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Your Ultimate Guide on Putting up an Outdoor Kitchen on a Deck

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If you do a lot of grilling in the backyard, you might have wondered about adding additional kitchen amenities outside. However, it’s completely understandable if you’ve questioned whether it’s possible.

A lot that can go wrong outside when it comes to cooking. Weather is the main issue you’ll have to deal with. However, it is possible to have an outdoor kitchen installed that you can use when the weather allows it.

Your Ultimate Guide on Putting up an Outdoor Kitchen on a Deck

You will have to plan to do things right. If you are installing a new deck, you can add these items to your plan, but if you have a deck already, it’s best to consult with a deck contractor who can make necessary adjustments.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re planning your outdoor kitchen for your deck.

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What Appliances Will I Need for an Outdoor Kitchen?

Your Ultimate Guide on Putting up an Outdoor Kitchen on a Deck

Counter space is the number one thing you will likely need for your outdoor kitchen, but what appliances will you have installed on top of and below the counters? It depends on what you plan on cooking outside.

Should You Replace Your Grill?

You might already have a grill, but you can have one installed in the counter that houses your other appliances. However, if you go this route, it’s best to choose a gas grill

Charcoal grills are messier, and that mess will spread to the rest of your kitchen. If you love the flavor that a charcoal grill adds, keep it separate from the rest of your appliances.

Your Ultimate Guide on Putting up an Outdoor Kitchen on a Deck
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If you have a grill that you love already, you might not want to replace it. You can always add a grill to the rest of your kitchen once your current grill stops working.

Any grill you choose should be covered when it’s not in use. This will help to protect it from the weather, especially during the winter.

What About an Oven?

Your Ultimate Guide on Putting up an Outdoor Kitchen on a Deck
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Outdoor ovens are available. The most common outdoor ovens are outdoor pizza ovens.

You just need to figure out whether you will use it or not. Will you make food outside that requires an oven? Is it better to use your oven inside? It’s entirely up to you.

An oven is one more thing that you will need to maintain in your outdoor kitchen. Like a grill, it will require cleaning and covering.

Are you ready to take on that additional responsibility? If you’re looking to enhance your grilling experience, this isn’t a necessary piece.

Add a Refrigerator

Your Ultimate Guide on Putting up an Outdoor Kitchen on a Deck
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This piece can enhance your outdoor cooking experience tremendously. Do you find yourself with less refrigerator and freezer space in the summer, especially around events? 

An outdoor refrigerator or freezer gives you a place to store all of your grilling food. It’s also a great place to store drinks. As you take out a cold one, replace it with a warm one. 

Whatever you choose to use it for, make sure it is meant to be used outside. An indoor refrigerator won’t be able to handle the elements. Stainless steel is a great choice.

Install a Stainless Steel Sink

Your Ultimate Guide on Putting up an Outdoor Kitchen on a Deck
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Stainless steel is also the perfect choice for an outdoor sink. It won’t have problems with rust, bacteria, and mold. It’s a good option as it is clean and resistant to corrosion.

Cooking outdoors can be messy, and an outdoor sink will give you a place to clean without bringing the mess into your house. This will help to keep your home clean and make it easier to work with vegetables.

Is It Safe to Install a Kitchen on My Deck?

Your Ultimate Guide on Putting up an Outdoor Kitchen on a Deck

Once you’ve chosen your appliances, you’ll need to look into whether your deck can handle a kitchen. If you don’t have a deck yet, you can factor these things into your new deck.

Here are a few questions for you to ask your decking contractor before you build your kitchen.

Can You Access Necessary Utilities?

Depending on the appliances you choose, you’ll need gas, electric, and plumbing installed. Can you safely run these lines to your deck and your appliances?

If you aren’t able to safely do it beneath the floor, it can create an eyesore. Are you willing to put up with the blemish to be able to have an outdoor kitchen? 

If not, you might have to stick with your trusty grill. Safety should come first. Either that, or you will need to replace your deck with a kitchen in mind.

How Much Weight Can My Deck Handle?

Your Ultimate Guide on Putting up an Outdoor Kitchen on a Deck

You should be aware that not every deck can support the weight of an outdoor kitchen in this situation. Therefore, you should consider the weight restrictions of the deck to ensure it is adequate for your outdoor kitchen. 

Again, it is best to contact qualified specialists to receive the ideal response. They’ll be able to best explain your deck’s weight capacity as well as how to add additional support if necessary.

For your help, here is an easy way to determine if your deck is a proper location for an outdoor kitchen. 

Determine whether your deck can support up to 50 pounds per square foot of weight. The deck weighs 10 lbs. of the total 50 lbs., while the remaining 40 lbs. are made up of live loads like furniture, people, etc. 

