DIY Dog Bowl Stands: Crafting a Custom Dog Eating Area!

A lot of dog owners are interested in using an elevated stand for their pet’s food and water dish. While there are a number of commercially produced models on the market you could purchase, you could also build one yourself if you are so inclined.

In fact, by making your own dog bowl stand, you can customize it to suit your dog’s needs, as well as your aesthetic tastes.

We’ll share 15 different DIY plans below that’ll help you do exactly that, and we’ll also discuss some of the reasons you may want to use an elevated dog bowl stand.

We’ll even discuss a few of the ways you can customize your new DIY bowl stand to make it more suitable for you and your pet!

Why Use an Elevated Dog Bowl Stand?

There are a number of reasons dog owners may want to provide their pup with an elevated dog bowl stand. A few of the most common reasons are detailed below.

Reduce Mealtime Messes

By lifting your dog’s food dish up off the ground, you may find that he doesn’t create as much of a mess when you feed him. It also helps keep your floor tidy, as any kibble your dog drops will likely remain on the stand, making it easier to clean up. It’ll also reduce the amount of dust and debris that end up in your dog’s food and water.

Make It Easier for Older or Larger Dogs to Eat

Old dogs often have trouble stretching their neck down to the floor to eat. An elevated feeding platform raises their food and water up off the ground, giving your aging pup easier access to his meals.

Large dogs and those suffering from neck or back problems can also have a bit of trouble reaching all the way down to the floor, so they can also benefit from a raised feeding platform.

They May Help Reduce the Chances of Bloat

Bloat is a potentially life-threatening medical condition that occurs when your dog’s stomach fills with air and twists on its axis, thereby trapping the gas inside. Historically, elevated dog feeders were thought to be one of the best ways to reduce the chances of bloat.

But unfortunately, the truth of this situation is not entirely clear. At least one study seems to suggest raised feeding platforms may increase a dog’s chances of suffering bloat. Another study suggests that it is not the use of an elevated feeder that increases a dog’s risk, but instead the ratio of your dog’s height to the height of the feeding platform that matters most.

Ultimately, you’ll just have to discuss the issue with your vet and make the best choice you can.

Elevated Feeding Platforms Often Provide Storage Space

Many elevated dog bowl stands provide a space underneath the food and water dishes to store food or other items.

This not only provides you with a quick-and-easy place to store your dog’s food, it’ll prevent you from having to keep your dog’s food bag in the pantry or out in the open.

Dog Bowl Stands Look Great

Simply put, dog bowl stands look great. They give your dog a well-defined place to eat, and if decorated well, they’ll help accent your kitchen.

15 DIY Dog Bowl Stand Plans

Now that you understand the reasons many dog owners like using elevated dog bowl stands, it’s time to pick out a set of plans and make one of your own.

Just try to select a project that looks like it will work well for your pet and is appropriate for your skill level.

Psshh… if these plans seem to tough, you can always purchase an elevated dog bowl stand too!

1. Small Pup Dog Bowl Stand by Remodelaholic

This dog bowl stand plan from Remodelaholic is based around a pretty classic design which will work well in most homes.

This stand is designed for small dogs, but there’s no reason you couldn’t tweak the measurements to suit larger pups too. This is a professional-looking project that’ll require a fair bit of skill to pull off, but if you are able to do it, you’ll surely be glad you went to the trouble.

Skill Level: Moderate

Tools Required:

• Tape measure
• Kreg Jig
• Drill
• Miter saw
• Compass
• Drill bits
• Jigsaw
• Optional: router and round over bit

Materials Needed:

• 1”×2” board– about 36” long
• 1”×3” board– about 48” long
• Wood glue
• 1-¼” pocket screws
• (2) 14-1/4 oz Fiestaware cereal bowls

This video doesn’t show you how to make the exact dog bowl stand described above, but it is a pretty similar design that includes routed edges and relatively similar legs.

