Whether you’re cooking in your kitchen or in the Great Outdoors, a griddle is an essential item. It will allow you to cook food directly over a heat source, whether that’s your stove or a firepit.
Some griddles can be expensive, but there’s no need to spend a fortune. We’ve found some great online plans to guide you through the process of making your own DIY griddle.
So if you’re ready for a new project, step this way and see what’s out there!
Table of Contents
1. Steel Plate BBQ – Cheap and Easy Outdoor Kitchen
This video from YouTuber Laura Kampf shows how to make a griddle that’s rugged enough for outdoor use. This uses a metal oil drum, a thick steel plate and various other bits of scrap metal. The steel plate is the most expensive element of the build. You can watch Laura in action putting everything together, but there isn’t detailed information on every step. This is best used as inspiration for confident DIYers who have the tools to cut through metal.
2. DIY Grill Griddle
This Reddit forum post provides pretty much the simplest way to make an outdoor griddle we’ve found! You’ll just need to source a piece of sheet steel – expect to pay around $30. The post provides clear instructions on how to prepare it so it’s safe to cook food on. And there’s all the information you’ll need to season it before use too. If you’re looking for a low-tech approach that doesn’t require loads of power tools, this is a brilliant option.
3. How to Make an Outdoor Griddle – DIY
This guide shows you how to craft a large and powerful outdoor griddle. The power module is listed as a single component, but YouTuber Droo actually crafted the burners himself. There’s a link in the video information to a separate video to show how to do that. The assembly process is shown using time lapse photography to speed everything up. You’ll see how to build each component – that’s the difficult bit. When it’s done, connecting everything together takes just five minutes.
4. No Grill? No Problem!
This plan shows you how to build a griddle and a frame for your barbecue. It’s more a source of information to help you refine your design than a detailed “how to” guide. But it’s packed full of useful advice on everything from choosing materials to different approaches to constructing grates. And there’s a detailed table with recommended bar spacing for different sized grate rods. If you want to design your own grill, read this guide before you get started!
5. DIY Griddle
This video shows a griddle that’s been made from spare sections of metal that were sat in the presenter’s garage. The metal here is 0.25-inches thick, which means it’s very heavy and robust. The video starts with the griddle being seasoned ready for its first use. You’ll then see the process of measuring, cutting and assembling it. The action is sped up, but you still see every stage, so you can repeat the project yourself.
6. Making a Portable Fire Pit Grill
This ingenious plan shows you how to make a portable and adjustable grill for a fire pit. The whole thing is made of pieces of scrap metal. You can take a look at them all at the beginning of the video. You’ll also see a “Magswitch” used to hold metal components perfectly in place, making it easier to screw them together. There’s loads of useful information here, and you can see the whole build step by step.
7. DIY Build Grill Griddle
In this video, you’ll be able to watch the construction of a heavy-duty griddle from scrap metal. It uses 0.25-inch thick steel, so it’s heavy to carry around but will last forever. The thick metal also means that it will conduct the heat evenly as you cook. The guide gives you all the information you’ll need on the equipment to cut the steel. And the presenter talks you through every stage of the build as he works, so you don’t miss a thing.
8. How to Make an Outdoor Griddle
This detailed plan shows you how to make an outdoor grill from scratch. But if making your own burners feels like a step too far, skip straight to step 6. That will show you how to construct a generous griddle to go on the top. There’s only one picture of this part of the process, but don’t worry. The description includes information on all the measurements and how to assemble the griddle. And if you want to weld it to a frame, there’s guidance on how to do that too.
9. How to Convert a Gas Grill to a Flat Top Griddle
This video shows you how to add a flat top griddle to an existing gas grill. The griddle itself is purchased pre-built, so this is only DIY in the loosest sense of the word. But if you don’t have a bunch of tools for cutting through metal, this is still a satisfying project. It will cost you a bit more, but you’ll be buying convenience.
10. Making a Griddle: What Material to Use?
This forum discussion on outdoor website ExpeditionPortal.com is a great source of advice for anyone designing their own griddle. The contributors talk through the different options, including cast iron, stainless steel and aluminum. There’s a helpful assessment of the pros and cons of each. And you’ll also find suggestions on getting a metal shop to fabricate the griddle. If you know what you want, but don’t have the tools to make it, that’s a good way to get a bespoke item.
11. DIY Rocket Stove Grill Griddle from Old Radiator
This video from upcycling guru Bongo from Flowering Elbow shows how it’s possible to make a griddle from just about anything! In this case, it’s made from a double radiator. Bongo prepares the metal and talks you through calculating the right distance between the top and bottom of the griddle. The finished product is connected to a home-made stove. If you fancy an even bigger challenge, there’s a separate guide showing how to make the stove. Check out the link in the video information.
12. DIY Grill Pans
If you want a griddle without having to do any metalworking, this guide offers a simple option. It shows you how to use aluminum foil to transform a simple baking tray into a griddle pan. It’s a very short description – just a paragraph – and there’s only one photograph. But when a project is this simple, you really don’t need any more detail. When you’ve finished using your griddle, you can remove the foil and it’s a baking tray again!
13. $9 Homemade Griddle for Camping
This video from outdoor specialists Camping Together shows how to make a homemade camping griddle for next to nothing. There’s no equipment list or even narration here. You can, though, see every stage of the build in enough detail to follow along. There’s an innovative – some might say “odd” – approach to curving the metal. But it works well enough, and doesn’t rely on expensive equipment. Watch to the end and you’ll see the new griddle being seasoned and used. We can almost smell those steaks!
14. My Homemade Barbecue Grill and How to Build It
This brilliant plan walks you step by step through how to create a grill from an industrial sewing machine stand! It’s a serious project, and will require plenty of time and a reasonable level of skill. The four different elements of the construction are described, but there isn’t much detail. This isn’t a tutorial as much as it is inspiration for those looking for a cool design. But if you’re confident in your DIY skills, it’s a great source of ideas.
15. DIY Outdoor Grill Cart
If you fancy a bigger challenge, this guide will show you how to make a whole outdoor grill cart. The video begins by explaining how to create a cut list for all your components. Those who enjoy using design software SketchUp will find this helpful. Assembly with this one uses pocket holes, and there’s quite a lot of power tools on display. This is a project best tackled by those with at least an intermediate level of DIY skill. But if that’s you, this is a plan that delivers a great griddle.
16. How to Make a Built-In Teppanyaki Grill
This guide will suit anyone looking to build a griddle for use indoors. It’s got lots of information on where to source ready-made grills or DIY kits. And there’s additional advice on using a rented kiln to craft your hibachi grill. We found it a bit confusing, but there are lots of links to other resources online. If you’re interested in making your own Teppanyaki grill, it’s a good place to start.
17. Homemade Tiny BBQ Grill
This plan shows how to build what is without doubt the smallest grill we’ve ever seen! It uses an aluminum foil carton as the body and has just about enough room for a small chicken breast. The grill is formed from an old wire coathanger. This is a simple project that anyone can tackle. And the mini griddle will be a great talking point!
Time to Make Your DIY Griddle!
That brings us to the end of our tour of inspirational DIY griddle plans! We hope you’ve found something that’s fired your enthusiasm to make one for yourself.
Good luck with your project – and we hope you’re enjoying some tasty meals very soon!