Michelle Kim

Background

My partner and I are working on a staircase for our puppy, Mugi, to get on and off the bed without assistance. Mugi is a very consistent alarm. Every morning he loudly exclaims, demanding to be lifted up so that he can assault us with fishy kisses. In our desire to save ourselves a few extra seconds of peace each morning, we decided to build the furry prince a staircase so he can bring himself up on the bed when he pleases. This way, he is always welcome to encroach on our sleep.

Method

We began by drawing out the initial design, collecting wood from our school’s makerspace, and then I planned out the pieces we needed to cut from 2×4 planks as well as 3mm and 6mm birch sheets. We planned to make two step levels that could be taken apart or locked together with a completely wooden locking mechanism using a dowel as a key. This way, each step could be used individually, as stools, or kept together when needed.

Then we cut out the pieces necessary, and assembled them like DIY Ikea furniture, using wood glue and wood screws to secure each joint. After each major section of assembly, we sanded the edges and corners to ensure the stairs are puppy-proof.

Using Adobe Illustrator, I designed pawprint cutouts in the wood side panels. Then I cut out the same inverted design from glossy white 3mm acrylic to fill in the cutouts from the wood panels. This created an aesthetic design, especially coupled with the wood stain we picked out to fit the color scheme of the room.

Assembling the pieces together reveals a semi-finished staircase! This project is still a work-in-progress. Future steps involve designing and cutting the remaining side panels, as well as purchasing and installing battery-powered lights to attached to the inside of each level so that the laser cut designs will glow in the dark.

Hopefully, he likes it as much as he likes chicken.