2. Wooden Feeding Station with Storage Compartment by This Old House

This wooden feeding station design straight from This Old House will not only elevate your dog’s food and water dish, it’ll also give you a handy place to store your dog’s food.

There are quite a few steps involved in the construction of this food dish stand, but none of the individual steps are particularly difficult – just be sure to take your time and you should be fine.

Skill Level: Moderate

Tools Required:

• Jigsaw
• Straightedge
• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Compass
• Rasp
• Cordless drill
• Paintbrush

Materials Needed:

• 1”x12” Sides – 2 @ 13½ inches
• 1”x12” Top – 1 @ 23 inches
• 1”x12” Bottom – 1 @ 23 inches
• 1”x12” Back – 1 @ 24 ½ inches
• 1”x12” Door – 1 @ 24 ½ inches
• 1”x3” Top Supports – 2 @ 23 inches
• 1”x2” Base Supports – 2 @ 23 inches
• 1”x12” Tray Bottom – 1 @ 23 inches
• 1”x3” Tray Sides – 2 @ 24½ inches
• 1”x4” Tray Sides – 2 @ 12 inches
• 1”x2” Cleats – 2 @ 10 ½-inches
• 22-inch piano hinge
• Two door slides
• Magnetic door catch
• Door handle
• Contact paper
• Paint

We weren’t able to find a video detailing the procedure for this exact feeding station, but here is a relatively similar project that may help you figure things out. Note that the storage compartment is a bit different, and this project includes a light inside!

3. Sleek and Minimalist Feeding Platform by Ugly Duckling House

If you are looking for a quick-and-easy feeding platform for your pup that still looks good, this project by Ugly Duckling House may be a great option. This platform requires minimal cutting, and it doesn’t require you to learn any fancy joining techniques for the legs.

Despite being a simple and easy-to-construct project, the final result looks great and should make any DIYer proud.

Skill Level: Easy

Tools Required:

• Jigsaw
• Cordless drill
• Tape measure or metal ruler
• Pencil
• Electric sander (and paper)
• Level

Materials Needed:

• 24” long 1”x12” plank
• 36” long 2”x2”
• Wood glue
• Paint

We weren’t able to find a video explaining how to build an exact duplicate of the project detailed above, but this one is pretty much based on the same idea and features similar legs (although it relies on a slightly more sophisticated technique for attaching them).

4. Rustic Dog Bowl Stand by Shanty 2 Chic

If you’d like to make a rustic-looking dog bowl stand that looks as though it were made decades ago by skilled artisans, this project from Shanty 2 Chic may be just what you need.

This isn’t the easiest dog bowl stand in the world to build, but if you have the necessary tools, take your time, and give it your best shot, you’ll probably be successful.

Note that the hardware used in this project (the flat and angled metal plates) are decorative – they don’t hold the stand together.

Skill Level: Moderate

Tools Required:

• Jigsaw
• Clamps
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Nail gun (optional – you could use a hammer)
• Glue gun (optional — you can just apply it the old-fashioned way)

Materials Needed:

• One 16”x48” laminated pine panel
• One 1”x4”x8” pine board
• Two 1”x2”x8” pine board
• 1 ¼” brads (nails)
• Wood glue
• Four flat two-hole metal plates
• Four 90-degree two-hole metal plates
• Paint or stain (optional)

The video below was actually filmed by Shanty 2 Chic, and it walks you through the entire process of building this dog bowl stand.

5. Cute and Simple Dog Bowl Stand by Centsational Style

This is a pretty simple elevated feeding platform from Centsational Style that is both cute and functional. It is technically designed for cats, but it’d work well for small dogs too.

Skill Level: Easy

Tools Required:

• Jigsaw
• Kreg Jig
• Pencil
• Measuring tape
• Paintbrush

Materials Needed:

• Two ¾” x 8” x 24” wood boards
• 1” flat head screws
• Paint or stain
• Polyurethane
• Cardboard or poster board (to make a template for the legs)

We couldn’t find a video made by Centsational Style, but we did find a video that demonstrates how to make a very similar feeding station. Between the plans linked above and the video, most owners should be able to figure out how to cut out and assemble this type of dog bowl stand.

