Outdoor kitchens are fun and exciting projects because they’re not something you see everyday, making it more special and unique for those who invest in one!
Although there are already pre-made options on the market, outdoor kitchens are not that common. Today we’re going through every step you need to take in order to make your own outdoor kitchen, either by starting from scratch or adapting what you already have!
“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today. – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
1. Plumbing
Whether you’re starting completely from scratch or not, plumbing is most likely the first thing you have to worry about. We need to first make sure there’s a way to adapt the plumbing system available in your home to suit the outdoor kitchen we’re building.
Depending on what you have at your disposal, you can install a dry well (which can be DIYed) for your outdoor kitchen sink, so you have an easy and convenient way of disposing of water.
2. Furniture
Choosing furniture for your outdoor kitchen is fairly easy, as long as you consider the most important aspects – resilience and convenience.
First, you need to get furniture that survives various weather conditions, so anything with cloth or certain metals that can easily rust won’t do well. At least, not for very long. Wood furniture can do well, especially if properly sealed – and it tends to be on the more affordable side too.
And is for convenience, we just mean furniture that isn’t very heavy and clunky to move. In some cases you might need to move things around and it’s a lot more convenient if they don’t weigh a ton.
3. Cooking area
It's time to go over the most exciting part of your outdoor kitchen – the cooking area itself. You have tons of options here, but the most common ideas are: creating a grill area for various cooking endeavors, a stone oven for pizzas, or a simple barbecue area – probably the easiest of the bunch.
Along with those, you want something like a kitchen island so you have room to set up your ingredients, cutting boards, and more of whatever you'll use for cooking. This can be simply an extra area near the cooking station, or a smaller table for that purpose alone.
4. Appliances
This part is not very hard, in most cases it doesn't even require an investment since you can use appliances you already own without the need to purchase new ones exclusively for your outdoor kitchen.
However, you will still need outlets. It's important to consider how many you will need beforehand to place them accordingly!
5. Pergola or deck kitchen
If you already have a pergola or deck in your patio, you can use that area to implement your outdoor kitchen. But if you’re planning from scratch, building an outdoor kitchen on a deck or under a pergola is a great idea – it’s natural cover that works both for protecting your kitchen but also for the good looks. It makes the whole place feel like it’s own separate zone!
Bonus idea: Portable outdoor kitchen
This is a special project for those who currently don’t have the space or the money to invest in the things we’ve been talking about so far – a portable outdoor kitchen!
This lovely tutorial will guide you though on how to create this tiny kitchen complete with a sink, cutting board and oven, with the benefit that it can be placed anywhere and moved around at your leisure!
Looking to remodel your kitchen? Talk to kitchen remodeling professionals today and get free quotes in your area!
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