Tips for Installing a Backyard Kitchen

When it comes to a backyard paradise, there are several different options that you can incorporate into your design. Many of these designs include a backyard kitchen. These kitchens are rather simple to create and can be as varied as you want it to be. You can include a smoker, open pit, gas burners, or any number of things. You can also add some solar panels to an overhang if you want to add a refrigerator without having to pay the added electric costs. With all the things that you can add to your outdoor kitchen, the design part of this project is very important. There are a couple things that you can do to allow for future expansions, but you will need to plan for these in the beginning.

The first thing that you need to do when you are considering a backyard kitchen is go window shopping. There are several stores, both on and offline, that offer these types of products. By browsing through these stores as well as Home Depot and Lowe's you can get a full grasp of the things that you can do with these kitchens. This will help you plan and design your outdoor kitchen. Buying a pre-made unit or having one installed can get a little pricey so you will want to consider installing this yourself. It is a fairly simple job, but is labor intensive with the bricks and mortar that you have to haul around as well as installing the burners and stove top. If you choose to install a fridge, keg-erator, or ice box, you will want to make sure it is a little ways away from the heat source. You will want to consider the counter space that you will need for your kitchen. Many people like to have a small food prep area, but If you are content with using your indoor kitchen for this part, that can give you some extra space in the yard. A nice bar is a good accompaniment for a back yard kitchen as well. These are easily constructed of wood or you can buy one. Having a wood or marble top will also give you space for food prep. Adding a bar also gives you a nice serving area.

When you are constructing the area for the burners, you will need to consider the fuel source. If you are using a charcoal grill as your base, you can use the bottom section of a Weber type grill and just sink it into a brick base. If you are using propane, you will need to keep storage for the tanks in mind. Having a door in the base of your design can give you easy access to tanks to aid in changing them. The burners will have to be either electric or propane powered, so you will need to allow for the wiring or hoses for the gas. You will want to have an overhang to shade the person cooking. This overhang can also have solar panels installed so that you can power your electric portions like the burners or fridge. Solar panels are rather easy to install and are getting cheaper all the time. An electric generator or propane powered fridge may be another option for you. You can find propane refrigerators at most RV supply stores and service centers. These burn a nominal amount of gas and you can easily turn them off when they are not being used.

There are a couple options for the makeup of your kitchen. The most popular and least expensive is a brick housing. You can do a lot with bricks as well. You can easily custom build your kitchen housing with bricks. They do not require as much fire-proofing as wood either. If you do use wood, you will need to make sure that you have enough support to hold up your grill and burners. One thing that you can do is combine the two materials. You can get the stability and support of brick and then overlay that with some wood paneling. This will give you the beauty of the wood, with the support and customization benefits of brick. If you do use wood, you will want to get some heat and fire resistant weatherproofing to finish it. If you install a smoker, fryer, or spit, this is very important.

A little thought about the design can help you have the grill of your dreams. You can encase your existing grill in a permanent fixture. This will also help lower the costs. If you take your existing propane grill apart, you can easily mount these in a brick or wooden housing. Looking at all the little things that you can do with your kitchen can give you the perfect kitchen for you and your home. With everyone having different tastes and preferences, this is really something that you need to completely design on your own. There are many little things that you can add to this to make it the perfect party spot for you. A swim up bar next to the pool can be a perfect addition as well as a tap from a keg-erator. Wine racks and coolers are more additions that you may want to add. A spit that can convert to an open fire pit can add some relaxation throughout the evening. There is no end to the additions that you can put into these. Just keep the available space and future additions in mind. It is easy to get carried away with these and too many additions can easily conflict with each other and detract from the enjoyment of your outdoor kitchen.