A stylish raised pet feeder with two metal bowls, perfect for your dog, set on a geometric-patterned mat. The feeder boasts alternating light wood and dark stripes, neatly placed in the corner against a gray wall.
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DIY Raised Dog Bowls

ByLisa

Happy Monday! I know it is a rare occasion you hear from me on a Monday, but let’s just say I fell a little behind last week, shall we?  If you follow me on Instagram, you may remember me telling you several weeks ago that I was planning to make Marvin a DIY raised dog bowl. Well folks, I finally got around to executing this idea and today I am going to share it with you along with a full tutorial so you can make one for your furry friend too!

DIY raised dog bowls crafted from stacked wooden blocks featuring two metal bowls inset on top. Perfectly positioned on a black and white woven mat, these elevated bowls add style and comfort for your furry friend. Text reads "DIY Raised Dog Bowls.

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First, let me start off by giving credit where credit is due. I wanted to make Marvin a raised dog bowl from day one because I am a DIY addict and that’s what I do. But my original plan just wasn’t going to be the right height for our small but tall Italian Greyhound. After tossing several ideas around, Barry actually came up with this one. So kudos to my hubby for having a great idea and me not vetoing it 😉 I was also able to take advantage of some supplies we already had on hand that were just collecting dust in the garage. So let me show you how I did it.

Step 1: Find appropriate sized dog bowls with a lip

I purchased two metal bowls with little paw prints around them at my local Walmart. They were less than $2 in store and the half inch lip was perfect! They don’t appear to sell the exact bowls online, but these are similar. Two stainless steel dog bowls are placed on a white surface. They are shiny and reflective, with a simple, clean design. The raised edges are visible as they slightly nest together, one partially overlapping the other.

Step 2: Cut wood to length

I used some common boards we had on hand from a different project that we abandoned. Using the bowls as a guide, I decided on 17 inches in length. Two shiny, raised stainless steel dog bowls sit side by side on a wooden board. The setup is on a workbench, with tools and equipment visible in the background, suggesting a workshop environment.Then I measured 17 inches on all my boards and cut them to length with our miter saw. A yellow pencil and a yellow measuring tape are placed on a light wooden plank. The raised measuring tape marks, clearly visible, extend across the plank, indicating measurements in inches.A green and silver miter saw sits on a raised workbench with a wooden board placed on it. In the background, there are shelves with paint cans and coiled cables. The workspace appears organized, tools neatly arranged like a craftsman's dog bowl ready for another project.

Based on the thickness of each board at 3/4 inch, I chose to stack 6 boards for an overall height of 4.5 inches.A stack of three wooden boards rests on the workbench, surrounded by tools like drills and bags. The unfinished boards, perfect for crafting a raised bowl stand, are neatly placed on the wooden surface.

Step 3: Determine your hole size 

The bowls I used are just a hair over 6.5 inches in diameter. I marked a 6 inch circle and the center point of each circle. NOTE: the holes you cut NEED TO BE SMALLER than the lip of the bowl. You will also need to cut holes in enough boards to fully recess the bowls. Based on the size of our bowls, we needed to cut 6 holes in total. With the bowl holes marked, I clamped the wood to a table to help keep it steady for drilling. I will be honest, wood clamps would have been a much better option for this, but these are the clamps we have.  A wooden board with pencil marks, clamped to a white table using two red clamps, rests beside a raised bowl. The scene unfolds in a garage or workshop with a concrete floor and scattered leaves, hinting at the resident dog's playful presence.

Step 4: Drill or cut your holes out 

For this step we used a 6 inch hole saw we borrowed from a friend. Barry actually cut these out because it definitely takes some muscle and we don’t have the most powerful drills. You could also use a jigsaw which might actually be easier, but neither of us are that good at making perfect circles with ours. Three rectangular wooden boards with raised circular cutouts sit on a white surface. Each board features two large circular holes in the center, perfect for holding a pet's bowl. The boards boast a smooth finish and natural wood texture.

Step 5: Sand all the wood pieces smooth

I sanded each piece with our orbital sander and hand sanded the inside of the circles with sand paper. An orange Black & Decker palm sander rests on a white table, poised next to a bowl of sandpaper sheets. It's connected to a dust collection bag, with raised wooden boards in the background awaiting transformation.Wooden planks with circular cutouts are arranged on a white folding table in a garage. Some planks remain uncut, while others feature multiple indentations, resembling the craftsmanship of a raised dog bowl project.

