Wood or metal dog crate?
Side by side
| Heavy-duty metal | Wood furniture crate | Wire crate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Example | The Iron Den | The Rolling Den | The Yard Pen |
| Frame | Steel tube | Particle board with steel bars | Metal wire |
| Outside size (in) | 37.0 x 25.6 x 30.7 | 38.6 x 25.6 x 29.3 | 47.2 x 23.6 x 23.6 |
| Weight | 62.8 lb | 63.7 lb | 10.5 lb |
| Doors | Twist-latch doors | Front and side doors, sliding latches | Wire panels, sets up as crate or pen |
| Wheels | Lockable wheels | 4 casters, 2 locking | Not listed |
| Doubles as furniture | No | Yes, flat top as an end table | No |
Chewers and escape artists: go metal
Dogs that chew a crate usually start where they can get their teeth around an edge: the door frame, a corner, the panel next to the latch. On a furniture crate those parts are wood or MDF; on a heavy-duty crate they are steel. If your dog has already damaged a crate, a door or a baseboard, start with metal.
Latches matter as much as bars. Twist latches, like the ones on the Iron Den and the Ranch House, are harder for a dog to nose open than a simple slide bolt.
Anxious dogs
A furniture crate has a solid top and panels, so it feels more like a den without a cover. With a metal crate you can drape a breathable crate cover over the top and three sides. Mild nerves usually ease with slow crate training. Severe separation anxiety is a question for your vet or a trainer: no crate fixes it, and a panicking dog can hurt itself on any crate, wood or metal.
Weight, moving and floors
At 37-39 in, a heavy-duty metal crate and a wood furniture crate weigh about the same, roughly 63-64 lb, so neither is easy to carry. Both examples above sit on wheels, so you can roll them out to clean, then lock them in place. A wire crate like the Yard Pen weighs 10.5 lb, so it is the one to take outside or on a trip.
What they cost in 2026
Price bands from Amazon listings with 10 or more reviews, checked in September 2026:
- Wood furniture crates up to 33 in: $67.99-110
- Wood furniture crates 34-43 in: $118.99-153.49
- Wood furniture crates 43-56 in: $136.99-200
- Heavy-duty metal crates, 38 in: $99.98-189.99
- Heavy-duty metal crates, 42-43 in: $123.99-169.99
- Heavy-duty metal crates, 48 in: $81.99-199.99 (best-reviewed listings $129.99-161.49)
At the same size the two types cost about the same, so let the dog decide, not the budget.
Our picks
- The Iron Den - 37 in heavy-duty steel, lockable wheels, twist-latch doors, slide-out tray, $179.99
- The Rolling Den - 38.6 in furniture crate, inside 36.6 x 23.6 x 25.2 in, front and side doors, $139.99
- The Ranch House - 47 in furniture crate with twist latches and a removable divider for two dogs, $180.99
- The Yard Pen - 47 in wire crate and playpen, 10.5 lb, indoor or yard, $60.99
