How To Build Outdoor Kitchen Around Grill

Building Around The Grill

A common question I hear is, Can I use a regular grill for a built-in? Yes, you can! You dont need the most expensive grill to have a built-in. But you will need a grill thats fairly easy to build around.

Ideally, the grill shouldnt have shelves that stick out. For this project, its best to use a grill thats easy to build around by laying simple paver blocks that dont require lots of cuts.

Creating a grill surround with Pavestone Rumblestone is simple and affordable. Rumblestone blocks come in dimensions that allow for infinite variations during assembly.

Were using the Petry familys old grill as a model for what the new built-in grill will need to look its best.

Diy Weekend Barbecue Island

Heres another video showing you how to build a grill island that will only take a weekend to finish. Its a simple plan the tutorial only lasts just over a minute, and thats all the time it needs to show you how to construct a grill island youll be proud to own. Want to know how? Then give the video a watch!

Diy Tiled Outdoor Kitchen

Tile is a great choice for covering the wood on your outdoor kitchen. It is very versatile and you can find it pretty cheap if you shop in the clearance section of your local home improvement store. This DIY outdoor kitchen has stainless steel and tile and it couldnt be easier to build. You just frame it in and then add your tile as a cover.

Plans: thisgreyhouse

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Supporting Countertop Space Areas

Each area in the outdoor kitchen should have counter space planned. It is an essential part of designing and planning your outdoor kitchen! The Outdoor Appliance Store has prepared supporting countertop space area suggestions for different areas of the kitchen.

Grill: 12 on one side and 12 on the other side for a total of 24 of countertop space next to the grill

Sink: 12 on each side

Refrigerators: 8 inches next to or above each appliance

Sideburner: 12 on each side

Pizza oven: 12 on each side

How To Build An Outdoor Kitchen: 8 Simple Steps

Building an outdoor kitchen, are we? Envisioning parties to prepare, cookouts to come, and excitement to ignite? Truly, its an experience that can run the full gamut from exhilarating to daunting too often, itll even ping back and forth with blatant disregard to your sanity. This isnt news to our outdoor living experts, especially after over 20 years spent guiding customers like you to their very own holy grail of grilling. Its that spirit that drives us here at BBQGuys®, striving hard to give you everything you need to be a barbecue boss from the start… like our Outdoor Kitchen Checklist!

Whether youre preventatively avoiding headaches or already holding a fist to the skies and cursing outdoor kitchens everywhere, we have your back every step of the way. Thats why weve called upon those very same outdoor living experts! Here are their 8 best basics to bear in mind while planning any outdoor kitchen.

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Trowel On A Scratch Coat Of Mortar

In a trough or bucket, mix a batch of powdered mortar mix and water. Make it spreadable and not too thick. It shouldnt fall or drip off your trowel. To protect the ground from mortar drips, cover the area along the bottom of the island with scrap wood.

Cover the wire with mortar by following these steps:

• Using your trowel, spread a layer of 1/2-inch layer of mortar over the lath.
• If your lath shifts, stop and nail it down. Dont ignore it. It could cause problems down the road.
• Press down with your trowel. This helps work the mortar into all the spaces so there arent any bubbles or gaps. Fill all the holes with a nice smooth coat.
• When all the wire is covered, wait an hour.
• This gives the mortar time to dry enough for the next step.

How To Make A Stainless Steel Grill Station

The materials required for this stainless steel grill station include stainless flat bar stock, stainless angle stock, gauge stainless steel sheet metal, stainless bolt and nuts, stainless rod, stainless steel welding rod, casters, iron pipe, iron pipe fittings, high-pressure propane regulator, bandsaw, drill, center punch, screwdriver,; speed square, sandpaper, drill bits, vice grips, and clamps.

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Diy Stone Covered Grill Island

If you have a space for it, this DIY grill island is the perfect outdoor kitchen. You can have this one built in a weekend, if you have a few friends that will help with the heavy work. It can be covered in stone when its finished, which gives it a wonderful appearance or you could cover it in brick or another material. This is a pretty simple one to build and is sure to save you a bundle over having one professionally built. There really are some great DIY stone and pebble projects for you to add beauty to your life.

Plans: thisoldhouse

Can I Build An Alcove In My Outdoor Kitchen To Fit My Grill

Yes, you can, and I have done this for clients. Youll want to make sure of a few things first:

• if your built-in grill has folding sides to act as a work surface youll probably want to remove them. Leaving them on, even folded down, causes some big unsightly gaps between the grill and the surround.
• that said, check your manual to see what the recommended clearances are around the built-in grill. Even if youre building it into a non-combustible structure like stone and block, you may have airflow requirements so the grill works efficiently.
• If youre doing stone veneer, wheel the grill in AFTER the veneer is up. Ive known people who veneered around the grill and ended up sealing it in.

