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A portable grill needs a place to actually prep food next to it — this cart is that surface, built to counter height (30") and mounted on casters so it rolls wherever the grill goes.
Both the top and the lower shelf are slatted cedar boards with gaps between them, not solid panels. That's deliberate: a solid wood top right next to a hot grill traps moisture and cups; slats let air move and water drain instead of pooling.
Length and width both adjust from the numbers here — widen or shorten the frame to match your own grill's footprint before you cut the center supports and slats.
| Item | Qty |
|---|
| Construction lumber, 4x4, 8 ftThe four legs. | 1 each |
| Construction lumber, 2x4, 8 ftFrame and center supports. | 5 each |
| Cedar fence pickets, 5-1/2" x 72"Top and shelf slats. | 10 each |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/2" | 50 each |
| Self-tapping exterior deck screws, 1-3/4" | 80 each |
| Caster wheels, 5" total height | 4 each |
| Exterior penetrating stain | 8 oz |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Legs4x4 | 4 | 3 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 23 3/4" |
| Width aprons2x4Adjustable — widen to fit your grill. | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 21" |
| Length aprons2x4Adjustable — shorten to fit your space. | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 65" |
| Center supports2x4 | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 24 1/2" |
| Top and shelf slatsCedar fence picket | 10 | 5/8" × 5 1/2" × 72" |
Buy 17 boards at 8 ft.
2 boards
5 boards
10 boards
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Cut the four 4x4 legs to 23-3/4" and drill pocket holes in both ends of every 2x4 piece.
Join the short (21") width aprons between pairs of legs with pocket screws to build two identical end frames. This sets the cart's width — adjust this measurement now if your grill needs more or less room.
Join the two end frames with the long (65") length aprons to form the full-length frame.
Add the 2x4 center supports (24-1/2") across the frame — these are what carry the top and shelf slats, so space them to keep any gap between slats from sagging under a loaded platter.
Cover the top and lower shelf openings with the cedar slats, spaced evenly with a consistent gap between each — the gap is what lets water drain and air circulate instead of pooling next to a hot grill.
Attach the four caster wheels to the bottom of the legs, then finish the whole cart with an exterior penetrating stain.
Use a heat-safe surface under the grill itself and follow the grill manufacturer's own clearance instructions — this cart is a prep surface, not a heat shield.
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