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A dog’s gotta eat – but why should it be from pastel-coloured or cartoonishly-patterned dog bowls haphazardly scattered around the kitchen floor? This was the question Alicia asked herself when faced with her beloved Golden Retriever Charlie’s ugly dog food and water bowls. (Not to mention those plastic dog food storage containers!)
“Anyone that’s a pet owner knows that pet bowls are a ‘thing’ that you just have to have out there, so you may as well try and make it as nice-looking as you can – but that’s hard to do,” says Alicia.
It’s a challenge she started tackling early on in her woodworking journey, starting with sets of stainless-steel dog bowls fitted into custom-built wooden blocks she created for her and her wife’s own pups, and made as housewarming and thank-you gifts for family and friends.
But despite these early dog feeding stations being a vast improvement on what was available commercially, she was never quite happy with them. “As my woodworking skills continued to improve, I decided to start redoing some of those early projects I’d completed, and just keep changing the style and approach of the design.”
The winning design? A classy Hamptons-inspired build with a practical secret: Alicia built the entire design around two dog food storage containers she bought from Bunnings. “I got them for, like, $12 each. Ridiculous! And they’re airtight! So, when I found those containers, I just made sure that all the measurements for the dog feeding station matched theirs.”
The result is both practical and pretty: the middle section of the dog feeding station provides hidden (and convenient) dog food storage, while the end sections sport a dog food bowl and dog water bowl, respectively. The feeding station is also raised from the ground, “allowing your puppers to eat at a comfortable height,” says Alicia.
Read on for Alicia’s quick guide to how she built her very own dog feeding station.
While this feeding station was designed to suit a medium-sized dog, you can design something similar for a cat or other pet. This will impact the height of the build (and in the case of cats, even the optimum angle of the bowls!), so keep that in mind when you start planning.
Alicia used the measurements of the food storage containers she bought as the baseline for the dimensions of her build. You can do the same, once you’ve found containers that work for you.
Alicia used a power drill, table saw, drop (mitre) saw, jigsaw and orbital disc sander to create her feeding station.
Alicia started by building a basic frame of just under 1.2 metres long using dressed pine timber lengths and 30mm timber screws.
Then, using the same timber and screws, she built two additional frames to house the pet food containers.
Use a table saw to cut MDF VJ Wall Panel to suit the sides of your feeder, and make sure to add panelling on the edges of the food storage space itself – secure this to the frame using 20mm timber screws.
Patch the screw holes with wall putty and allow to dry overnight.
Use a disc sander to sand all the panels until the faces are smooth to the touch.
Once the frame is done, it’s time to measure and cut your two dog bowl panels, using your current dog bowls as a stencil, and a jigsaw to carefully cut it out.
Next, measure and cut the sections for the lid above the food storage area. Glue these together using exterior wood glue – Alicia recommends clamps as a must-have for this part, since they’ll keep everything square!
Alicia used Specrite Golden Teak Acacia panels for both the bowl panels and the lid.
Paint and varnish all components separately with the colours and treatments of your choice and let them dry thoroughly.
Combine all the components by securing the lid with rear-facing hinges, and screw upward through the frame for the dog bowl holders. Add your bowls and storage containers, and voila!
Alicia’s dog feeding station build is featured on Workshop, where you’ll find a list of all the materials Alicia used, plus her step-by-step instructions.
To see more of Alicia’s projects, visit the Bunnings Workshop community. You’ll find projects including a beautiful whale shark wall art, a Hamptons-inspired dog ramp and, of course, her Hamptons-style dog feeding station
Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.
When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.
