Building Outdoor Kitchens for Every Budget

Safety

Although the methods in this book have been reviewed for safety, it is not possible to overstate the importance of using the safest methods you can. What follows are reminders— some do’s and don’ts of work safety—to use along with your common sense.

■Always use caution, care, and good judgment when following the procedures described in this book.

■Always be sure that the electrical setup is safe, that no circuit is overloaded, and that all power tools and outlets are properly grounded. Do not use power tools in wet locations.

■Always read container labels on paints, solvents, and other products; provide ventilation; and observe all other warnings.

■Always read the manufacturer’s instructions for using a tool, especially the warnings.

■Use hold-downs and push sticks whenever possible when working on a table saw. Avoid working short pieces if you can.

■Always remove the key from any drill chuck (portable or press) before starting the drill.

■Always pay deliberate attention to how a tool works so that you can avoid being injured.

■Always know the limitations of your tools. Do not try to force them to do what they were not designed to do.

■Always make sure that any adjustment is locked before proceeding. For example, always check the rip fence on a table saw or the bevel adjustment on a portable saw before starting to work.

■Always clamp small pieces to a bench or other work surface when using a power tool.

■Always wear the appropriate rubber gloves or work gloves when handling chemicals, moving or stacking lumber, working with concrete, or doing heavy construction.

■Always wear a disposable face mask when you create dust by sawing or sanding. Use a special filtering respirator when working with toxic substances and solvents.

■Always wear eye protection, especially when using power tools or striking metal on metal or concrete; a chip can fly off, for example, when chiseling concrete.

■Never work while wearing loose clothing, open cuffs, or jewelry; tie back long hair.

■Always be aware that there is seldom enough time for your body’s reflexes to save you from injury from a power tool in a dangerous situation; everything happens too fast. Be alert!

■Always keep your hands away from the business ends of blades, cutters, and bits.

■Always hold a circular saw firmly, usually with both hands.

■Always use a drill with an auxiliary handle to control the torque when using large-size bits.

■Always check your local building codes when planning new construction. The codes are intended to protect public safety and should be observed to the letter.

■Never work with power tools when you are tired or when under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

■Never cut tiny pieces of wood or pipe using a power saw. When you need a small piece, saw it from a securely clamped longer piece.

■Never change a saw blade or a drill or router bit unless the power cord is unplugged. Do not depend on the switch being off. You might accidentally hit it.

■Never work in insufficient lighting.

■Never work with dull tools. Have them sharpened, or learn how to sharpen them yourself.

■Never use a power tool on a workpiece—large or small—that is not firmly supported.

■Never saw a workpiece that spans a large distance between horses without close support on each side of the cut; the piece can bend, closing on and jamming the blade, causing saw kickback.

■When sawing, never support a workpiece from underneath with your leg or other part of your body.

■Never carry sharp or pointed tools, such as utility knives, awls, or chisels, in your pocket. If you want to carry any of these tools, use a special-purpose tool belt that has leather pockets and holders.

