Planning an outdoor kitchen

[Drac]

I know you guys are going to disown me since I will be classified as whipped but need to make sure Amy is happy with this and taking over the whole deck and kicking her to the curb isn't going to go over well.  AS it is going to probably lose the sink since we were talking and she (looking out to sell the house in 10 years) thought the oven jutting out at a weird angle probably won't go over well.  Had to admit that it does make things look sloppy so here is take 2-



Really hoping to get the oven as small as possible (there are only two of use after all) but most of the ones I saw looked between 6'-8' square so "budgeting" 7' for now.  Also may get the surface over the Bradley for the SS top.  Do want to have that space below so I can change the configuration for hot or cold smoking.  Also agree that wood may not be the best idea around so many sources of fire  ;D

Jim

[Drac]

Robert, if you click on the direct link and than type something in the reply box.  Than click preview, up at the top will be a small icon that looks like a picture.  Click there and paste the info in between the

Jim

[Salmonsmoker]

This is rough idea.  Probably  starting next January for building this.  Going to start with the plant beds and than plan the additional of the concrete needed for the deck.  That will be done by professionals.

The counter top I was considering was concrete but I was planning an area between the fryer and the grill.  The tank would be below the counter so that area would be open for plates and such. 

Jim

Drac,
I would advise against concrete countertops. It's porous and subject to fissure cracking and lends itself to unsanitary food conditions because of that. It has to be sealed and disinfected on a regular basis when you're using for food service. Even with sanitizing, is the disinfectant getting completely in the fissures? Most likely not. Spending an inordinate amount of time maintaining countertops is not something I would look forward to.  I'm a remodel contractor specializing in kitchen and bath. There are other surface materials much better suited for food service.

[GusRobin]

I know you guys are going to disown me since I will be classified as whipped but need to make sure Amy is happy with this and taking over the whole deck and kicking her to the curb isn't going to go over well. 

Not by me. Here in the south we have a saying that goes something like "Make mama happy. When mama is happy, everyone is happy"

Do want to have that space below so I can change the configuration for hot or cold smoking.

Think about setting up the Bradley "permanently" in a cold smoke setup. You can both hot or cold smoke from the setup. I have recently done that and find it very convenient. Part of it is that I built a bigger cold smoke box. But it is nice to be able to do things like change the water, etc without having to open the cabinet and let all the heat out.

Jim
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[Drac]

True but with it being uncovered outdoors I can't use standard counter tops and my budget can't afford custom granite stainless over the entire surface.  Tiled leaves me with the same issue of sealing and cracks.  Is there another option?

Jim

[PapaC]

Not necessarily an outdoor kitchen but my patio.
Ok, got the pics in Photo bucket but can't remember how to get them here... HELP!!!!!

Robert, If they're already in photobucket just hover over the picture and you'll see a drop-down menu come up. Click the bottom one, the IMG code. It will be copied. Now open a new brouser so you can go back and forth easy to post multiple pics if you want. In your reply box just right click, and paste, and the IMG code will appear, but when you preview or post, the picture should come up. Hope that helps.

Carl

[Robert Rose]

Excuse the mess we have been working on it some and still have some changes that we are going to do. The counter top on the back wall has a sink in it but we are planning to move it around to the other side where the smoker is and add a full size fridge where the wood stove is setting. That way all the cooking equipment is in the same area.

[Drac]

Just was getting a pricing from a concrete person... ouch.

Looking at $3200-$3500 for the slab.  Recommends pulling up old 4" slab and replacing it when the new section is poured as the oven will need beams under it to hold the weight.  Not only as a safety in case of shifting but also as the weight of a kitchen done with cinder blocks and facing is pushing the weight bearing load of 4".  The oven blows it away as it will definitely have to be reenforced. 

Starting to save the pennies.

Jim

[GusRobin]

Just was getting a pricing from a concrete person... ouch.

Looking at $3200-$3500 for the slab.  Recommends pulling up old 4" slab and replacing it when the new section is poured as the oven will need beams under it to hold the weight.  Not only as a safety in case of shifting but also as the weight of a kitchen done with cinder blocks and facing is pushing the weight bearing load of 4".  The oven blows it away as it will definitely have to be reenforced. 

Starting to save the pennies.