6. Elegant Dog Food Station with Storage Area by Addicted to DIY

This project from Addicted to DIY is a great option for owners who want a truly professional-looking food station. It includes all of the extras that professional furniture has, such as trim and beveled wood edges, and it includes an interior storage compartment for added convenience.

You’ll have to pay for these plans, but the end result looks so good that it’s probably worth the nominal fee to get your hands on them. Note that this also means we can’t tell you exactly what materials are used in the project, but we gave it our best guess.

Skill Level: Moderate

Tools Required:

• Jigsaw
• Cordless drill
• Clamps
• Chisel
• Pencil
• Measuring tape
• Paintbrush or sprayer
• Nail gun (optional – you could just use a hammer)

 

Materials Needed:

• ¾” plywood
• 1”x3” pine boards for exterior trim
• ¾” square wood for interior trim
• 1 1/4” brad nails
• Paint
• One brass lid support hinge
• Two brass hinges

The video below shows how to make a similar, if slightly different, food station with an enclosed storage space. Although it is slightly different, it may still help you figure out how to add the trim and execute some of the more difficult portions of the project.

7. “Floating” Feeding Platform by Wouldn’t It Be Lovely 

This feeding platform from Wouldn’t It Be Lovely is very different from most of the other ones we describe here. Unlike the ones listed above which are all free-standing units, this one is designed to be attached to your kitchen cabinet. This not only makes it unique and nifty-looking, but it means that the project is super easy (despite the designer’s “some skill required” characterization).

Skill Level: Easy

Tools Required:

• Jigsaw
• Screwdriver
• Pencil
• Paintbrush (optional)

 

Materials Needed:

• One wood step tread (the part of a step that you stand on)
• Four wood corbels
• 12 wood screws
• Paint or stain (optional)

We couldn’t find any videos demonstrating how to build this type of feeding platform, but it should be pretty easy to figure out. Just review the plans carefully and take it step by step.

8. Feeding Platform with Open Storage Areas by Dream a Little Bigger 

This is a super-easy feeding platform from Dream a Little Bigger that most dog owners should be able to construct. It is based on a premade cubby, so you don’t have to build the box. Essentially, you’ll just need to cut a couple of holes in the top for your dog’s food and water dish, screw on some feet, and paint it.

Skill Level: Easy

Tools Required:

• Jigsaw
• Pencil
• Paintbrush
• Cordless drill

Materials Needed:

• Premade two-space wooden cubby
• Four wooden candle holder cups
• Wood screws
• Paint or stain
• Baskets for storage

We couldn’t find a video of a project like this one, but it’s such a simple feeding platform that you should be able to figure it out on your own. Just consult the plans linked above and you should have no trouble.

9. Vintage Suitcase Feeder by reallifedog

This is a really unique feeding platform concept from reallifedog that is based around a vintage suitcase (although you could use a new suitcase if you prefer). There are a couple of tricky steps required to build this type of feeder (it even requires a bit of welding), but the extra effort should pay off given how awesome the finished product looks.

Note that you’ll need to adjust these plans to suit the suitcase you select. This means that you should look at these plans as inspiration, rather than a step-by-step guide. For example, you’ll need to select the wood for the top after finding or buying the suitcase.

Skill Level: Difficult

Tools Required:

• Utility knife
• Allen wrenches
• Cordless drill
• Clamps
• Pencil
• Measuring tape
• Screwdriver
• Welding Torch

Materials Needed:

• Wood for the top
• Old suitcase
• 1”x3” planks
• Flat metal strips for legs
• Glue

Unfortunately, we couldn’t find a video demonstrating anything remotely similar to this project. However, the designer provides tons of photos and pretty clear instruction in the link above, so just start there and use your noggin to figure out the best process for your project.