You should also think ahead to the next grill you think youll want and design the cutout accordingly. Most consumer grills in that sub-$1,000 price range only last so long. You wont want to have to redo a bunch of masonry when it comes time to upgrade!

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Learn Learn Learn Those Cutout Dimensions Before You Cut

Measure twice, cut once. If its good enough for home improvement maestro Bob Villa, its good enough for us! The last thing you want is to prepare for those outdoor kitchen appliances by cutting out the space, only to realize later that theyre off the mark. Seriously: double-check them, even triple-check them! Whenever possible, its best to have said appliances on hand . If thats simply not practical, contact the manufacturer or a sales representative before the purchase to ensure a proper fit.

Diy Bbq Island Completed

In this video, you get to see the finishing touches this YouTuber gives to his ambitious grill island project that cost him around $3100. As you can see, the finished island is extremely impressive, and although its not the cheapest version possible, most people will agree that its money well spent. This is the final video in a seven-part series check out the rest of them if you want to see how the project began.

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Choosing A Barbecue Grill

The grills on the market today offer such a broad range of bells and whistles that you need to spend some time deciding what you must have… and what you’re not willing to pay for.

BBQ Grills come in a wide range of sizes with cooking areas from 24 to 48 inches wide and 15 to 25 inches deep. Both freestanding and built-in models are available.

For the traditionalist, charcoal grills go for about $100 to $600 with some including shelves and storage.

Gas grills offer more cooking power and greater temperature control with more features such as separate burners and rotisseries. They cost more too at $300 to $8000!

The grill is the cornerstone of your design and will influence the construction and configuration of the remaining utilities, prep areas, storage, and dining space.

Additionally, youâll need to consider barbecue grill safety and installation issues like using an insulation jacket so the bbq grill can be installed into an island made of combustible materials.

So take your time picking out the one that will best suit your needs and plans.

Can I Take The Legs Off My Existing Grill And Use It Like A Built

The answer, in almost all cases, is no. With your higher-end grills the manufacturer may offer a cart that also fits your grill head, but most box store/consumer models arent built that way. Even if you could remove the legs without sacrificing the strength and integrity of your grill it may not be built appropriately for actually inserting it into an enclosure. Youre talking about a gas appliance. Unless the manufacturer recommends that kind of conversion, I wouldnt do it.

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Plan Your Outdoor Kitchen Design And Layout

The first step to building an outdoor kitchen is confirming a design. Get the basics figured out with these steps:

• Measure your patios width and length.
• Multiply them together to figure your square footage.
• Choose how to divide the space. Decide if you want more room for kitchen appliances or outdoor seating.

From there, you can determine the best way to structure your layout. Outdoor kitchen layouts are similar to indoor ones. The difference is the cooking area will likely be the gathering point.

Common kitchen layouts include the following plans:

• L-shaped: You can have one area for food prep and another for cooking. Storage fits on either side.
• Galley: This layout has a corridor with everything you need on two sides.
• Linear: This is the simplest layout. Your kitchen is lined up along the back of the house in a straight line.
• Triangle: The grill, sink and fridge are equal distances apart in a triangular layout. This is common for small outdoor kitchens.
• U-shaped: This shape is great for large outdoor kitchens. Youll have plenty of counter space and no one will feel cramped. Set up your appliances and outdoor pizza oven in a U-shape to have everything at your fingertips.
• Kitchen Island: A DIY outdoor kitchen with a kitchen island can be customized to fit any space. If youd love an island that doubles as a buffet, you can build accordingly. If you need a tiny island in a cozy kitchen, thats an option too. Adding storage underneath makes the most of your space.

What Do I Need To Do To Avoid This Happening In My Home

Among the areas of the home to pay special attention to in your project are the walls of the home adjacent, especially behind, the grill or grills. ;Materials that are generally safe back walls to grills are stucco, stone, brick and a relatively new favorite is Hardie material. ;It is a non-combustible fiber-concrete composite that really does have the look of wood.

There are many that simply do not like the look of most of the non-combustible materials listed and for them some of the newer products are really popular. ;Materials like Marine Grade Plastic, Epoxy Resin and PVC are creating amazing cabinets that are stunning to the eye, last for many years fully exposed to weather and far more effective use of space.

Epoxy resin and PVC cabinets with True refrigerator, Delta Heat grill and hot/cold water sink

Epoxy resin and PVC cabinets with granite counter tops and Memphis wood fired grill/smoker

If you require your builder to use entirely non-combustible materials, wrap your grill in non-combustible insulation liners and choose all outdoor-rated products made from companies using high grades of stainless steel then you can rest assure that you will have many years of consistent temperatures, be safe from fires and free of the challenges listed here.

