Creating a Grill Caddy for Your Portable Grill: Part 2

In this part of the project, you’ll need a few tools. If you’re using block or brick for your caddy, you’ll need a masons trowel and sponge, a wheelbarrow and a point trowel if you’re using brick. In this article, we’ll be using metal studs. For metal studwork, you’ll need a circular saw with a carbide metal cutting blade, tin snips and a screw gun.

First, you need to make a box. Take two top and bottom plates of the metal studs and cut them to 30 inches. Take two more top and bottom plates and cut them 23 inches. Cut 10 metal studs at the desired height of your grill caddy. Take into consideration that the overall height will change when you add �½ inch Dura-rock (backer board) and tile. Usually 1 inch is sufficient to remove from the overall height of the finished project but you should measure the tile and backer board and subtract their thickness from the height of the metal studs.

Screw the longest top and bottom plates to three studs each. Use self-tapping screws and screw into the side of each plate. Build two walls with the longest plates and three studs in each one. The other shorter plates just use two studs. Now place the shorter of the two walls in between the longer wall and screw them together to form a box. Use a square and level to maintain a uniform square box. It might be easier in some cases if you pre-cut a piece of Dura-rock 30×30 inches to help keep the top and bottom of the box square. You can attach it as you build each section of the box with the same self-tapping screws.

Once the box is complete, you can now work on the front. Place the box next to your grill. Measure from the edge of the box to the other end of the grill. This will be the front counter. You can add any length you might like to this to suit your needs. Just try to keep the length uniform or it might look uneven when you’re done. Cut two top and bottom plates at that length. Cut a top and bottom plate at 17 inches. This small wall will be at the end opposite of the box. You can cut it to any length you wish, just keep it at a minimum of 17 inches if your going to finish this with wood. Attach studs at 15 Ã?¼-inch intervals. This will keep the Dura-rock breaking evenly on a 16-inch center. Screw with self-tapping screws and attach them to the box. Put the small 17-inch wall in the middle of the two long walls opposite end of the box.

If everything went right, then you should have an L-shaped caddy that fits your grill snugly. Place the unfinished caddy to your grill. If it fits together correctly, then move on to the next step. Adjust as needed to create a tight fitting caddy.

Now for step three: Finishing your grill caddy!