10. Quick and Easy Dog Food Station by Yellow Brick Home 

This is an easy dog food station from Yellow Brick Home. It even uses prefabricated legs to make things as easy as possible. The designers chose to assemble the top of this feeding station from several pieces of wood, as they appear to have been using salvaged materials, but you could make the project even easier by simply using a single plank for the top.

Skill Level: Easy

Tools Required:

• Compound miter saw
• Mini Kreg Jig
• Measuring tape
• Drill
• Jigsaw
• Sanding block
• Painter’s tape
• Paintbrushes

Materials Needed:

• One 6-foot-long 2”x4”
• Hairpin legs
• Two stainless steel bowls
• 4″ drywall screws
• Paint
• Polyurethane

 

Although we couldn’t find a video demonstrating how to make this exact feeding station, you can check out the one below. It isn’t designed in the same way, but it also uses salvaged materials, so it may give you some ideas.

11. Canine Style Super Bowls by Urbane Jane 

These plans from Urbane Jane don’t explain how to make a feeding platform per se, but they do explain how to elevate your dog’s food and water bowl in a decorative way. Additionally, you won’t need many tools or materials to make these either.

I’m a little skeptical that these “super bowls” (as the designer dubs them) are very stable, so be sure to tell us how well they work if you decide this is the project for you. It also seems like these are going to be a pain to wash, so let us know how that goes too.

Skill Level: Easy

Tools Required:

• Paint brush

Materials Needed:

• Two candlestick holders
• Glue
• Paint

We couldn’t find a video of this project, but you don’t need it anyway. Just paint the holders and glue them to the bottom of the bowls. You may want to put something heavy in the bowls while you’re waiting for the glue to dry.

12. DIY Modern Pet Bowl Stand by Almost Makes Perfect 

This is a modern and minimalistic type of pet bowl stand from Almost Makes Perfect, which should be very easy for most dog owners to construct. Unlike many of the other designs listed here, this one doesn’t require you to cut out holes for your dog’s food dishes.

In fact, if you have the hardware store cut all of the wooden dowels to length, you can complete this entire project with nothing more than a cordless drill and set of clamps.

Skill Level: Easy

Tools Required:

• Jig saw
• Cordless drill
• Clamps

Materials Needed:

• Square wooden dowels cut down to:
  • Four 5″ pieces (length)
  • Four 18.75″ pieces (height)
  • Six 5.25″ pieces (depth)
• 2 packs of 1″ #3 wood screws
• Wood glue
• Sandpaper

This is another project that we had trouble finding a video tutorial for, but it’s so simple a video probably isn’t necessary. You basically need to put together a “skeleton” based on the photos posted above.

13. Picnic Basket Feeding Stand by Sew Many Ways

Of all the DIY feeding station plans I came across, this is one from Sew Many Ways struck me as the cleverest. These plans are based around a picnic basket, but you could probably adapt them to suit any type of box-like object, ranging from a plastic storage box to a milk crate.

Note that the designer chose to leave the top as-is, but you could easily paint it.

Skill Level: Very easy

Tools Required:

• Jig saw
• Cordless drill
• Pencil
• Measuring tape
• Paintbrush (optional)

Materials Needed:

• Picnic basket
• ½-inch plywood
• Two hinges
• Cardboard to make a template
• Paint (optional)

We couldn’t find a video for this project, but you could probably build it in less time than it would take you to watch the video anyway (that’s hyperbole, but you take my point). So, just grab your tools and have at it.

14. Repurposed Feeding Station by HGTV 

Repurposing old items to satisfy new needs is quite trendy these days, and this elevated feeding dish from HGTV is a great example of just such a project. You’ll obviously have to adapt your plan to suit the object you decide to repurpose, but that shouldn’t be terribly difficult for most owners to accomplish.