Step 6: Stain/seal the wood

I wanted to create a butcher block type look so I alternated the color on each piece. For the natural layer I used a food safe butcher block oil only. I HIGHLY recommend the top layer, where your dog will be eating to be natural wood with only food safe oil for the safety of your pet. For the darker layers, I used a Kona stain I have had for years. I don’t think they make this exact stain anymore, but this one is very similar. Because most stains are oil based and I hate using mineral spirits, I started buying these foam brushes at the Dollar Tree (I got 8 for $1), so I can just throw them away when I am done. It’s so much easier than trying to clean my favorite good brushes. Two cans of finish rest on a marble countertop: Watco Butcher Block oil finish and Rust-Oleum wood stain. In front, two foam brushes await, ready to bring new life to a raised dog bowl or any wood surface needing care.Two rows of wooden boards with circular cutouts are laid out on a speckled countertop. Some boards, reminiscent of dog bowl stands, are stained dark brown, while others boast a natural light wood finish.

Step 7: Glue each layer together

I used landscape adhesive we had on hand because a) I already had it and b) we used it on our faux fireplace logs and it worked like a charm. If you don’t have any on hand, Gorilla Glue would be my next suggestion. When you get to the layers with the holes, make sure you apply the glue to the backside of the piece with the holes cut out so you do not apply glue where your bowls will sit. Two wooden boards on a black plastic sheet: one plain, one stained dark brown with zigzagging glue lines. A blue knife with a safety cover lies beside them, suggesting a raised woodworking project in progress—perhaps for crafting a dog bowl stand.

Marvin watched this part from his favorite window seat 🙂 A wooden raised pet bowl holder with two circular openings sits on a covered table. A small dog rests in the background on a cushioned chair. The room features a bookshelf, a "Vino" sign, and a partially visible kitchen area.

Step 8: Add weight and allow to dry overnight

It would be very handy to have wood clamps for this step, but we don’t so we got creative. We laid a scrap piece of wood across the top layer to protect the wood and provide a flat surface. Then we stacked a few weights on top, 27 lbs to be exact. See, I told you we got creative 😉 I allowed it to dry overnight or about 12 hours. A DIY clamping setup features a wooden board balanced on small fitness weights and a dumbbell in a kitchen. The scene includes a raised, rounded table covered with a black cloth, and there's even a dog bowl peeking from the background.

Step 9: Add bowls

I think this step is self explanatory 😉 Two stainless steel dog bowls are set in a raised wooden stand with alternating light and dark stripes, resting on a black and white checkered mat against a neutral wall. A wooden elevated pet feeder for your dog, featuring two stainless steel bowls, sits on a patterned black and white mat in a corner. The feeder's striped design complements the light gray wall with white trim. A raised wooden pet feeding station with two metal bowls is placed on a black and white checkered mat on a hardwood floor, perfect for your dog. The setup rests against a gray wall and white baseboard.

Step 10: Watch your pet enjoy!

I was a little nervous Marvin wouldn’t like the metal bowls because some dogs don’t, but he had no problem! He knew it was for him and started eating from it right away!
A raised wooden pet feeding station holds two stainless steel bowls on a black and white checkered mat. One bowl is filled with kibble, while the other contains water. Designed for dogs, it features a simple, modern look with multiple layers.A brown dog with a patterned collar eagerly eats from a raised wooden stand holding two metal bowls—one filled with food and the other with water—resting on a checkered mat on the floor. A brown dog with a checkered collar sits on a checkered mat, looking up. Next to it is a raised wooden stand with two metal bowls, one brimming with food. The scene is set against a gray wall and wooden floor. A brown dog with a checkered collar eagerly eats from a raised metal bowl on a wooden stand. Another bowl filled with water sits beside it. The setup rests on a black and white checkered mat near a gray wall.This simple raised dog bowl not only looks stylish and complies with my 2019 goals, but it makes eating a bit easier for our pup Marvin. Since I used items we already had on hand, I only spent $4 on the new bowls for inside the stand. I am calling this project a win for mommy and Marvin.

If you enjoyed my DIY Raised Dog Bowls project, please share it on Facebook or hover over an image and save to Pinterest! And if you don’t already follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook, I would love for us to be friends! You can also follow Marvin and all of his puppy cuteness!

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A raised dog bowl stand with two metal bowls rests on a black and white checkered mat in a corner. A small brown dog with a collar looks upward, sitting beside the raised stand. Text reads "DIY RAISED DOG BOWLS | Full Tutorial.

This post, DIY Raised Dog Bowls, appeared first on Garrison Street Design Studio.

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