During family gatherings and parties, everyone loves to gather in the kitchen. The kitchen is a great place to mingle, snack, and sample tasty dishes. During the summertime, gatherings are often centered around outdoor activities like swimming in a pool or simply enjoying the warmer weather and longer nights. If your guests are all outside and you are stuck inside cooking, entertaining might not be as much fun. Plus, the party is likely to disperse if some guests hang inside in the kitchen while others socialize outside.
Building a DIY outdoor kitchen is a great way to entertain your family and friends outside. A foldable table, plastic chairs, and a grill can meet the basic needs of a backyard barbeque, but if you really want to wow your guests, you need an outdoor kitchen. There are plenty of ways to spend exorbitant amounts of money designing a custom outdoor kitchen, but a basic island is really all you need to elevate your outdoor entertaining. An outdoor kitchen island is a rectangular structure that has counter space, necessary equipment, room for the chef to cook, and room for guests to relax. An outdoor kitchen island is an excellent DIY project if you have some basic building skills and a few handy friends.
Pour yourself a refreshing drink, sit back, and learn about your next great DIY adventure.
What to Know When Building an Outdoor Kitchen
During family gatherings and parties, everyone loves to gather in the kitchen. The kitchen is a great place to mingle, snack, and sample tasty dishes. During the summertime, gatherings are often centered around outdoor activities like swimming in a pool or simply enjoying the warmer weather and longer nights. If your guests are all outside and you are stuck inside cooking, entertaining might not be as much fun. Plus, the party is likely to disperse if some guests hang inside in the kitchen while others socialize outside.
Building a DIY outdoor kitchen is a great way to entertain your family and friends outside. A foldable table, plastic chairs, and a grill can meet the basic needs of a backyard barbeque, but if you really want to wow your guests, you need an outdoor kitchen. There are plenty of ways to spend exorbitant amounts of money designing a custom outdoor kitchen, but a basic island is really all you need to elevate your outdoor entertaining. An outdoor kitchen island is a rectangular structure that has counter space, necessary equipment, room for the chef to cook, and room for guests to relax. An outdoor kitchen island is an excellent DIY project if you have some basic building skills and a few handy friends.
Pour yourself a refreshing drink, sit back, and learn about your next great DIY adventure.
When building an outdoor kitchen, there are a few things you need to know as far as durability, functionality, and design are concerned.
Durability
If you go to all the trouble to build a DIY outdoor kitchen, you need it to look good and last for years to come. Choose materials that can withstand the elements and the test of time without compromising on cost. Stone veneer is an affordable, low-maintenance, and long-lasting material that is a practical choice for the base of the island. If you want to be able to cook outside, even when it is raining, build a simple roof above your island. Onduline’s Ondura roofing panels are fast and easy to install, long-lasting, and cost-effective. A high-quality roof will also help keep your bar equipment and materials in top condition.
Functionality
For the outdoor kitchen to be worth all of the effort, you need the right fixtures. Including a grill, cabinets with closing doors, a sink, a mini-refrigerator, and an iced beverage reservoir will ensure you have everything you need to cook an impressive meal and hang out with your guests outside.
Design
There are lots of different designs for outdoor kitchens. It is important to choose a design that includes the equipment you require, looks good in your backyard, sticks within your budget, and is attainable with your skill level. You will need to determine the shape and dimensions of the island, whether or not you have a roof, what fixtures you include, the materials you use, the composition of the floor beneath the kitchen, the decorations you add to the area, and the furniture put in the space. The design can be as simple as a simple, standalone outdoor kitchen island or you can enhance your outdoor kitchen with a roof, furniture, decorations, and special materials.
Outdoor Kitchen Design Ideas
The possibilities for outdoor kitchens are endless. Let’s take a look at a few popular options.
Straightforward Kitchen Island
This classic kitchen island has everything you need and is the most straightforward design to build. Because it is a single rectangular island, you do not have to worry about engineering any special curves or angles.
Poolside Kitchen
If you have a pool, what better place to build a DIY kitchen than right next to the water? After all, the pool and the kitchen are the two most popular places to mingle during summer gatherings. Joining the two hotspots together will enhance the energy and vibrancy of your party and make your backyard the top destination.
L-Shaped Kitchen
An L-shaped kitchen is a convenient layout to maximize countertop space and make sure everything is accessible. You’ll have plenty of space to cook, and your guests can hang out nearby.