Contents

Introduction

CHAPTER ONE

Dreaming & Planning

Bringing It All Outdoors

Cooking and Entertaining Styles

The Floor

Sizing and Situating the Kitchen

Blending with the House

Layouts That Work

Dining Tables and Eating Counters

Backsplashes

Inside a Porch

Walls and Curtains

Over Your Head

For the City Folk

The Grill

Pizza Ovens

Fire Pits and Fireplaces

Comforts of Home

Lighting the Night

CHAPTER TWO

Getting the Most On a Tight Budget

Getting More with Less

Building a Lightweight Counter Inexpensively

Counter Facing

Cabinet Options

Countertops to Choose

Door and Drawers

Storage Solutions

Getting a Good Grill Value

More Cooking Options

Side Burners and Warmers

Sinks and Plumbing

Amenities

Refrigerators and Coolers

Grilling Accessories

Doing It Yourself or Hiring a Pro

CHAPTER THREE

Kitchens That Succeed

Side by Side

Handy and Neat

Blending In

Minimalism

Eating and Serving Counter

Two Big Curves

Kamado-and-Gas-Grill Combo

Stony Curves

A Happy, Speckled Place

Classic Entertaining Centers

Cozy but Open

Open Craftsmanship

CHAPTER FOUR

Building Counters

Detailed Planning

Utility Lines

Framing a Counter with Wood

Framing with Metal Studs

Wiring a Receptacle

Adding Backer Board

Applying Stone or Faux-Stone Veneer

Applying Stucco

Facing a Counter with Tile

Building Wooden Access Doors

Building PVC Cabinets

Crafting Wood Cabinets

Stackable-Block Counters

CHAPTER FIVE

Installing Countertops & Appliances

Granite and Other Slab Countertops

Ceramic-Tile Countertop

Pour-in-Place Concrete Countertop

Counter with a Kamado Grill

Pizza Oven

Churrasco Grill

Installing a Sink

Installing Grills and Burners

Index

Resource Guide

Credits

Metric Equivalents

Introduction

To quote Clemens Jellema, a world-class deck builder in the Washington, D.C., area, Everyone wants an outdoor kitchen, but most people think they can’t afford one. Well, this book will fix that.

Many homeowners have become intrigued with the idea of an outdoor kitchen—a place to cook and prepare food with family and friends outside the confines of the house. If you live in parts of the West or the South, chances are that you know several people who have outdoor kitchens. If you live elsewhere, you may have seen outdoor kitchens in books or heard that wealthy people near you have one.

A certain type of outdoor kitchen counter has come to be accepted as the norm in some parts of the country. It is built massively and must be supported by a thick concrete slab. The appliances—grill, side burner, refrigerator, sink, and specialty items made just for outdoor kitchens—are expensive. (Many people spend more than $6,000 for a grill alone.) A pizza oven or fireplace can cost $10,000.

All considerations taken together, the cost of an outdoor kitchen like this is typically a minimum of $25,000. Many people spend $70,000 or more.

These expensive kitchens are beautiful. If they are built correctly, with reliable appliances properly installed, they can provide service for many years. And if you have that kind of cash lying around, you may choose to hire a contractor to build one.

But what about the rest of us? Many of us would rather devote our extra tens of thousands of dollars to paying the mortgage or putting kids through college. Must we be content with a standalone grill and a few sticks of lawn furniture?

The answer is a resounding no. In this book we will show you how to build an outdoor counter that houses all of the appliances you want . . . for a reasonable price. There are many ways to do this, and we will show you how to do it yourself or hire a professional to build it for you.

You will learn how to build a great counter like this—or how to save money if you hire a pro.

Building with bricks that match the house makes an outdoor kitchen counter feel as if it really belongs.

1

Dreaming & Planning

Your goal is to build an outdoor kitchen that is inexpensive, but that does not mean you have to start out thinking small. Don’t fail to dream. Start by thinking of all of the things that you would like—a large-enough counter in a shape that best meets your needs, the countertop, side-of-counter surfaces, cabinets, drawers, a refrigerator, a sink, an overhead structure, and last but not least the grills and burners that you have dreamed about.

Look through this chapter for inspiration and practical solutions. Later, when you add up the numbers, you may need to scale back or leave space to add additional upgrades. Or you may be pleasantly surprised to find that you can fit most if not all of the features that you would like into your budget.

Once you have an idea what you like and can afford, check out Chapter 2 (beginning on page 48), which gets specific about saving money without sacrificing goodies. Begin with a plan that copies other kitchens you have seen. Then as you think through how you will use the space, your plan should come into focus.

Bringing It All Outdoors

Even when a backyard barbecue consists of a simple charcoal grill and a few lawn chairs on the deck or lawn, the outdoor setting creates a naturally convivial atmosphere, and the food seems to taste better and is more fun to prepare. The downside is all of the trips back and forth, the mess in the indoor kitchen, and the general lack of creature comforts.

An outdoor kitchen solves these problems, bringing outdoor cooking and dining to a new level: food preparation is easier; the cooking experience is better; and the chef and diners have comfortable places to hang out. Adding an outdoor kitchen increases the time that a family spends outdoors, and it relieves stress on the indoor kitchen (and the cook). It effectively increases the square footage of the home’s living space and the value of the home.

