Interior
Plywood shelf modules supported by small framed brackets.
A cedar tree, turf, furniture, lights, plants, and the tunnel entrance.
Reachable cleaning paths, repair access, fall distances, and how your cats use vertical space.
Buying and cutting baseline
Plan materials for your layout, platform, and openings.
This inventory does not size or count the posts, beams, joists, blocking, decking, hangers, or structural fasteners in my raised platform. It also does not correct wall cuts after a door is moved.
Materials for our catio
Build a bill of materials for your space.
The source-plan quantities below are a starting reference. This worksheet separates what I can identify on my build from the measurements still needed to order lumber, roof panels, wire and hardware. Blank quantities are deliberate: the 3D illustration does not supply verified cut lengths or a complete takeoff.
Download the materials planning worksheet (CSV) →| Build section | What I know from my build | Before ordering |
|---|---|---|
| Raised platform | Reported platform envelope: 120 × 96 inches. Supports, beams, joists, blocking, decking and structural hardware are separate from the source-plan enclosure base. | All member sizes, spans, support locations, board counts and fastener quantities need a site-specific plan. |
| Wall frame | The illustrated front uses wider framing and a centered door. Front-bay measurements are owner observations, not a complete wall schedule. | Confirm actual lumber sections, outside frame dimensions, joints and every opening before counting stock or setting cuts. |
| Door and hardware | Owner-reported door: 69 × 31½ inches; nominal 2×4 framing with a 2×6 bottom rail. The measurement reference still needs checking. | Verify leaf versus opening size, clearances, rail joints, hinge count, latch and exterior fastener specification. |
| Rafters and roof | Six rafters reported on this build. Clear polycarbonate roof, panel-specific fasteners and closures. | Rafter sections and cut lengths, pitch, overhangs, panel coverage, overlaps and fastening schedule remain unverified. |
| Enclosure wire | Black PVC-coated DeerBusters welded wire, 14-gauge galvanized core, 2-inch grid; purchased in a 3 × 100-foot roll format. | Lay out each panel, seam, opening and edge attachment. Roll format is not a confirmed number of rolls consumed. |
| Window catio and tunnel | A smaller white window enclosure connects through the deck to a plywood-and-wire tunnel and a separate opening in the large catio. | Separate project: no tunnel length, section, slope, bend, stock count or cut size is supplied by the visual map. |
| Finish and furnishings | Cedar tree parts, turf, furniture, lights and plants are shown in the finished build. | Choose the finish and furnishings separately; their quantities are not included in the source-plan enclosure list. |
The small window catio and hidden tunnel need their own materials list. The connection map shows where the cats travel; it does not estimate those quantities.
I read Ovidiu's “8×10 Catio – Free DIY Plans” on MyOutdoorPlans while learning how to build a catio. The stock quantities and exact cuts below are from that reference, accessed July 30, 2026. They are not a measured cut list for our catio; our floating deck, layout, and tunnel connection need their own measurements.
Source-plan lumber
- 2 pieces of 2×4×8 lumber
- 2 pieces of 2×4×10 lumber
- 33 pieces of 2×2×8 lumber
- 4 pieces of 2×2×10 lumber
- 7 pieces of 2×2×12 lumber
Source-plan roof and trim
- About 100 square feet of polycarbonate
- 2 pieces of 1×3×8 lumber
- 2 pieces of 1×3×12 lumber
Source-plan sheet goods and hardware
- 1 sheet of ¾-inch plywood, 4×8 feet
- About 50 3½-inch exterior screws
- About 300 2½-inch exterior screws
- Exterior hinges and a secure latch
- Hardware cloth or enclosure wire
- Wood glue and paint or stain
Not included in that list
Added or remeasured for my build
- Site-specific supports, beams, joists, blocking, decking, hangers, and structural fasteners for the raised platform
- Black PVC-coated DeerBusters welded wire in a 3×100-foot roll
- Panel-specific polycarbonate fasteners and closures
- Site-specific tunnel framing, enclosure, drainage, and ventilation materials
- Cedar tree parts, turf, lighting, plants, and furnishings
Exact source-plan cuts
Keep the schedule beside the source drawings.
These dimensions are factual reference points from the source plan. Verify its drawings and recalculate every part affected by your platform, door, tunnel, lumber, or local requirements.
- Base
- Two 2×4s at 93 in.; two 2×4s at 120 in.
- Front wall
- Two 2×2s at 117 in.; five at 85 in.; four at 27½ in.; one 2×4 at 27½ in.
- Back wall
- Two 2×2s at 117 in.; five at 85 in.; three at 27½ in.
- Side wall
- Two 2×2s at 96 in.; four at 85½ in.; four at 30 in.
- Opposite wall
- Two 2×2s at 96 in.; four at 95½ in.; five at 30 in.; one at 22 in.
- Rafters
- Seven 2×2s at 120⅝ in., with 5-degree cuts at both ends.
- Roof
- About 100 sq. ft. of polycarbonate.
- Roof trim
- Two 1×3s at 122¼ in.; two at 96 in.
