Mud Kitchen

mud kitchen
Difficulty
Beginner Projects
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For about $50 you can build a mud kitchen with a REAL WORKING SINK for your child!  Free plans from Ana-White.com

The best part of the kitchen is the sink!  Right?  

My kids have always loved play kitchens, and I've built many.  But not having a working sink with real running water always required alot of imagination.

Then I discovered the MUD KITCHEN!!! 

 

Mud Kitchen Features

  • Real working sink that hooks up to a garden hose
  • Faucet cannot be left on - automatically turns off when not actively in use
  • Drain water can be reused
  • Hooks for storing pots, pans and utensils
  • Removeable "stove" pieces to customize use (ie use as a potting bench or rock cleaning and paint station)
  • Storage shelf
  • Easy to customize and decorate
  • Sturdy construction using time tested methods suitable for outdoor use
  • Cedar flat surfaces will last longer
  • About $50 in new materials to build 
  • Simple construction that most anyone can tackle with a few tools

We LOVE this mud kitchen as is, but I did want to mention my six year old son thought it would make a fantastic fish cleaning station.  He also is washing rocks and painting them.  I could also see this used as a child's potting bench, serving area for kids, lemonade stand, or wildflower florist station.  The options are endless!

 

Video Tutorial

I did a video tutorial of this build, please take a moment to watch before you tackle this project:

 

Mud Kitchen Plans

The mud kitchen plans follow, please share a photo if you build - we love seeing your projects.

mud kitchen plans

Dimensions
mud kitchen dimensions
Mud Kitchen Dimensions shown in diagram, suitable for most preschool aged children

Preparation

Shopping List

3 - 2x2 @ 8 feet long

1 - 2x4 @ 10 feet long

4 - 5-1/2" wide cedar fence pickets, 6 feet long, prefer NOT dogeared

40 - 2-1/2" long self tapping trim screws 

50 - 1-1/2" long self tapping trim screws

Cut List

3 - 2x2 @ 40" - back legs

3 - 2x2 @ 19-1/4" - front legs

3 - 2x2 @ 15-1/2" - bottom shelf support

7 - 2x4 @ 15-1/2" - top shelf supports and back splash

8 - 5-1/2" wide cedar fence pickets @ 35-1/2" long

3 - 2x2 @ 7" - long point to long point measurement, both ends cut at 45 degrees, ends NOT parallel*

 

*DO NOT cut from small pieces of wood.  Always clamp when cutting.

Tools
Tape Measure
Speed Square
Pencil
Safety Glasses
Drill
Jigsaw
Power Sander
Drill Bit Set
General Instructions

NOTE: The cedar fence pickets may be rough and have splinters.  Sand first.

Instructions

Step 1

Build three leg sets the same as shown in diagram.  I used two screws to attach the 2x4s, and one 2x2 to attach the 2x2s to the 2x2s.

Step 2

Attach the three leg sets together with one front and one back with two screws per joint.

Step 3

Add remaining supports to finish the frame for the mud kitchen.

Step 4

Layout the bottom shelf 1x6 boards and notch out the front one around the 2x2 legs.

Screw down, leaving even gaps for water drainage in between.

Step 5

Layout top boards with even gaps in between and screw down.

Cut sink out.

Step 6

Attach top shelf back board to 2x2 legs, flush to top.

Step 7

Attach top shelf shelf board to bottom of the back board.

Step 8

Attach shelf support brackets to the underside of the top shelf.

Step 9

If desired, cut out stovetop pieces from 1x6 scraps.  As shown, a 1/2" hole is drilled and the holes are connected with a jigsaw.

Comments

manofpants

Mon, 06/22/2020 - 14:05

Would untreated 2x4s work outside for long? Wouldn't you go with treated or something else that will survive?

akkaaraaus

Sun, 06/28/2020 - 23:52

Pretty amazing. I was looking for a plan wherein I could cook sometimes in my calm and breezy outdoors and have a great family dining in my garden space. This is the best one that I would want to try. Thanks for sharing.

Noyehx4

Mon, 07/20/2020 - 13:27

We purchased a kit at home depot and still had to get two adapters, however once we were on our way home, my husband remembered that we had a quick connect on end of our hose, so we went back in and they were able to tell us exactly what we needed, and everything connected easily! We needed a Nipple 1/4, HEX Bushing 1/2, and Swivel 3/4, again everything connected and it worked perfectly! I hope this helps :)

tiffanytackett12

Fri, 07/03/2020 - 15:49

Ana!! How did you do the sprayer part and connect it to the hose? My husband and I walked around home depot for an hour and couldn't figure it out. Please help!

Noyehx4

Mon, 07/20/2020 - 13:27

HI! tiffanytackett12 I am not Ana, however I just posted a brag post, and added a photo of what we needed to get our hose hooked up to the garden hose. I suggest taking the kitchen hose in with you. We purchased a kit at home depot and still had to get two adapters, however once we were on our way home, my husband remembered that we had a quick connect on end of our hose, so we went back in and they were able to tell us exactly what we needed, and everything connected easily! We needed a Nipple 1/4, HEX Bushing 1/2, and Swivel 3/4, again everything connected and it worked perfectly! I hope this helps :)

mamabuilds

Sun, 07/19/2020 - 23:40

Same issue as others finding a fitting. Can you please let us know exactly what you used? It looks like I have an identical sprayer. Walking around the hardware store isn't working. I can kinda see the fitting in your picture, but not well enough to really tell. The hardware store doesn't seem to have anything.