Jim

You know (1) they do deliver pizzas  (2) can cook a pizza on a pizza stone in a MAK, green egg, etc (3) $3200 buys a lot of grill and a lot of adult beverages. ;D ;D ;D

[Habanero Smoker]

Just was getting a pricing from a concrete person... ouch.

Looking at $3200-$3500 for the slab.  Recommends pulling up old 4" slab and replacing it when the new section is poured as the oven will need beams under it to hold the weight.  Not only as a safety in case of shifting but also as the weight of a kitchen done with cinder blocks and facing is pushing the weight bearing load of 4".  The oven blows it away as it will definitely have to be reinforced. 

Starting to save the pennies.

Jim

Can't you use a fiber glass reinforced concrete. That is what they generally use in my area, and generally you don't needto use reinforcement bars.

About a month ago I was pricing some concrete counter tops, instead of using marble. The concrete is polished smooth, and looked like marble; but the final cost for my project was more then marble.

[Robert Rose]

Gus... He can buy a lot of pizza for 3200 dollARS

[Salmonsmoker]

Just was getting a pricing from a concrete person... ouch.

Looking at $3200-$3500 for the slab.  Recommends pulling up old 4" slab and replacing it when the new section is poured as the oven will need beams under it to hold the weight.  Not only as a safety in case of shifting but also as the weight of a kitchen done with cinder blocks and facing is pushing the weight bearing load of 4".  The oven blows it away as it will definitely have to be reinforced. 

Starting to save the pennies.

Jim

Can't you use a fiber glass reinforced concrete. That is what they generally use in my area, and generally you don't needto use reinforcement bars.

About a month ago I was pricing some concrete counter tops, instead of using marble. The concrete is polished smooth, and looked like marble; but the final cost for my project was more then marble.

When concrete is freshly poured, it is the biggest it will ever be. As it cures, it shrinks. The shrinking causes crazing and hairline surface cracking. It's inherent in the material, and you can't get away from it. Concrete has great compressive strength, but little tensile stength. Rebar gives concrete tensile strength. Fiber reinforced concrete helps control the crazing, but won't prevent it. You also have these little "hairs" of fiber that stick out of the surface after finish trowelling. That's ok for a garage floor, they'll eventually wear off, or you can burn them off with a weed burner, but not so nice to deal with on a counter top.
If you look closely at the surface you'll see the tiny cracks, with a magnifying glass you'll see a whole lot more. Polishing to a mirror finish won't make them go away, it just camouflages them. Temperature changes make the concrete expand and contract and the crazing does too.
There is some inexpensive granite available. There's not much character to it, but if that's not important it might work for you. My granite fabricators have 3 different granites that cost $40/sq.ft. installed. They also have a remnant yard with leftovers from previous jobs that are much less expensive/sq.ft than the whole slab was. You might find a local fabricator that works.
There's also man made quartz (quartz granules mixed with a resin). It's actually stronger that granite. Brand names- Cambria, Silestone, Caesarstone to name a few.
Corian-the next great thing after plastic laminate, but fell out of favor when granite became popular. It's durable and sanitizes easily and is still made.

Cheers!

[Drac]

The reenforcing in this case is beams.  The person I contacted had experience in pizza ovens.  If even one palate of facing material (brick or stone) will run out at 1500 lbs.  Most of the time it takes closer to two.  That is a lot of weight to support on a corner.  Another major problem (especially in North Texas with our black gumbo) shifting soil. 

On the counter top I had forgotten about Corian.  That would hold up to Texas heat and weather.  Not as well as granite but like that may not be in the budget.  It would be a counter or the oven most likely.

Jim

[NorthShoreMN]

I. Was planing a pizza oven until I purchased a large BGE and pizza stone.  It works great .
Only 850.00 and no reinforced base needed.  Can easily be moved out of way when not being
Used.

[Habanero Smoker]

That is going to be quite a well planned outdoor kitchen. I now see why you need the reinforcement.

Salmonsmoker;

When my brother had a huge slab; 28' x 60' poured, they used fiber glass reinforce concrete. A few days after it was poured, but before it cured, the contractor came back and used a power tool to score the concrete at specific intervals to about 1/2" depth. This provided for expansion/contraction and it helps prevents the cracking. After the building went on it, there hasn't been any noticeable cracks.