Outdoor Kitchen Planning Guide
Whether you covet a grill and food-prep station on wheels or a built-in BBQ island with fridge and bar seating, don’t hit the home center before reading our expert guide to creating a first-rate backyard cook spot.
Few summer pleasures are as much fun as a cookout. The smell of grilling food is mouth-watering, everything tastes great and its hard not to have a good time – that is, unless youre the harried host running back and forth between the grill and the kitchen for the chicken and steak, forks and knives, beer and wine, and ketchup and mustard. And when everybodys done, all the leftovers must be lugged back inside.
Your solution? An outdoor kitchen! These structures can help you slow down and spend more time with family and friends by putting all the ingredients for outdoor dining close at hand.
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Decide On The Cooking Area
To create a good-looking and efficient kitchen, follow these rules of thumb:
- Along One Wall: Good for smaller, more budget-friendly spaces outdoor kitchens for one cook, with a separate dining or seating area Eric Larsen
- L-Shape: Good for two or more cooks incorporating extras, such as a sink or a refrigerator providing a buffet, bar or seating area for entertaining Eric Larsen
- U-Shape: Good for freestanding kitchens with multiple appliances, including a grill, a refrigerator, and a sink, and a seating/bar/serving area Eric Larsen
- Island: Good for creating a hub for entertaining. Consider dividing with a raised counter so that grilling and prep are separate from socializing. Eric Larsen
Pick Your Building Materials
Material options for a built-in base
- Cultured-stone veneer: Mortared to a wood, concrete-block, or precast-concrete frame, it looks like and lasts as long as natural stone but is simpler to DIY because it’s lightweight and easy to cut.
- Brick: Affordable and a cinch to maintain. Requires careful prep, and you may have to cut bricks to fit. But if you’ve got basic masonry skills, it’s a good weekend project.
- Stucco: Troweled onto a wood, concrete-block, or precast-concrete frame, it’s a hard-wearing and flameproof finish that comes in colors.
Material options for cabinetry
- Stainless steel: It’s durable and weatherproof and matches the grill.
- Has the charm of painted wood, but won’t rot and is maintenance-freejust hose it down to clean it.
- Teak: Offers a warm, classic look. Must be finished annually with a clear sealer.
Material options for countertops
- Granite: Stands up to the elements, won’t stain as easily as marble, soapstone, or slate, and shouldn’t fade in the sun.
- Concrete: Concrete countertops lend a clean, contemporary look but can be prone to cracking if not properly installed. Not DIY-friendly. Must be sealed and resealed annually.
- Outdoor-rated ceramic tile: Thrifty, good for DIYers, and offers a range of styles and colors. Best in regions where freezing and thawing won’t damage grout lines.
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Plan Ahead To Prevent Fires
Heres how to ensure your new cook center wont endanger youor your home:
Grill: Position it at least 10 feet from combustible materials, such as wood siding, deck rails, and tree branches, and build in storage for a fire extinguisher.
Gas: Check the line for leaks. Mix 1 part dish soap to 2 parts water. Brush the solution on the hose and connector fittings. Turn on the gas, but dont light the grill. If new bubbles form, you have a leak. Tighten the fittings if that fails, replace the hose and fittings.
Electric: GFCI outlets are required its also good to put the kitchen on its own circuit, one thats easily accessible via the control panel in your house. Use only extension cords, fans, and lights that have Underwriters Laboratories outdoor ratings, because they stand up to UV exposure and extreme temperatures.
Outdoor Grilling & Organization
Master Forge 5-Burner Modular Gas Grill is a modular oasis. It has all of your grilling needs for your outdoor kitchen space. Great for preparing full meals and beverages making entertaining outdoors easy!
Having a modular outdoor kitchen allows you customize your kitchen to your liking. Yesyou can move it around as much as you want. The configuration can be set to your cooking or entertaining needs. The most awesome thing about the Master Forge 5-Burner Modular Gas Grill is if youre moving or renting you can take it with you!
The hubster and I has planned, and planned on getting an outdoor Kitchen built for some years now. To our surprise Lowes Home Improvement had the model sitting there waiting for us to take it home. We didnt think twice about getting it, because it had everything we needed without spending $8,500. It has granite counter tops, a sink, double sided burners, griddle, and even a refrigerator. We purchased two and storage cabinets galore! Another pleasant surprised to find was a trash compartment came with the unit.
Sink and side burner features this generous size towel bar. Mackenzie Childs Berry Breakfast Dish Towelhas my heart skipping a beat. You can purchase one HERE!
Outdoor grilling organization, is just as important as the kitchen indoors. HomeGoods has so many choices to choose from. This Expandable Silverware Tray By MadeSmart,fits perfectly inside the full size drawer holding all of our grilling essentials.