- Source door
- Two 2×2s at 69 in.; two at 27½ in.; eight at 8¾ in.
- Source shelves
- Four 2×2s at 30 in.; eight at 14½ in.; four ¾-in. plywood shelves at 7¼ × 30 in.; one at 30⅜ × 31½ in.
Site and platform
Steps 01–03Build step
Lock the footprint, front door, and tunnel
Before I cut the enclosure, I marked the 8×10 footprint, moved the door to the yard-facing front, and chose where the under-deck tunnel would enter.
- Mark the full footprint and leave working room around the door, roof edge, and enclosure.
- Check property setbacks, permits, buried utilities, drainage, frost conditions, wind and snow exposure, and local wildlife.
- Choose the tunnel opening and door swing before accepting any wall cut as final.
- Sketch the changed wall openings and label every cut that no longer matches the source plan.
Build step
Clear and prepare the site
I removed the overgrown shrubs, cleared the corner, leveled the working area, and put ground fabric and mulch beneath the future platform.
- Remove plants and roots that interfere with the footprint or future service access.
- Watch how water moves through the corner before covering the ground.
- Level the working area without creating a low spot against the enclosure or house.
- Install the ground and drainage layer that fits your soil and climate.
Build step
Build and square the raised platform
I built a separate floating deck beneath the enclosure, with pressure-treated supports, rim framing, joists, blocking, and deck boards.
- Size the supports, beams, joists, connections, and spans for your soil, climate, loads, and local rules.
- Square the outside frame by comparing diagonals before filling in the joists.
- Install the joists and blocking, then recheck level and square before decking.
- Fasten the deck boards while preserving drainage and future access around the tunnel.
I treated the floor as its own small deck. The photographs show the joist grid, blocking, hangers, ground fabric, and deck surface. Do not take platform member sizes or support details from these photos. That structural takeoff is site-specific.
Parts and openings
Steps 04–06Build step
Recalculate, cut, and label the enclosure parts
A reference cut schedule helps show how an enclosure breaks into parts. Your finished platform, front door, and tunnel opening determine the cuts for your own layout.
- Keep your measured layout beside any reference drawings and cut schedules.
- Redraw the wall openings before cutting any short blocking or door pieces.
- Confirm the built platform dimensions rather than assuming the frame matches a paper measurement.
- Label parts by wall and opening so the changed pieces do not get mixed into the stock layout.
Build step
Frame the walls flat and raise them
I assembled the changed wall frames flat on the finished platform, checked them for square, and stood them up one at a time.
- Lay each labeled wall out on the platform and align the edges before fastening.
- Compare diagonals and correct the frame before it leaves the floor.
- Raise one wall at a time, brace it, plumb it, and tie adjoining walls together.
- Recheck the full rectangle before adding the roof or wire; small errors become harder to correct later.
Build step
Build, dry-fit, and hang the front door
I built our door to fit the finished opening and hung it on the front face that made sense from the yard.
- Measure the framed opening after the walls are plumb and square.
- Build and brace the door, then dry-fit it before wire closes the frame.
- Confirm swing clearance, hinge placement, latch reach, and a safe way to control the opening while entering.
- Cycle the door repeatedly and correct sag or binding before moving on.
I put the built door in the relocated front opening instead of keeping the source opening in its original wall. The actual door lengths are not recorded here. Size your door from the finished opening and the clearance your hardware requires.
Roof and enclosure
Steps 07–08Build step
Set the rafters and clear roof
I used clear polycarbonate over sloped rafters to bring daylight into the catio and direct runoff toward the back.
- The source baseline uses seven 2×2 rafters at 120⅝ inches with 5-degree cuts at both ends.
- Place the source rafters at 16 inches on center only after verifying that layout against your changed frame and selected panels.
- Install polycarbonate with the panel manufacturer’s required supports, overlaps, fasteners, expansion space, and closures.
- Direct runoff away from the enclosure, house, tunnel, and places where people walk.
I kept the clear roof idea because it lets daylight in while the enclosure sheds weather. Your panel profile and manufacturer—not this page—control fastening, overlap, support, expansion, and runoff details.
Build step
Fasten the welded wire and close every edge
I used a black 3×100-foot DeerBusters roll instead of generic hardware cloth and fastened it tightly to the wood frame.
- Plan the roll direction and seams before cutting so the visible grid stays aligned.
- Keep the mesh under even tension while fastening it to the structural frame.
- Give extra attention to the door, corners, roof line, tunnel opening, and any overlap.
- Trim, fold, cap, or otherwise cover every cut edge, then inspect it by hand before the cats enter.
Mine is black PVC-coated welded wire with a 14-gauge galvanized core and a 2-inch grid. Choose spacing and strength for your cats and local wildlife, then run your hand over every seam, fastener, opening, and cut edge.
Build step · hidden connection
The small catio sits over the hole I cut in the deck.
The small white window catio sits over the deck opening. Below it, the enclosed tunnel runs under the deck and reaches this catio at a square opening in the cedar wall.
