Many have inquired about our pedi platform, so I thought I would share more information with all of you!

Dimensions of the platform are:
10’ wide
5’ deep
2' tall
18” front with 6” space for 5” indent for the tech’s feet to slip under

For years I have been building a perfect pedi platform in my head, knowing someday I would actually need to build one. This was our first attempt at building a pedicure platform and, now that it is done, I can say there are things I would do differently.

We used 2x4 and 4x4 thicker wood and used good strong brackets for support. I think the 60” depth is too deep for some chairs. Our chairs are large, and we still have space behind them. So measure your chairs, the space you need for the pedi bowl, and the footrest. You can actually eliminate the built-in stairs, use smaller chairs, and get three pedi stations out of this design.

The 24” tall was high, but I wanted the clients' feet at the level their hands would be if I was doing their nails. I don’t want to bend over and sit low in an uncomfortable position for my hips. The footrest should sit just above your pedi bowl, which is an additional 6” or so. So realistically the feet would be at 30”, which is almost table height.

Leave enough room so you can easily slide the pedi bowl in and out so it does not fit too tightly. We have yet to do a footrest so were placing a long armrest across the top of the bowl or removing the bowl completely and using the armrest. We have non-slip rugs under the pedi bowl in case we spill.

We built steps in the center, which you can eliminate and have a step built that you can place anywhere to climb up. Make sure the stairs have rubber on the bottom so they don't slip. We do have some clients who have a hard time stepping up so be sure to measure your steps to code, which we didn’t. And we hold the client's hand and escort her up and down for safety reasons.

Once we finished the platform we trimmed and painted it with white high-gloss paint. You can use boat paint as well, which has the advantage of being water-resistant. Then we tiled the top surface and the stairs. We had two Kupa [www.kupainc.com] Spa EFiles built in, so all we have to do is bring our handpieces when we are using them on pedicures. You can see them on either side of the steps. You also have the option of having sinks instead of portable bowls and having a plumber hook the sinks up.

I bought some really nice turquoise stools that fit the nail tables as well as the pedi area we roll over when we do pedis. The traditional pedi stools are too low.

--Vicki, Polish Salon, Brea, Calif.

Editor's Note: If you have more questions about how to build a pedicure platform, leave a comment here for Vicky and/or refer to our step-by-step article "How to Create Your Own Pedicure Platform".