With the ever-growing number of products on the market, there are amenities to fit every budget. If your budget is tight, plan bigger than you can afford—leaving room for future upgrades. As you plan, think of your space as an outdoor dining/living room, designed for comfort and relaxation so that everyone who uses the space—cooks and their advisors, diners, and loungers alike—will feel at home.

The pergola over this kitchen keeps the area shady but still wide open to the yard.

Wood cabinetry is unusual in an outdoor kitchen, but it can be durable if you use rot-resistant wood and extra-strong finishes.

Stackable block assembles quickly and has the look and durability of natural stone.

This counter’s rough stone veneer complements the smooth flagstone patio.

Cooking and Entertaining Styles

An outdoor kitchen will encourage your family to eat outside more often, making for less mess and more-relaxed meals. And for those occasions when you need to cook for a larger crowd, an outdoor kitchen will make the job easier. Even a small outdoor kitchen essentially doubles your cooking space, giving you two separate kitchen areas and separate domains for chefs. Homeowners who live in cold climates increasingly grill outdoors even when it is too cold to eat there. Cooking a big turkey dinner at Thanksgiving, for instance, is easier when you can cook the main course outside on the grill and devote the indoor kitchen to all of the side dishes.

Entertaining in the summer allows you to move the messiest aspects of the meal outdoors. If you are hosting a child’s birthday party, for example, you can let the kids make their own pizzas on a table that you have brought outside for the occasion. Then they can cook (supervised, of course) their creations on a grill-top pizza stone or in a pizza oven if you have one. Even if the kids get into a food fight, your indoor kitchen will remain unscathed. You can hose off the deck or patio afterward.

To design an outdoor kitchen that works for you, it helps to think about your cooking and entertaining style. Here are a few questions to ask:

■How much will local climate limit your use of an outdoor kitchen? If your backyard is too hot or rainy or too cold or buggy, consider the products shown on pages 32–33 and 78, respectively, which may prolong your grilling and outdoor-dining season.

■Do you like to cook by yourself or with others helping? How many workstations do you normally use to prepare a meal? Do you prefer to just grill outdoors, or do you like to cook side dishes and prepare salads outside as well?

■What is your entertaining style? Do you prefer separate grilling and dining areas or a single grilling counter where you can quickly serve diners who watch as you grill?

■How convenient are your indoor kitchen’s sink and refrigerator to your outdoor space? If they are nearby, adding outdoor appliances may not be worth the trouble and expense.

■Which appliances and extras do you most desire? Think back on family cookouts and larger gatherings in the past, and make a wish list in order of priority. Of course, you will want a grill that will cook the way you want to cook. Maybe there are other dream features that will make you happy, such as a fridge, sink, or even a stereo or TV.

The separate buffet counter in this kitchen lightens traffic around the cooking counter.

Here, serious diners can sit at a table; snackers and drinkers can pull up to a bar.

This full-service counter includes grill, side burner, refrigerator, warming drawer, sink, and kegerator.

This U-shape counter gives the cook a perfect work triangle and shields diners from grilling smoke.

The Floor

Your outdoor kitchen counter will probably rest on or abut a patio or a deck. This book concentrates on outdoor kitchens. If you need to install a new deck, porch, or patio, see Creative Homeowner’s books on those subjects. (Ultimate Guide: Decks and Ultimate Guide: Walks, Patios & Walls)

Most of the designs in this book are lightweight enough that they can rest on any surface that is relatively strong. (If you build a counter using concrete block, first pour a deep concrete footing to keep the structure from cracking and sinking.)

The floor where you cook will, of course, receive spatters and spills. That is not a problem with, say, composite or vinyl decking, which you can easily wipe clean. But other common surfaces—wood decking or a patio made of brick, stone, or concrete pavers—will not be as easy to keep clean. To solve this problem, you can seal the surface with a deck or masonry sealer. Apply several coats to keep the area relatively impermeable and easy to clean. Or lay down an outdoor rug, or do both.

TIP

A Rug Near the Grill

Grease spatters and spills can stain or damage flooring right by the grill, so consider using an outdoor rug to protect your patio or deck.

Many composites today have sumptuous wood tones yet never need staining and easily wipe clean.

The wide joints between stone pavers on this patio provide space