Let’s now do the calculation. If a deck can support 50 lbs per square foot, it can support up to 2500 lbs per 50 square feet. However, we must subtract 10%, or 500 pounds, from the total weight as the dead weight. Therefore, a 50-square-foot deck can support 2000 pounds in total. 

It is best to talk with the professionals and finally calculate how much weight your deck can hold and if it is suitable to build an outdoor kitchen. 

Note: One thing to keep in mind is that your deck needs to be strong enough to support humans and other furnishings in addition to the weight of the kitchen.

Does an Outdoor Kitchen Increase A Home’s Value?

Construction of outdoor kitchens is becoming more popular. Not only do these structures add to the aesthetics of a property, but also a great value. According to recent surveys, a property with an outdoor kitchen has an ROI between 100% and 200% higher than one without.

In a nutshell, a home’s value is undoubtedly increased with an outdoor kitchen. And homeowners increasingly understand this fact. This is clear from a recent survey by Casual Living Magazine, which found that 25% of surveyed property owners intend to add an outside cooking area while 49% have already done so.

The trend of outdoor kitchens not going away anytime soon is among the most significant factors supporting it. Additionally, by including a cooking area on your property, you will update your kitchen to the newest trends and raise the future selling value of your home.

The final benefit of installing an outdoor kitchen is that it will make your property bigger. An outdoor kitchen is similar to an outdoor room where you may prepare food, eat, and socialize with family and friends.

How to Build the Best Outdoor Kitchen on Deck?

There is no best or worst outdoor kitchen but the right outdoor kitchen. Therefore, the ideal outdoor kitchen would be the one that is chosen properly. And you don’t need a premium, sophisticated brand to develop an outdoor kitchen. You can create your own deck kitchen on a limited budget. So, here are some helpful tips if you want to design the best kitchen on deck for yourself.

Plan the Area

Before buying any material for your outdoor deck kitchen, it is important to lay down the blueprint of the entire construction. You should know what units you need, where to lay them down, what measurement they are, etc.

The Utilities Needed

Now, list down the utilities needed to set up the kitchen. But before doing that, think about your lifestyle. For instance, if you see yourself as a pizza lover and want to install an outdoor oven, you should look into a ready-made oven. On the other hand, if you want to set up an outdoor bar area, think of investing in a fridge, drink cabinet, tabletop, and related utilities.

Extra Space for Added Activities

Do you need extra space in your outdoor kitchen? The answer to this will depend on how you plan your outdoor kitchen. For instance, if you want a dining space or a cleaning area, you will need some extra space beside the one required to set up the actual kitchen equipment. 

The Safety Concern

The best outdoor kitchen will be the safe one. While building an outdoor kitchen on a deck, construct proper ventilation, a smaller fire area, keep a fire extinguisher, etc. 

Another Option: Outdoor Patio Kitchen

Your Ultimate Guide on Putting up an Outdoor Kitchen on a Deck

If you’re building a brand new deck, there should be no issue with installing a kitchen on it. However, if you’re looking to add an outdoor kitchen to an existing deck, you may need to look into alternatives.

If you have enough space in your yard, you can add a patio kitchen that’s connected to your deck. This removes the issues that are caused by installing an outdoor kitchen on an existing deck.

You can enjoy your deck with your guests and have a separate space to cook. This might be the preferable option if you want to use your deck strictly as an entertaining space.

What are your plans for an outdoor kitchen? Have you considered all of these factors? Let us know in the comments below!

FAQs

Can a deck support an outdoor kitchen?

Whether the deck can support an outdoor kitchen will depend on whether it can bear a heavy load. Other factors on which the answer will depend are the following:
• The material of the deck
• The footing and soil around the deck
• If there are connectivity points for the gas line, electricity, and other appliances
• The snow load capacity (if you live in a cold region or receive sub-zero temperatures in winters)

Do I need footings for an outdoor kitchen?

Yes, footings are crucial for an outdoor kitchen. Your outdoor kitchen should really have a footing that separates it from the rest of the concrete and helps it support greater loads.

How far should an outdoor kitchen be from the house?

You should construct an outdoor kitchen adjacent to your home. After all, you won’t want to travel too far from your indoor space to the yard to cook and eat food. It will be troublesome. Technically speaking, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission advises setting an outdoor kitchen at least 10 feet from any house.

How thick does concrete need to be for an outdoor kitchen?

Although concrete for an outdoor kitchen should range in thickness from one inch to six inches, four inches or less is the most common.

Can you use wood framing for the outdoor kitchen?

For the outdoor kitchen, yes, wood framing is an option. Here are the benefits and drawbacks of building an outdoor kitchen on a wooden frame for your consideration.

Pros:
• Cost-effective
• Simple to use Simple to install
• Backings are simple to install for additional support and designs.

Cons:
• Inflammable
• High maintenance 
• Vulnerable to harm
• May rot if not treated and colored

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