homestead.fyi / DUCKHOUSE-10

Duck House for 10

A ground-level 8 x 5 ft house for 10 ducks on a pressure-treated base, framed in 2x4s, sided in plywood, with a door, a pop door and two high vents under a sloped metal roof.

Draft plan, generated from the model. Not yet build-tested.
10Ducks
96 x 60 inFootprint
40 sq ftFloor
30 to 36 inHeight
14 to 20 hrBuild time
$616.27Materials

Drawings All dimensions in inches

3D viewfinished
3D view
3D view, framingsiding and roof removed
3D view, framing
Front elevation
Front elevation 102 in 45 3/8 in
Right elevation
Right elevation 70 in 45 3/8 in
Plan viewfrom above
Plan view 102 in 70 in

Cut list: lumber Long-point lengths; angles noted

QtyStockLengthPartCut
12x496Front top platelaid flat
12x496Back top platelaid flat
52x470 3/8Rafterboth ends plumb cut 5.7°
12x453 1/4Left top platelaid flat
12x453 1/4Right top platelaid flat
72x433Front stud
12x433Left studtop cut to the slope
12x433Right studtop cut to the slope
12x432 3/4Left studtop cut to the slope
12x430 7/8Left studtop cut to the slope
12x430 1/4Right studtop cut to the slope
12x429 1/4Left studtop cut to the slope
12x427 5/8Left studtop cut to the slope
12x427 5/8Right studtop cut to the slope
12x427 1/4Left studtop cut to the slope
12x427 1/4Right studtop cut to the slope
52x427Back stud
12x424Front door headerlaid flat
22x421Door battenlaid flat
12x414Left door headerlaid flat
12x47 1/2Front cripple
12x4 PT96Base fronton edge
12x4 PT96Base backon edge
12x4 PT96Front bottom platelaid flat
12x4 PT96Back bottom platelaid flat
52x4 PT57Base joiston edge
12x4 PT53Left bottom platelaid flat
12x4 PT53Right bottom platelaid flat
5roof70 3/8Roof panelcut to length, lap one rib

Cut list: sheet goods

PartStockSizeNote
Floor 13/4 ply48 x 60
Floor 23/4 ply48 x 60
Front siding 11/2 ply48 x 36 1/2door is the cutout, re-hung
Front siding 21/2 ply49 x 36 1/2door is the cutout, re-hung
Back siding 11/2 ply48 x 30 1/2
Back siding 21/2 ply49 x 30 1/2
Left siding 11/2 ply48 x 36 1/2door is the cutout, re-hung
Left siding 21/2 ply12 x 31 3/4
Right siding 11/2 ply48 x 36 1/2
Right siding 21/2 ply12 x 31 3/4
Left vent screencloth0 x 32
Right vent screencloth0 x 32
Roof deck 11/2 ply26 3/8 x 70 3/8
Roof deck 21/2 ply47 1/4 x 70 3/8
Roof deck 31/2 ply26 3/8 x 70 3/8

Lumber cutting diagram Lengths chosen for the lowest cost; 1/8 in kerf, 1/2 in end trim

2x4 x 12 ft
Rafter 2 70 3/8Rafter 3 70 3/8
2x4 x 12 ft
Rafter 4 70 3/8Rafter 5 70 3/8
2x4 x 10 ft
Front stud 1 33Left stud 3 30 7/8Left stud 5 27 5/8Right stud 3 27 5/8
2x4 x 10 ft
Left top plate 53 3/8Front stud 5 33Left stud 2 32 5/8
2x4 x 10 ft
Front top plate 96Door batten 1 21
2x4 x 10 ft
Back top plate 96Door batten 2 21
2x4 x 8 ft
Front stud 2 33Front stud 3 33Left stud 4 29 1/4
2x4 x 8 ft
Back stud 1 27Back stud 2 27Back stud 3 27Left door header 14
2x4 x 8 ft
Front stud 4 33Left stud 6 27 1/8Right stud 4 27 1/8Front cripple 8 7 1/2
2x4 x 8 ft
Rafter 1 70 3/8Front door header 24
2x4 x 8 ft
Front stud 6 33Front stud 7 33Back stud 4 27
2x4 x 8 ft
Left stud 1 33Right stud 1 33Back stud 5 27
2x4 x 8 ft
Right top plate 53 3/8Right stud 2 30 3/8
2x4 PT x 12 ft
Base joist 1 57Base joist 2 57
2x4 PT x 12 ft
Base joist 3 57Base joist 4 57
2x4 PT x 12 ft
Base joist 5 57Left bottom plate 53
2x4 PT x 12 ft
Base front 96
2x4 PT x 12 ft
Base back 96
2x4 PT x 12 ft
Front bottom plate 96
2x4 PT x 12 ft
Back bottom plate 96
2x4 PT x 8 ft
Right bottom plate 53
roof x 8 ft
Roof panel 1 70 3/8
roof x 8 ft
Roof panel 2 70 3/8
roof x 8 ft
Roof panel 3 70 3/8
roof x 8 ft
Roof panel 4 70 3/8
roof x 8 ft
Roof panel 5 70 3/8

