How to create a summer DIY outdoor kitchen
By Contributor on Jul 26, 2016
Depending on your region’s summer temperature, you’re likely experiencing one of two major summer feels right now: the oh-my-god-it’s-way-too-hot-to-use-the-oven-inside panic or the it’s-way-too-beautiful-to-stay-inside bliss. Either way, at Home Improvement Leads, a sumptuous outdoor kitchen is our cure for the summertime blues.
Keep it earth (and user) friendly!
You’re already looking to DIY, so why not do it better for the earth, too? The more reclaimed materials you use when constructing your outdoor kitchen, the less you’re contributing to the overall production of new less-than-sustainable materials and the less you spend. You’re also adding loads of unique character to your outdoor gourmet. If you need a free source of reclaimed lumber, many businesses offer their old shipping pallets for free.
Repurpose an old refrigerator into a rustic outdoor cooler by removing the compressor and electrical components. If you aren’t lucky enough to have one lying around, local sale websites often have postings offering old fridges for the cost of simply hauling it away. In about three hours, you can use pallet planks or the lumber of your choice to build a frame in which to set the now-barren refrigerator on its side. Frame the doors, attach the corresponding pieces with hinges, add a couple handles, and you now have the coolest catch-all on the block. This works with single door dorm fridges and regular old ice chests, too.
You don’t need to buy a custom outdoor cooking countertop to have a professional-grade and eco-friendly grilling spot. Build side cabinets using reclaimed lumber with countertops from a reclaimed building source, like Habitat for Humanity, to surround your gas grill and store your chef supplies. Don’t want to keep your fire source under your patio? You can add a pergola over your grill area to provide shade and added class.
If you want to add a little fun to your outdoor kitchen with a bar area, it can be as simple as stacking up cinder blocks and laying a plywood tabletop, or you can find plans online for (you guessed it!) using pallets. Whatever you choose, if you start with a smooth base, use old tiles to create a mosaic top or old photos, postcards, or comic books to decoupage the top for conversation pieces. If your family’s idea of fun is tabletop games, paint the bar top with tic tac toe, checker boards, or connect the dots for built-in fun.
Keep it clean and organized!
If waste receptacles were attractive, they wouldn’t be so frequently hidden away in cabinets and pantries. When working with an outdoor kitchen, you also want to keep waste as secure as possible to keep insects and other rifling pests away. With whatever lumber you’ve managed to salvage, you can easily construct a couple of trash cans with lids. Make sure to add something special to distinguish between what’s recyclable and what’s not so you don’t find yourself elbows-deep in corn cobs after a barbecue!
If you’re short on floor space, hand paint a large board and nail in some hooks for keeping grilling tools and aprons organized. If you’ve got the space, an old filing cabinet works wonders for storing tools, spices, and hand towels—and it’s mobile! You can even place a few magnetic hooks on the sides.
Give your outdoor kitchen a French-cafe flair with a chalkboard listing of the day’s food and drink selections. For more selective guests of all ages, or those with food allergies, it also gives a heads-up in order to avoid any awkward dealings.
For easy clean-up or pre-game veggie prep, you can connect an old sink to your garden hose with just a few dollars worth of connections from any home store. You can hang the sink or build a frame. Create a small area using paver stones or gravel so that water run-off doesn’t create a muddy mess, or—even better—divert the runoff into a garden area to ensure no drop is wasted.
Creating an outdoor kitchen in your home's backyard can be as simple or as grand as you want it to be. With plenty of comfy seating, mood lighting, and good food, it won’t be long before you’ll forget how to even turn on your oven!
By Kelley Walters
