An outdoor kitchen is a deck- or patio-based grilling area having a few amenities of a simple indoor kitchen, like cooking appliances, a dedicated eating area and storage cabinets. An outdoor kitchen can also have other utilities, such as gas lines and electricity, and the more elaborate ones might include running water and sinks.

If you enjoy spending plenty of hours outdoors, then creating an outdoor kitchen is surely the best improvement you can tackle in your house. Having all the food preparation outdoors where you are chatting and entertaining your family and friends proves to be more convenient than preparing the food indoors just to transport it outdoors later on. If you have a full-featured outdoor kitchen, you can enjoy the company of others while you prepare the food, and the delicious meals you have cooked will remain warm the moment they are placed on your guest’s plate. Plus, cooking outside will bring delightful smells to the landscape, which will improve the overall cooking experience.

However, although there are numerous advantages that this will bring, you also need to consider the other side of the coin, as this process is a major one and will test your DIY skills, budget and schedule.

Here is everything you need to consider to create an outdoor kitchen.

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Choose the location

While, at first, it may be tempting to choose an unused and distant corner from your terrace or yard to create an outdoor kitchen, this idea might not be the most suitable option. When you want to build an outdoor kitchen, the best idea is to place it as close to the house as possible. In this way, carrying platters, utensils and condiments from the indoor cooking space will also become easier. This alternative also makes things simpler for running services like plumbing, electricity and gas.

If you would place the outdoor kitchen in the yard, you would not have gas installation and water there, and this could increase your costs exponentially. Instead, if you place it near the house, you can just tie all these services to your already existing ones. But keep in mind that you shouldn’t put it too close to your home. Flame-generating appliances always need to be kept away from combustible materials, and you should also follow the local regulations and manufacturers’ recommendations.

Select the equipment

Because the interest in outdoor kitchens has grown, so has the range of appliances available on the market. Now, beyond the usual grills, there are pizza ovens, smokers, refrigerators, burners, beverage centers and ice makers, to name a few. But in reality, you can have an impressive outdoor kitchen with a small number of appliances. What exactly do you need in an outdoor kitchen? Well, you have to consider a grill to cook all your delicious meals. Then, a counter is an obvious choice, and you should think about having the counter space near the cooking area, as this will improve the functionality of the kitchen.

The countertop space is ideal in an outdoor kitchen, as it offers a great place to work, put the trays, tools, platters and ingredients and present the food when it is ready to serve. Then, you can opt for some kitchen cabinets from kitchenwarehouseltd.com, which will help you stash the grilling tools and the other accessories you need for preparing food.

Opt for robust materials

When you want to create an outdoor kitchen, you should always choose robust materials; otherwise, they will deteriorate rapidly. If you select quality outdoor appliances that are designed to withstand the weather conditions, your outdoor kitchen will look fabulous for a long time. For example, if you want wood cabinets, you should opt for ones that are made from a durable material. The countertop material is also trickier when you are searching one for your outdoor kitchen. You should remove from the equation anything that is easily stained. For instance, marble is not a great idea, as it can leave stains, and you will also worry about oak pollen. 

What are the other considerations to keep in mind in an outdoor kitchen?

The layout of the yard, the budget and the preferred style of your outdoor preferences are the ones that will dictate what kind of kitchen you want to build. A full-scale outdoor kitchen can bring a hefty price tag, as these types of kitchens have a countertop, an outdoor sink, refrigerator, stove, oven, a built-in barbecue grill and a shelter for the area.

Instead, if you plan to use the outdoor kitchen just from time to time for an occasional barbecue or party, it will be better to consider only a few features, like a counter, cabinets and cooking area and put the other elaborate and pricey items on pause, at least for a small period.

Usually, building an outdoor kitchen takes somewhere around two to three weeks. You might want to do all the work by yourself, but keep in mind that this is a stressful and complicated project that can take a few months to complete; this is why only expert DIYers are encouraged to take the lead in this type of work. The other people might want to search for help from contractors in running plumbing, electrical services or gas.

When to build the outdoor kitchen?

Provided you already have all the appliances and materials needed, an outdoor kitchen might take from one to three weeks to be built - or more if you need to create a deck or prepare a patio slab. The best time for building an outdoor kitchen is when the weather in the region is dry and mild. The snow and precipitation can hamper an outdoor building, but so can the intense heat from the mid-summer. If you live in a cold winter region, you might want to consider this project in mid to late fall, as running electrical lines and underground gas is more challenging when the ground is frozen solid.

Are you ready to build your outdoor kitchen?