Companies recommended for cooking appliances:

Twin Eagles, Delta Heat, FireMagic, AOG, TEC Infrared, EVO, Memphis Grills, Lynx

Grills that do not require heat insulation liners:

TEC Infrared, EVO

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The Benefits Of Building A Diy Bbq Island

Whether you DIY it or pay to have it installed, deciding to add a grill island to your home can be a big decision, and if you choose to go ahead with it, it will probably require a significant investment of both time and money. However, there are plenty of great reasons for doing it, and when its finished, theres every chance youll be thrilled with the result. And if youre looking for arguments to convince you, this blog will give you some of the most important.

Outdoor Kitchen Design Considerations

Building an outdoor kitchen can be a DIY project or a complex remodel requiring professionals depending on how elaborate your plans are.

From a simple, efficient BBQ station to a gourmet set-up complete with refrigerator, sink, mini-bar, lights, music… so much to contemplate when you really just want to relax and enjoy good food and friends, right!

You’ll get many years of fun and enjoyment from your new outdoor kitchen, although before that happens, you have endless possibilities to ponder and many decisions to make.

To truly bring your kitchen outdoors your setup will include a built-in BBQ, custom countertops, sink, refrigerator, outdoor kitchen cabinets and cozy outdoor furniture or bar stools for yourself and all your guests to kick back.

Note that youâll want to thoroughly plan, map out, and draw up your outdoor kitchen design including measurements for everything you plan to install plus food prep spaces, etc. More on that below. And things like you donât want your grill right next to your fridge .

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Stack & Go Grill Island Project

Heres a super-simple plan for a grill island that anyone will be able to copy. The secret is the special type of blocks that just need to be stacked up and fixed together. The fact that the video only last three minutes should give you an idea of how easy this idea is to reproduce, so check it out and see if you might like to try!

Choosing An Outdoor Kitchen Countertop

We start with the countertop since this surface will get the most use and abuse, consume a good chunk of the budget, and significantly influence the overall look and style of the entire installation.

Choosing the right outdoor countertop will ensure years of enjoyment, admiration, and minimal maintenance.

Of course, the most important factor is exposure to all the elements. Youâll want a countertop that is easy to use and clean and will last and last without looking shabby.

If you live in a hot and sunny climate, then providing for shade is a no-brainer, but especially important over the countertops. You could fry an egg on granite, or ceramic tile or pretty much any type of countertop if exposed to direct sunlight for several hours.

Darker colors will be hotter and lighter colors cooler to the touch. Some surfaces will show wear and tear more than others , while others will yellow from exposure to the UV rays of the sun, or crack during freeze-thaw cycles .

Of course, maintenance of outdoor kitchen countertops should factor into your decision.

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Things To Consider When Making An Outdoor Kitchen With A Frame

Brace yourselves, as this is going to be a long list of the things that you need to keep in mind if youre designing your outdoor kitchen. The following list was put together for people who want a complete outdoor kitchen experience and want to benefit from full functionality when theyre interacting with it. So, here are the things to consider when youre sketching your outdoor kitchen plans:

Wood Outdoor Kitchen Frame

View in gallery

This is the first part of a blog series that teaches you how to make your own outdoor kitchen, starting with the initial plans written on a piece of paper. The project was designed for a pizza oven, a cabinet for storing grilling materials, a countertop to prepare the food, and a built-in grill spot. As you can see in the images of this post, the project was specifically designed for the deck in question, which means that your measurements will be different depending on how big you want your outdoor kitchen to be.

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Big Green Egg And Kamado Joe Counter

BBQ islands dont only need to be for built-in propane grills. Charcoal cookers like the Kamado Joe or Big Green Egg can easily be accommodated with the right setup.

This design and free plan from The Lowcountry Lady features a large concrete counter, giving you plenty of cooking and food prep room next to your grill. Its built with shelving and cupboard space to allow you to gather everything you need in one place.

The Next Decision: Wall And Countertops

Continuing with the equipment list, you will need to decide what material you want the walls and the countertop of your outdoor kitchen to be. Knowing the material you choose will determine the various equipment you need for the job.

Well start with the walls first and then move into the countertops.

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Trowel On A Scratch Coat

• Using a masonry hoe and a mixing trough, mix up a bag of mortar with water until it is the consistency of peanut butter and it clings to a trowel turned upside down.
• Lay a ring of 1x scrap boards against the bottom edge of the island. Using a finishing trowel, spread a ½-inch-thick layer of mortar over the lath and down to the 1x scrap.
• Push the mortar into the crevices in a downward motion. If at any point the lath moves, stop and nail it tight to the sheathing.
• When you are finished, you should not be able to see any mesh.
• Let the scratch coat cure for about an hour.