DIY Concrete/Wood Dog Bowl Stand

by Maker Gray

15K12016

Intro: DIY Concrete/Wood Dog Bowl Stand

I made this awesome DIY dog bowl stand with a concrete top for my dog's food and water bowls. This is an easy build and a great into into working with concrete! I used Quikrete for the top and 2x8's for the wooden base.

Be sure to watch the video to see more details on how I did it

STEP 1: Tools and Materials

Materials and Tools I Used to make this project (affiliate)

STEP 2: Cut the Melamine

The Concrete Top

I started this project by cutting 4 strips of melamine 1.5" wide on the table saw to make the sides of my concrete form. You could also use a circular saw. I then cut the strips to length on the miter saw.

*Tip: When I need melamine for a project, I visit my local Habitat Restore and find scraps that are very inexpensive.

STEP 3: Build the Form

Once I had the four pieces to size I screwed them together to make a rectangular form, making sure my corners were square.

I hot glued the form down to a bigger melamine piece, creating the bottom of the form. And then caulked the inside corners and edges with silicone.

STEP 4: Mix & Fill With Concrete

I mixed up some Quikrete and then filled the form, making sure to push the mixture into the corners.

I set in a piece of wood (coated with polyurethane to keep out moisture) that will later be used to attach the wood base to the concrete top. I secured it with scrap wood and screws to keep the wood from floating up while the concrete cures. And finally I hammered on the edges of the form with a mallet to get out any air bubbles.

STEP 5: Concrete: Cure and Seal

I let the concrete cure in the form for at least 48 hours. I then removed it from the form and lightly sanded any rough corners. After the slab was fully dry, I sealed it with a concrete sealer to protect it from moisture and stains.

STEP 6: Cut the Wood for the Base

The Wood Base

I cut off the rounded sides of a 2x8 with my table saw, giving me nice square edges. I then cut the board to the 4 shorter lengths I needed using a circular saw. I cut two to 14" and two to 8.5".

STEP 7: Recess Holes for the Screws

I'm going to attach the boards using screws but I don't want the screws to be shown. So I drilled recesses for the screws to sit down in that I will later cover. Then then glued and screwed the side boards to the top board.

STEP 8: Attach the Base to the Concrete Top

Once the sides were attached, I attached the base to the concrete top while I could still access it easliy. I drilled recesses and screwed the base into the board in the concrete.

With the top attached, I could then attach the bottom board to the wooden base.

STEP 9: Cover the Screws With Dowels

To cover the recessed screws, I used dowels. I applied glue to the end of a dowel, stuck them in the screw holes and then cut the dowels off with my flush trim saw.

STEP 10: Sand and Seal

I then sanded the wooden base and the dowels smooth and gave the wood base a couple of coats of polyurethane in a matte finish. This will protect the wood from the waterfall of water that appears every time my Labrador gets a drink.

STEP 11: Enjoy Your New Dog Bowl Stand!

That's it! This is a great intro into working with concrete. I love how modern, simple and sturdy this little stand is. I hope you have enjoyed this build and been inspired to build your own!

For more projects and tutorials, be sure and visit my YouTube page and my website. You can also find me on Instagram @makergray

Thanks for following along!

13 Comments

TheDeez 5 years ago

The actual construction is great, but it doesn't seem ideal for doggie bowls.
Wouldn't they slide off the top, fall over & make a mess?
If you would be able to form recessed areas (with the shapes of bowls) in the concrete top, then that might better secure the bowls.
Or am I missing something??

Maker Gray 5 years ago

It's all personal preference. You could easily add in recessed areas before pouring the concrete. I personally didn't because I did not want to be stuck with one bowl size, and my bowls have grips on the bottom to not slip. This works well for us. But again, do what works best for you!

BenP159 5 years ago

Brilliant! Will be using to feed my girlfriend

markgrogan 5 years ago

I have never thought of using concrete in such a way. I guess I have always regarded it as a much more sturdy material so my past projects have always comprised of larger items like stools or even desks. This project of yours has managed to shed some light on how I view concrete moving forward.

Maker Gray 5 years ago

That's great! This little guy has held up beautifully. So glad I could inspire you to try a smaller project with concrete.

jessyratfink 5 years ago

I love the idea of the concrete top! I've been looking at bowl stands but they're always too lightweight and I know my dogs would just run off with it like a toy. Can't do that with this! :D

Maker Gray 5 years ago

Mine too! She'd just mow it over trying to get that last crumb haha. Not anymore. Thanks!

deankosmac 5 years ago

Nice stand, but i'm really curious... where does the bowl go?

rayp1511 5 years ago

Very "clean" looking, having a Lab I know what you mean with the waterfall comment. Well done.

Maker Gray 5 years ago

Thanks! And yep, water everywhere.

Bard 5 years ago

I was wondering is this top heavy?

Maker Gray 5 years ago

Nope! The base is big enough to completely support it.