7 Mistakes to Avoid During Outdoor Kitchen Construction

Building an outdoor kitchen can be an exciting and exhausting process. Making sure that you avoid these mistakes when building your outdoor kitchen can help keep your project running smoothly.

1. Measuring

Know exact cut-out dimensions for appliances and cabinetry before making any cutouts.

This can help avoid costly mistakes such as having to hire a granite fabricator to come out and cut your counter-tops again, or having too large of a cutout for the appliances being purchases.

In most cases, you should be supplied cut-out dimensions prior to purchase or at the time of purchase. Don’t hesitate to ask for cutout dimensions of any of our products if you can’t find them, these are extremely important for your outdoor kitchen to turn out as planned.

 

2. Island Venting

Make sure your outdoor kitchen island is correctly ventilated with vent panels.

As a safety precaution, we recommend using multiple island vents for your outdoor kitchen island or at the very least doors and drawers that have vents already incorporated in them. You definitely want to check your gas lines for any leaks prior to using your grill or any other gas appliances, however, through regular use you have the potential for gas to build up in the confined space underneath the island. Ensuring that your island is properly ventilated will help you avoid a potentially hazardous situation in the future.

 

3. Counter-space

Did you plan enough counter space?

You might have had limited space when deciding how big you can go with your outdoor kitchen island, but aside from those restraints, you need to need to plan for counter-space as well. This might sound like common sense but people tend to try and load up the limited space they have with a grill, side burner, sink, trash chute, etc… and forget that they need some workspace while cooking.

 

4. Grill Insulation

Will you need an insulated jacket

Is your outdoor kitchen island framed out of anything flammable? If you the answer is yes then you will need an insulated grill jacket. If you’re still unsure if you need one or not, feel free to give us a call or shoot us an online chat.

 

5. Outdoor Rated Appliances

When choosing your outdoor kitchen components make sure that you look for 304-grade stainless steel and UL-rated outdoor refrigeration appliances. This will ensure that your products were built to last in an outdoor environment. Some of the cheaper outdoor refrigerators made by outdoor brands are not, in fact, UL approved which is something to consider when buying.

 

6. Appliance Placement

Appliance placement is a very important aspect of designing an outdoor kitchen. Mainly, you want to separate your gas appliances (anything that will put off heat) from your refrigeration appliances. Having your grill too close to an outdoor refrigerator is just asking for a problem.

 

7. Premium Brands

Do Your Due Diligence, Pick Reputable Outdoor Brands

It can be overwhelming when trying to choose from outdoor kitchen brands for your project. When choosing a brand here are a few points to consider:

• What country are the products manufactured in?
• How solid of a warranty do the products have?
• Is the stainless steel 304 grade?
• How long has the brand been in business and what reputation does it have? (If a brand new company offers lifetime warranties on all it’s products that won’t mean anything if they go out of business after a year or two).

Take a look at our Premium Brands page for a better idea of some high-quality outdoor kitchen brands. We have the expertise and high-quality products to turn your outdoor cooking dreams into a reality. So, roll up your sleeves, put on your chef’s hat, and get ready to create culinary masterpieces in your small but sensational outdoor kitchen! Connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram for more tips on enhancing your outdoor kitchen.