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Select An Outdoor Kitchen Style
Be sure the style you choose will matches your lifestyle and will accommodate everything you want the kitchen to hold Here are some typical styles to consider:
Traditional
A masonry base in the form of mortared brick and stone is classic. To tie it in with the house, choose a material and design, such as this running-bond brick pattern, that echoes your foundation walls or chimney.
Contemporary
The style is characterized by sleek lines and polished finishes, such as granite and stainless steel. Here, ipe boards running in horizontal bands give dimension to the kitchen while also blending it with the wooded backdrop.
Rustic
Texture and matte finishes impart a lived-in look. Here, stucco on the built-in base is tinted to mimic terra-cotta and to harmonize with the tones of a rough-stone counter. Earthy colors blend with the surrounding plantings.
Choose A Location Close To The House
The side of the house can be an ideal location for an outdoor kitchen. Theres no need to excavate trenches for gas and electricity lines, and the house itself provides some shelter for the appliances. And when yard space is at a premium, an open space along the wall of the house might be the only spot available for a permanent kitchen.B
Here are three reasons to build your outdoor kitchen close to your home:
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Consider Adding Some Nice
They’re not necessities, but they make cookouts more enjoyable
- Sink: The ease and sanitary benefit of washing hands and veggies without schlepping inside makes it worth the investment for not just the sink but also for plumbing and waste lines.
- Dedicated gas line: If you have natural gas, run a line from the house so as not to struggle with a propane tank or run out of fuel during a BBQ.
- Extra burner: Ideal for side dishes. Some grills come with one, but be sure there’s enough space to fit your pots.
- Refrigerator: A stainless-steel undercounter unit keeps cold drinks and ingredients within reach of the grill.
More add-ons to consider
Determine Your Dining Set
- Family gatherings: Plan seating for six to eight around a table that’s about 96 inches long . Ideally, allow 42 inches between the edge of the table and a wall or other obstruction so that there’s room to push back chairs and walk behind those who are seated.
- Intimate meals: A bistro set offers space-saving and portable lightweight seating for two, while a 42-inch round or square table provides enough elbow room for four.
- Entertaining with friends: Just as guests congregate in the indoor kitchen, they’ll gather around the grill outside. Give them a place to perchand keep them out of the cooking zonewith a freestanding pub table and stools. For built-in kitchens with a peninsula or for grill islands, add a breakfast-bar-style overhang that’s 15 inches deep for a 36-inch high counter, or 12 inches for a 42-inch one, to allow enough space for knees.
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Outdoor Kitchen Frequently Asked Questions
If youre looking to really make an impact in your back patio, you should really consider an outdoor kitchen. In addition to creating an outdoor space ideal for entertaining, buying an Outdoor Kitchen Island will give you an instant return on your home investment. Here are some questions that might come up as you search for the outdoor kitchen of your dreams:
The first thing you should consider is how large you want your outdoor entertaining space to be. With a tape measure, mark off the space you are looking to transform. You want to allow at last 36 to 50 inches for reasonable walkway. If you are considering more than one countertop space, think about the design of your kitchen. Make a checklist of the things you wish to do with your outdoor kitchen space. Will you be storing raw food in your fridge? Will that need to be near the grill? Do you have enough counter space for prepping food? Do you have easy access to ice, or should you consider an outdoor ice machine for a fridge? If you are entertaining, would you want to include a space for mixing drinks?
If space and sizing is not an issue, you may want to consider the seating arrangements of your outdoor kitchen. Do you plan on hosting events that might require several guests to be seated at the bar area? Do you anticipate children or grandchildren sitting at the bar area while you tend to the grill? These questions will factor in how you want to set up your outdoor entertaining space.
The Most Forgiving Grills On Earth
The Modular Outdoor Kitchen is customizable, letting you mix and match until you find the perfect combination.
Our Modular Outdoor Kitchen modules provide an array of configuration options so you can build the outdoor cooking space of your dreams.
- SO MANY WAYS TO COOKWith grill, griddle and stove top modules, you can build your Modular Outdoor Kitchen to meet all your cooking needs.
- AMPLIFIRE COOKING TECHNOLOGYA Modular Outdoor Kitchen isnt complete without a Amplifire gas grill. This patented cooking technology prevents flare-ups, cooks juicier food and distributes even heat across the grates, making any level griller feel like a grilling champ.
- MADE TO ENTERTAINThe Entertainment Module features granite countertops, sink, built-in cooler, trash bin and electrical outlets. Party on.
- LIGHT UP THE NIGHTIntegrated halogen lights and LED-illuminated knobs make it easy to operate your Modular Outdoor Kitchen any time of day.
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Learn This Instruction Guide Totally Earlier Than Putting In Or Servicing This Tools
Grill covers see all 6 departments. Retailer your out of doors grilling necessities alongside your grill for simple entry. Modular 3 piece island electrical and propane or pure gasoline bbq out of doors black chrome steel grill kitchen with double wine fridge, sink, rotisserie, black marble prime and free protecting canvas cowl.