See how both catios connect in the 3D overview →
- Bring the tunnel into the opening reserved before the wall frame was cut.
- Close every transition so a cat cannot reach an unfinished edge or gap.
- Check for trapped water, sharp wire, blocked airflow, and repair areas you cannot reach.
- Test the full tunnel and both closure points before allowing unsupervised access.
My tunnel is hidden under the deck and joins the large catio to the smaller white window catio. Measure the opening, slope, drainage, ventilation, framing, and service access where your tunnel lands. The opening shown here is not a cut size for another site.
The photos show the opening at each end; the enclosed middle stays hidden under the deck.
See how I built the separate Window-Box CatioBuild step · the interior
A neighbor's cedar came down. It went back up inside the catio.
A neighbor’s cedar came down, so I brought rounds and branches home and built the climbing tree around them before adding turf, furniture, lights, and plants.
- Add shelves, trees, and furniture without blocking cleaning paths, the door, or the tunnel exit.
- Keep climbing surfaces stable and check the fall distance between levels.
- Leave access to wire seams, roof fasteners, lighting, and any area that may need repair.
- Secure every interior piece before the cats use it.
I used the fallen cedar as the main climbing structure and kept the purple heartwood visible in the platform rounds. Check safe vertical spacing for your cats, the stability of every platform, and access for cleaning and repairs.
Build step · move-in and finish
Rocco claimed the shelf while I was still working on the room.
The enclosure became usable in raw pressure-treated lumber. After it dried, I returned with grey paint and lights; small finish jobs are still ongoing.
Rocco-Kabuki—Bubby Bear to us—is the grey one. Reeses is the other cat. They are both about seven, although we do not know their exact ages.
- Follow the lumber and coating manufacturer’s drying and preparation requirements.
- If practical, coat the accessible frame before installing wire; painting behind mesh is slow work.
- Check the latch, door gap, wire edges, roof runoff, tunnel, shelves, and every fastener.
- Repeat the inspection after weather, paint, or any change to the interior.
If I did it again, I would let the treated lumber dry and paint before installing the wire. Reaching every little space behind the mesh is the tax on doing it later.
Before you copy my build
8×10 catio FAQ
How much does an 8×10 DIY catio cost?
As of July 2026, I would budget $1,500–$3,000 for a comparable raised platform and enclosure with a wood frame, DeerBusters welded wire, a clear polycarbonate roof, door, exterior hardware and basic finish. That is a planning range, not my receipt total. The hidden tunnel, cedar tree, furniture, lighting and landscaping are additional, and local prices vary.
How long did your 8×10 catio take to build?
Mine took several weekends. The enclosure became usable before it was painted; I let the pressure-treated lumber dry, then returned to paint and add lighting. Small finish jobs are still ongoing.
Are these construction-ready 8×10 catio plans?
No. This page documents my own build: an 8×10 enclosure on a separate floating deck, with a front-facing door and a hidden tunnel to the smaller catio. I learned from other catio plans, but developed the layout around our yard. The credited stock and cut schedule is a reference, not a measured list for my finished build. Verify your site, structure, openings, products and local requirements before ordering or cutting.
Is the 3D catio model a building plan?
No. It is a photo-informed illustration for understanding assembly stages, individual parts and the relationship between the two catios. The platform envelope is reported at 120 × 96 inches, but individual sizes, connections, cut lengths, elevations and tunnel dimensions remain unverified. Use the guide and source plan for context, then measure your own build.
What materials did you use for the raised catio?
The enclosure combines lumber framing, a clear polycarbonate roof, exterior screws and hardware, a secure hinged door, and black PVC-coated DeerBusters welded wire with a 14-gauge galvanized core and 2-inch grid. I used a fallen cedar tree for the climbing structure inside. My raised platform adds site-specific supports, beams, joists, blocking, decking, hangers and structural fasteners; the worksheet deliberately leaves unverified quantities blank.
How do the window catio and the 8×10 catio connect?
The cats enter a small two-level enclosure beside our dining-room window. A concealed opening drops through the deck into a plywood-and-wire tunnel, which runs beneath the deck and reaches a framed opening in the cedar wall of the 8×10 catio. The photos show both ends; the 3D connection map is illustrative and does not provide tunnel dimensions.
What wire mesh did you use, and is the catio predator-proof?
I used black PVC-coated DeerBusters welded wire with a 14-gauge galvanized core and a 2-inch grid, purchased in a 3 × 100-foot roll format. I would not call any build predator-proof from the mesh alone: grid size, seams, fasteners, cut edges, door, roof line, ground or platform, and both tunnel transitions all need to suit the cats and local wildlife.
Use this as field notes
Keep the source drawings open, then measure the yard in front of you.
This page documents how I changed a published starting plan. It does not replace that plan, panel instructions, local code, or site-specific structural decisions.
After dark
The lights came later.
The structure took several weekends. Painting and small finish jobs kept going after Rocco and Reeses had moved in, and I still come back to touch up paint, adjust the lights, and finish the small jobs.
