How to build a DIY grill cart

Note: This post is brought to you by The Home Depot!

Remember my super awesome 6 box vertical planter that I built for a Home Depot workshop back in April? Well, it’s DIY workshop time again, y’all! On Saturday, June 20th at big orange box’s across the country you can attend a free workshop and learn how to build this DIY grill cart just in time for Father’s Day. Better yet, make it a Dad date and learn how to build the rolling grill cart together. I’ll be hosting the workshop in Jacksonville Beach, FL  THIS SATURDAY from 10:00-11:30am! I would seriously love to met you! Want to join in on the fun? Click here to register at your local Home Depot.

 

In preparation for this workshop, I built a version of the rolling grill for our backyard. We already have an outdoor table very near the grill so work space is not a huge issue, but the one thing we really needed was a place for a the grilling beverages to stay chilly all summer long! We needed a place to serve drinks that was cuter than a plain ol’ cooler and more functional than those galvanized beverage tubs. Shade helps too. It was a high of 93 degrees this week, yikes. So, here’s what we came up with:

 

The wood that surrounds the cooler is actually old wood floors from one of Andy’s work projects! So, here are the plans for the original grill cart that I will be teaching at the DIY Workshop. I’m sharing this because my version is very similar, minus the middle shelf. So instead of adding the (3) 2×8 as a second shelf, I decided to use that frame to attach my wood floor pieces too and cover the sides of the cooler!

 

Here are all of cuts you will need to make the grill cart:

• Six 19 inch 2×4
• Six 2 foot x 3 inch 2×4
• Two 16 inch 2×4
• Two 2 foot x 6 inch 2×8
• One 2 foot x six inch 2×4
• Three 3 foot x six inch 2×8
• Four casters (Fancy word for wheels!)
• Four 3 food long 2×2 angle irons

First, we are going to build the bottom shelf frame. Use a metal square to ensure that all of your angles are square when screwing them together.

Here is the bottom shelf frame built and ready for casters! Unless you plan out where you screw your wood frame together, screwing the casters in can be a little tricky. It’s not a huge deal, but we were not able to screw the wheels in at all 4 points.

 

Next we built the other two shelf frames. These are pretty straight forward and simple to build since it is the same as the bottom one without the two shorter pieces inside of the frame. Now, it’s time to attach the metal sides to the shelves. We’ve got some tips for drilling screws into the metal posts:

1. For the love, use an impact driver.

2. You have a metal drill bit.

3. Make sure you have the exact right size drill bit. We are using a 9/32 drill bit with quarter inch stainless steel lag screws. So our drill bit is just 1/32 bigger than the screws.

4. Alignment of the screws: Don’t let the lag screws cross each other. One needs to go high and one needs to go low.

5. Alignment of the screws: Watch out for your wood screws that were used to secure your shelf. You don’t want the screws hitting each other.

Once the metal sides are attached the three wood shelf frames, it is time to enclose the cooler shelf. We up-cycled wood floors for this part! We cut long wood floor pieces into 19 inch pieces, and sanded the heck out of them. Then attached them with a nail gun to the lower and middle shelf frame.

Now, it is time to add the top of your grill cart. The one big trick here is to screw the boards in from underneath so that your table top is screw hole free! This requires 4 and a half inch long screws so that the screw can go through the 2×4 frame and into the table top.

Oh and last but not least, we added hooks for grill necessities like scrubbers and flippers!

Don’t forget to register to attend this DIY Workshop and learn how to build a vertical planter. Jacksonville Beach, FL, I’m coming for ya!

Where: 3790 Third Street South, Jacksonville Beach, FL32250

When: Saturday, June 20th

Time: 10:00am – 11:30am

Cost: FREE!

High five to building things and meeting YOU in person!

*I acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with me to participate in this Workshops Program. As a part of the Program, I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services, for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. This post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.