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 Modern Raised Dog Bowls for Food and Water

ByLisa

Calling all dog owners! Today I am expanding my DIY projects for one of my favorite things. My dog Marvin! I have created a raised bowl dog feeding station for him and it is so cute, I know you will want to make one too. This DIY dog bowl stand is perfect for small dogs, large dogs, or even older dogs. Let me show you how to make an elevated dog bowl stand for your furry friend!  

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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  • Cost: $4 (bowls only, other materials on hand)
  • Dry Time: About 12 hours

 

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 mix. 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 scrap wood we already had on hand that was 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

For the first step you will need food bowls and water bowls for this raised dog feeder. You don’t need new dog bowls, you can use bowls you already have but they really need a lip on them. 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 metal dog bowls 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 scrap wood common boards we had on hand from a different project. 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 but you could also use a circular saw and speed square. 

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.

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. The height of your dog’s bowl will depend on the dog’s size. Marvin is a small dog but he is pretty tall. For larger dogs, you could make it the same way I did an add hairpin legs to the bottom layer to make it even taller. 

A stack of three wooden boards rests on the workbench, surrounded by tools like drills and bags. The unfinished boards 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, (2 holes in the top three pieces of wood). 

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.

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. 

Step 4: Drill or Cut Your Holes Out 

For this step we used a 6 inch hole saw. 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 with a jigsaw blade meant for circles. Note, the don’t need to be a perfect circle since the lip of the bowl will cover some of it. 

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. 

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.

I hand sanded the inside of the circles with sand paper.

Wooden planks with circular cutouts are arranged on a white folding table in a garage. Some planks remain uncut, while others feature multiple indentations.

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 board, 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 dark Kona stain is very similar. 

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.

Because most stains are oil based and I hate using mineral spirits, I started using a foam brush so I can just throw them away when I am done. It’s so much easier than trying to clean my favorite angle paint brush.  

Two rows of wooden boards with circular cutouts are laid out on a speckled countertop. Some boards 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 construction adhesive or a generous amount of wood 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.

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

Add your dog bowls and let your pup check out their new feeding station. 

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.

And this is what they look like from the side. I love the alternating wood grain!

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.

Step 10: Watch Your Pet Enjoy!

Add your dog’s food and let them know this it theirs. I was a little nervous Marvin wouldn’t like the metal bowls because some dogs don’t, but he had no problem!

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.

He knew it was for him and started eating from it right away!

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.

It’s the perfect size for Marvin and it looks cute on the kitchen 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.

He also has a placemat because he can be a messy eater. Boy dogs, haha!

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.

The end result is a simple raised dog bowl with a sleek modern look and 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 dog 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 pup 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 Modern Raised Dog Bowls for Food and Water, appeared first on Garrison Street Design Studio.

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