HOW TO BUILD FLOATING DOG BOWLS

Put Less Strains To Your Dogs When Eating With This Floating Dog Bowls Idea

Who loves running into the store-bought dog bowls/stands and knocking food and water all over the floor? Yeah, I didn’t think so. It has to be the most annoying thing about having dogs in the family, and while it is a small price to pay for all the happiness dogs bring us everyday, it is not ideal. When we remodeled our kitchen we knew there had to be a place for floating dog bowls. We planned it out and placed the bowls in between a base cabinet and brick wall making them blend in seamlessly out of our line of site. The only downfall…Niko is often lacking water, but we’re working on that. Here is our guide on how to build floating dog bowls. 

TOOLS YOU WILL NEED

• Table Saw 
• Miter Saw
• Jigsaw
• Drill
• Brad Nailer
• Rotary Sander (or sanding block)
• 1” Drill Bit
• Paint/Stain brush
• Protractor
• Stud Finder
• Level
• Measuring Tape
• Pencil 

SUPPLIES YOU WILL NEED

• Plywood (red oak works best)
• Solid Hardwood (match with red oak, 1”x4” works great)
• Wood Glue
• Brad Nails (1-¼” work perfect)
• Wood Filler
• Sandpaper (150 grit and 220 grit)
• Primer and Paint – or – Stain and Polyurethane
• 3.5” Construction Screws
• Dog Bowls

Now that you have gathered your full list of materials and supplies it is time to get started on your build! 

1. First you will want to measure the identified space to mount your floating dog bowls in your home. You want to ensure you build them to the perfect size to mount on the wall, you also want to ensure that the depth is perfect to fit the bowls themselves.
2. Now that you have the appropriate size identified it is time to cut your floating bowl top. Using your tape measure and pencil, mark the depth on your piece of plywood. Once marked, set your table saw fence to the appropriate size and make your first cut. 
3. Next, mark the width of your dog bowl top, set your table saw fence to the appropriate size and make your next cut. You now have the top of your dog bowls ready.
4. With your top piece completed we now need to mark the center of each bowl. First, find the center on your top and mark it. Then on each side of that mark you want to find the center left and center right and mark them…these will be the centerpoints you will use to cut out for your bowls. 
5. Most bowls move up gradually in size from the bottom to the rim. It is not easy to find that size on a round object so my recommendation is to measure the full width of each bowl and subtract 1/16” from the size. Divide that measurement in half, set your protractor to that size and mark a circle for each bowl using your center left and right marks as placement for your protractor needle. 
6. With each bowl drawn you want to drill a hole in the center using your drill and 1” drill bit. 
7. Grab your jig saw and starting from center, make your way to the circle you drew and carefully begin cutting out your bowl. Repeat for both
8. With both circles cut out you can now cut and place your trim around the top. 
9. Measure the width of the front and back of your dog bowl top. Once you have the measurement take a piece of your 1” x 4” solid hardwood and make a 45 degree cut on the edge using your miter saw. Place your measuring tape on the inside of that cut and mark the total length of the front of your dog bowl top, adjust the saw, and cut your second 45 degree cut. Repeat for the back. 
10. Place some wood glue on the front of the dog bowl top and spread it out using a brush (or your finger). Align the hardwood with the inner miters at the edge of each side and fasten using your brad nailer. Repeat for the back trim piece.
11. Measure the total length from the outer mitered edge from front to back on each side with your measuring tape. These will be the final cuts you need to make for your hardwood trim pieces. Repeat directions in Steps 9 and 10 to cut and fasten your side pieces in place. 
12. Now all of your cuts have been made and your floating dog bowls are in a raw state. The next step is to fill any brad nail holes and seams with wood filler and allow to dry based on directions identified on your wood filler product. 
13. Using a rotary sander with 150 grit sandpaper carefully sand the entire surface of your floating dog bowls. Once you have a smooth surface make a final pass with a 220 grit sandpaper.
14. If you are going to paint your bowls you want to first apply a coat of primer to seal the wood. Once the primer has dried, apply your first coat of paint…a paint brush works just fine for this smaller project, or if you’re working with a sprayer that is great too. I recommend applying 3 – 4 coats since these are dog bowls and will need to be cleaned frequently. 
15. If you are going to stain your floating dog bowls then you will want to apply your stain using a foam brush, allow it to dry, and finish with 2 coats of polyurethane. 
16. Time to mount. Using your stud finder mark the studs on your wall. If your floating dog bowls are 16” wide or more you should have at least 2 studs in your wall to attach to. 
17. Hold your bowls in place and attach to the first stud using your drill and construction screw. Place a level on the top of the bowls, ensure you are level and attach the second screw to the other stud. Repeat if you have a third stud. 
18. Place your dog bowls into the precut holes, fill with water and food and your dog is now a very happy pup! 

Pro tip: hold the floating dog bowls on your wall and have your dog come investigate so you can find the ideal height for them to enjoy their food and water! 

And there you have it. A quick weekend project to make a better solution for your dog bowls. 

You may contact us for more home design ideas and interior design consultations.