Need more prep space while you’re grilling? These 13 mobile DIY grill station ideas are budget-friendly, and most are easy enough to make in a weekend.
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Summer cookouts are a lot easier when everything is right where you need it. A dedicated grilling station helps, but the store-bought options can be pricey. These rolling DIY outdoor grilling stations add extra prep space, storage for tools and supplies, and a sturdy spot to serve food without the cost of a full outdoor kitchen.
Whether you’re working with a small deck, a patio, or a backyard with room to spread out, these DIY grill carts can move where you need them and roll away when you’re done.
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Small/Compact Carts
Balconies, small decks, and tight patio spaces can still get in on the grilling action. These compact rolling carts give you a dedicated prep surface and some storage without taking over your outdoor space.
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thehandymansdaughter.com
Grill Station with Concrete Top
Vineta built this station for her pizza oven, which can reach up to 800 degrees. To handle the heat, she used two concrete pavers for the top and built the frame using a few 2x4s joined with pocket holes. The lower shelf stores the oven when it's not in use, and locking casters let you reposition the whole thing on the fly.
Ana built this beginner-friendly project that works just as well as a grill cart as it does a bar cart. The frame is 2x4s with 1×4 slats on the top and bottom shelf, and 1×2 trim along the edges for a finished look. A towel bar provides a handy spot to store your grilling tools.
Tabitha built this one around a kettle charcoal grill, which drops into a circular opening in the 1×4 slatted top. The legs are sturdy 4x4s, and two casters on one end let you tilt and roll it wherever you're grilling. Hardware like hooks, a handle, and a bottle opener finish it off.
Angela built this one as a gift for her father-in-law. To add some contrast, the frame is painted black, and the 2×6 top is stained. Then she added hardware, like a towel bar and bottle opener, which tie it together. The lower shelf is slatted 1x4s on cleats, and the threaded casters keep it mobile.
Kati packed a lot of practical ideas into this cedar fence picket and 2×4 build: a full-extension drawer for grill accessories, a dedicated cubby for a spare propane tank, a small end-mounted spice rack, and casters on one side only so the cart tilts and rolls without needing locking wheels.
Jaime designed this rolling cart to pull double duty as a grill station and a bar cart, with a hidden compartment sized to fit a standard 30-quart foam cooler on one side and open shelving on the other. Metal angle irons tie the frame together for a subtle industrial look, and copper pipe fittings double as towel hooks.
Ready to step things up? These builds offer more prep space, tons of storage, and enough room to handle a serious cookout.
7
woodshopdiaries.com
DIY Grill Cart & BBQ Prep Table
Shara kept this one deliberately versatile: the 63-inch cart works as a grill station, a prep table next to an existing grill, a bar cart, or a serving table. The 1×6 top and bottom slats simply rest in place rather than being fastened down, so they're easy to swap out later. A dowel rod handle and four casters finish it off.
Amy built the advanced version of this Woodworkers Journal design out of cedar, then loaded it up with extras: two full-extension drawers, a door with a spice shelf on the back side, a pipe utensil tree, an umbrella mount, and clip-on LED lighting for evening parties.
Jen built this three-shelf cedar cart with painted angle iron legs, giving it a clean industrial look. The top is a reclaimed butcher block, finished with food-safe oil. Details like a galvanized pipe, paper towel holder, and hooks for grilling tools make it functional at the grill.
Ana designed this two-piece system around a portable gas grill: a rolling lower table that stores tucked under a counter-height console, then rolls out when it's time to cook. The console works as a bar, serving station, or outdoor entertainment center when the grill is put away. Cedar fence pickets keep material costs low.
Ready to go big without committing to a permanent structure? These rolling islands bring serious counter space and storage to your backyard, with enough room to cook for a crowd.
11
pneumaticaddict.com
Mobile Outdoor Grill Island
Elisha built this rolling grill island from steel studs and Simpson Strong-Tie connectors, giving a permanent feel that still moves when you need it to. The exterior is cement board finished with Rustoleum deck coating, the top is DIY concrete, and six heavy-duty casters keep it rolling.
Shara built this one for her dad's two Kamado Joe grills, cutting custom circular openings in the top to drop the grills in. The 74-inch treated lumber cart features open lower shelves, an enclosed center cabinet with a door, and eight heavy-duty casters to handle the serious weight. The design works for one grill or two.
Kati's is one of the biggest builds on this list. The 72-inch cedar-clad island rolls on locking casters and fits a countertop of your choice, with shelves sized for watertight storage bins, a cooler cubby in the middle, and a bar seating overhang on the back. A serious upgrade from a side cart.
A rolling grilling station is one of those projects that will pay off every time you fire up the grill: storage, prep space, and flexibility to move it wherever you need it.
Hi there – I’m Scott, a woodworking enthusiast and creator of Saws on Skates, a site I started in 2015 to share easy-to-follow tutorials, space-saving shop tips, and project inspiration for DIYers at any skill level. Learn more about my woodworking journey here.
