This DIY condiment caddy is so cute! This painted wood crate looks like a burger and is perfect for organizing essentials for a cookout.

For a simple summer craft that’s pretty and useful, you can’t go wrong with a painted wood crate. I’m Keri from One Mama’s Daily Drama and this month I’m sharing an Ikea Knagglig hack to make a condiment caddy for all your summer cookouts.

This craft project has it all! It’s an Ikea hack, it’s a wood crate painting project, and it’s a piece of art that you can use.

I was stopping by Ikea for the zillionth time to pick up the last pieces for a home remodeling project when I saw a stack of Knagglig wood crates on a display near the checkout.

I’m sure they put them there just so crafty nerds like me would see them on the way by and think “well that’s less than ten bucks and there must be something I can do with it!”

Well played, Ikea.

I knew I wanted to paint this wood crate and then I realized the most useful thing I could make was a condiment caddy. All I need to do is load it up with the essentials for our next cookout and I’ve got a simple way to cart around everything we need.

This Ikea wooden crate is just the right size and since it comes unassembled, it’s easy to paint before putting together too. If you don’t have an Ikea nearby or want a different size, I’ve put together a list of places to shop below too.

And once summer is over, this little box can sit on a shelf in my kitchen. It could hold extra napkins or leftover plasticware. It looks super cute with the painted picnic basket I made last year!

How to paint a wood crate to look like a cheeseburger.

If you don’t want to use this for holding the mustard, it would be cute as a desk organizer or storage container for art supplies too. The great thing about these little crates is that they’re really good for storing lots of different things.

Picnic and cookout season is here, so I painted this to look like a hamburger (or at least a hamburger emoji!). Even if you don’t think you’re a painter, this is an easy project because it’s mostly stripes and wiggly lines.

How to Make a Condiment Caddy

As much as I adore this cute little burger, you could paint yours to look like an ice cream sandwich, try simple stripes to match your patio furniture, or go monochromatic with geometric designs.

What you need:

Want more ideas like this? Subscribe today to get our weekly Ideas in Your Inbox newsletter plus other exclusive gifts and offers — all for FREE!

Craft Tools Needed:

Supplies or Ingredients Needed:

These are the ingredients you’ll need. All the exact amounts are in the printable card at the bottom of this post.

Small wood crate
Spray paint primer – My favorite is Rustoleum 2x Ultra Cover Paint + Primer.
Deco Art Patio Paint in red, yellow, green, dark brown, and orange*

* You can use light brown if you have it. I didn’t have light brown, so I mixed half dark brown and half orange.

Where to Buy Small Wooden Crates

I used the Knagglig pine box from Ikea. This is the smaller one that measures 9×12.25×6-inches. Here are a few other good places to find the perfect one for your project:

Condiment Caddy Painting Tips:

What kind of paint do you use on a wood crate?

Just about any type of paint will work on wood, including acrylic or latex paint. My go-to paint for craft projects is Deco Art Patio Paint. I really like the vibrant colors and they’re durable for outdoor use.

Do you need to prime unfinished wood before painting?

Most wood crates and other unfinished wood for craft projects are pine or bass. They can absorb a lot of paint, so priming is a good way to make sure you don’t use more than necessary. A quick coat of a white primer is perfect.

What happens if you don’t sand before painting wood?

Sanding removes any rough edges or unevenness. If you skip this step, there’s a chance that you’ll find a spot that snags or looks a bit messy when it’s dry. No need to spend a long time sanding every bit smooth – a quick brush across the whole thing is probably enough.

Wood crate painted like a cheeseburger and holding ketchup, mustard, pickles, and a cup full of flatware.

How long does craft paint need to dry?

For the best dry time, check the package instructions on the paint you are using. In general, it will probably be dry to the touch in 30 minutes to an hour, and fully cured in 24 hours.

Do you need to seal wood after painting?

The outdoor paint I used is waterproof, so sealing isn’t necessary. If you’re using indoor craft paint, it probably isn’t waterproof. A clear coat of sealer will help your paint look good longer.

An outdoor cookout setup on a plaid tablecloth with plates, pickles, ketchup, and mustard.

DIY condiment caddy painted to resemble a cheeseburger.

Print Instructions Pin for Later

No ratings yet