Skill Level: Easy

Tools Required:

• Jigsaw
• Pencil
• Compass
• Cordless drill
• Permanent marker
• Sandpaper
• Paintbrush (optional)

Materials Needed:

• Found object (some type of box) suitable for the project
• Paint
• Polyurethane

The nature of this project doesn’t lend itself well to a video tutorial (you’ll have to adjust everything to suit the object you find), but you should be able to get through the project if you consult the plans above and try to solve any problems or challenges as they occur.

15. Dog Food Feeding Station with Chalkboard Sign by Happy Go Lucky Blog 

This is an absolutely adorable feeding station from Happy Go Lucky Blog, which not only provides a storage space, but features a chalkboard you can write your dog’s name on too (just don’t write in cursive – most dogs can’t read cursive).

While this feeding station provides a storage space, the station itself isn’t a fully enclosed box. This provides two neat benefits: It makes the feeding station lighter and it also makes it easier to build.

Skill Level: Moderate

Tools Required:

• Jigsaw
• Nailgun
• Paintbrush
• Pencil

Materials Needed:

• 3 – 1”x4” cut to 25 inches (front boards)
• 1 – 1”x2” cut to 25 inches (front bottom board)
• 6 – 1”x4” cut to 10.5 inches (sideboards)
• 2 – 1”x2” cut to 10.5 inches (side bottom boards)
• 4 – 1”x2” cut to 12 inches (inside supports)
• 1 – 1”x12” cut to 25 inches (top board)
• 2 cup drawer pulls
• Adhesive felt strips
• Paint and/or stain
• Small chalkboard, chalk, and Velcro (optional)

We couldn’t find a good video for this project, but the plans linked above are pretty thorough and easy to follow.

Additional Video Tutorials You May Find Helpful

The following videos display a few more ways to make your dog an elevated feeding station. Some of these are fairly similar to the plans listed above, while a few others are unique and may help spark your creativity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAUADmQC_z0

A Few Ways You May Want to Customize Your Dog’s New Bowl Stand

No matter which of the above plans you decide to use, you can customize it a bit to make it work better and suit your sense of style.

Add Some Color or Graphics

You can paint or stain any of the wood-based projects detailed above, and, if you pick a water-repelling paint or stain, it may also help the stand last longer. Just be sure that you allow the stand to dry completely before letting your dog use it so that the fumes don’t irritate his sniffer.

Alternatively, you can also use contact paper to decorate the stand. Contact paper will provide some protection, it’s easy to apply (sort of), and it comes in an array of colors, designs and patterns. Of course, you can also add things like decals to the stand if you like.

Put It on Wheels

If you end up making a heavy or bulky stand, you may want to slap a couple of wheels on the bottom of the unit to help make it easier to move around. Your local hardware store will likely offer several different types and sizes of wheels (although they’ll likely call them casters). Just be sure to account for the increased height the wheels will create.

Note that it is wise to select wheels that can be locked into place when you don’t want the stand to move. You don’t need to have locks on all four wheels; one or two should suffice. Many four-packs of wheels will include a locking wheel for just these types of applications.

Note that felt furniture sliders may also work to make your piece more mobile, but you won’t be able to lock them into place.

Add Skid-Proof Materials to the Bottom

While it may be helpful to add wheels to heavy feeding platforms, light-weight feeding stands may present the opposite challenge: They may scoot and wander around your kitchen when your dog is eating. Accordingly, it may be necessary to add some type of non-skid material to the bottom.

You’ll have to figure out the best material for the stand (and your kitchen floor), but a few of the best options include abrasive tape (that’s grip tape, for all of you skaters out there), plastic “feet,” or swatches of rubber.

   

As you can see, there is no shortage of ways to build your dog his very own elevated feeding platform, so head out to the garage and get to work!

Just be sure to pick the best plan for you and your dog, and don’t hesitate to (carefully) alter the plans to suit your needs.

Have you ever made a DIY dog bowl stand? Tell us all about it! What went right, and what went wrong? What would you do differently were you to start the project over again?

Want more fun canine-related DIY projects? Check out our guides on:

• DIY Dog Crates
• DIY Dog Collars