Outdoor Kitchen with a Giant Dining Table
This gorgeous outdoor kitchen has a large dining table to accommodate guests at an elegant, seated dinner. The colorful chairs and flowers brighten up the modern, sleek aesthetic.
Kitchen with a Lounge
This outdoor kitchen is elevated with a comfortable seating area, an outdoor fireplace, and a TV. Just imagine how much fun game day is in this backyard. With the raised platform and sturdy roof, this outdoor kitchen and lounge can be enjoyed in any season.
Covered Kitchen
If you don’t have the space or money to go all out with a full outdoor lounge, but want to make sure your outdoor kitchen can be used as much as possible, cover your kitchen with a simple roof like this one. You really only need to anchor posts, build a simple frame, and top the structure with Onduline Ondura roofing panels.
Tools & Materials for Building an Outdoor Kitchen
Materials
- Pressure-treated wood 2x4 planks
- Pressure-treated wood 4x4 posts
- Cement
- Construction adhesive
- ¾ inch thick plywood
- Metal feet
- Wire lath
- Builder’s felt
- Type “S” mortar
- Stone veneer field pieces and cornerstones
- Wood screws
- Nails
- ONDULINE® ONDURA® roofing sheet
- ONDULINE® screws
- Counter tops
- Cabinetry
Tools
- Drill
- Circular saw
- Miter Saw
- Tin snips
- Hammer
- Mortar tub
- Masonry hoe
- Notched trowel
- Pointing trowel
- Finishing trowel
- Drywall hawk
- Bar clamps
- Pencil
- Measuring tape
- Sand paper
- Staple gun
- Work gloves and protective goggles
- Level
- Shovel
Steps in Building a DIY Outdoor Kitchen
While DIY outdoor kitchens come in a few different shapes and sizes, there are a few critical steps involved in building an outdoor kitchen island with a roof.
- The first step is to select or create your design. Take note of the measurements, all necessary tools and materials, and the quantity of materials needed.
- The second step is to acquire all the tools and materials needed for the project.
- If you are building a roof over your outdoor kitchen, dig the holes to sink your wood posts into the ground. Position the posts inside the holes and fill the space with dirt, gravel, or cement.
- Build the roof frame and then add the roofing panels. For a quick and easy installation, follow the Ondura Premium Installation Guide.
- Once the roof is complete, you can begin constructing the kitchen island. Start by building the frame of the kitchen island with the 2x4 planks.
- Sheathe the frame with plywood panels.
- If your design includes cabinets, create plywood boxes inside the framing. Build a flange around the front of each cabinet box, and set the boxes aside.
- Cover the plywood with builder’s felt. Overlap the edges of the felt sheets and staple them in place.
- Attach the wire lath on top of the builder’s felt. Make sure to wear clothes and install the wires facing up.
- Trim the lath so that it does not extend above the top of the frame.
- Mix a bag of mortar.
- Put scrap boards under the island.
- Using the trowels, apply a scratch coat of the mortar to the outer walls of the island. The mortar scratch coat should completely cover the mesh so that it is no longer visible.
- Allow the scratch coat to dry until it is firm to the touch.
- Score the surface of the mortar in horizontal lines that are as straight and parallel to the ground as possible. The lines will be guides for setting the stone.
- Let the mortar dry and cure for 24 hours or more.
- Install the cabinet boxes inside the openings and into the frame.
- Organize the stones into piles of corner, short, long, and rectangular pieces.
- Starting with a corner piece, apply mortar to the back of the stone and tightly seal it to the base of a corner of the island.
- From both directions of the corner, attach stones to the island. It is helpful to hold the stones up to the island to check and see if they fit and look good before you apply the mortar.
- If you need to trim a stone to make it fit, use a grinder to cut away the portion that needs to be removed. Trim the top row of stones that are directly below the counter so that they are completely flat across the top. Do not place any stones on top of the cabinet flanges.
- Allow the mortar and stones and set and cue for at least 24 hours.
- Install the countertops, cabinet doors, sink, grill, refrigerator, and other fixtures.
- Finally, celebrate the completion of your DIY outdoor kitchen with a grand-opening party. Invite your friends and family to enjoy a festive meal and celebration!
For more DIY inspiration and high-quality materials, visit the Onduline site today.