Sheet cutting diagrams Dashed = openings to cut out

Sheet 1: 1/2 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft
Roof deck 126 3/8 x 70 3/8Left siding 212 x 31 3/4Right siding 212 x 31 3/4
Sheet 2: 1/2 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft
Roof deck 247 1/4 x 70 3/8
Sheet 3: 1/2 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft
Roof deck 326 3/8 x 70 3/8
Sheet 4: 1/2 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft
Left siding 148 x 36 1/2Right siding 148 x 36 1/2
Sheet 5: 1/2 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft
Front siding 236 1/2 x 49Front siding 148 x 36 1/2
Sheet 6: 1/2 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft
Back siding 230 1/2 x 49Back siding 148 x 30 1/2
Sheet 7: 3/4 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft
Floor 148 x 60
Sheet 8: 3/4 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft
Floor 248 x 60

Shopping list $616.27 checked / $0.00 estimated

ItemStoreQtyEachLineNote
2x4x10 stud, SPFHome Depot4$5.46$21.84see lumber cutting diagram
2x4x8 stud, SPFHome Depot7$4.15$29.05see lumber cutting diagram
2x4x12 stud, SPFHome Depot2$7.12$14.24see lumber cutting diagram
2x4x12 ground-contact pressure-treatedHome Depot7$7.18$50.26see lumber cutting diagram
2x4x8 ground-contact pressure-treatedHome Depot1$4.68$4.68see lumber cutting diagram
Corrugated galvanized roof panel, 8 ft (Gibraltar 31 ga; check width)Home Depot5$19.98$99.90see lumber cutting diagram
15/32 in (1/2 in) sheathing plywood, 4x8 sheetLowe's6$32.26$193.56see sheet cutting diagrams
23/32 in (3/4 in) CDX plywood, 4x8 sheetLowe's2$46.57$93.14see sheet cutting diagrams
Hardware cloth 1/2 in, 2 ft x 25 ft, 19-gaHome Depot1$30.40$30.40uses about 64 in of the roll
Galvanized 6 in strap hinge, each (5-pack $32.99)Home Depot2$6.60$13.20door and pop door
Galvanized staple safety hasp, 3-1/2 inHome Depot2$6.78$13.56door and pop door
Exterior wood screws #9 x 2.5 in, 5 lb boxHome Depot1$29.97$29.97
Roofing screws #10 x 1-1/2 in with neoprene washer, 200 ctHome Depot1$17.98$17.98
Poultry staples 3/4 in, 1 lbSouthern States1$4.49$4.49
Total before tax$616.27
Filled dot: price read from a store listing on Oct 20, 2026. Hollow dot: estimate. Prices come from the master price list, so they change when it changes.

Build steps

  1. Cut the base from the pressure-treated 2x4s on edge and screw it together. Set it on level gravel and check square by measuring both diagonals.
  2. Screw the plywood floor to the base every 8 in.
  3. Frame the front and back walls flat on the floor: plates, studs 24 in on center, and a header laid flat over the door.
  4. Frame both side walls. Their top plates and stud tops are cut at 5.7° to follow the roof. Frame the 14 x 16 in pop door in the left wall.
  5. Stand the walls, screw the corners together and screw the bottom plates down through the floor into the base.
  6. Cut the 5 rafters with plumb cuts at 5.7° on both ends, set them on the walls and toe-screw them.
  7. Cut the siding from the sheet layouts, including the door, pop door and vent openings. Keep the door and pop door cutouts. Screw the siding on every 6 in.
  8. Staple hardware cloth behind each vent from inside.
  9. Screw the roof deck down and then the 5 metal panels with roofing screws in the flats, lapping one rib.
  10. Brace the door cutout with two battens and hang it, and the pop door, on strap hinges with a hasp. Make a ramp from a plank with cleats every 3 in.

Before you start