What Is Scratch Coat? Outdoor Kitchen Explained

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Have you heard the term scratch coat when researching outdoor kitchens and wondered what exactly does that mean? Are you trying to figure out how the systems work and whether it might be a good fit for your project or not? Well, you’re not alone. And in this video, we’re going to take a look at how

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scratch coat systems work and how RTA approaches it just a little bit differently. Hi, I’m Phil with RTA Outdoor Living. And today we’re going to talk about scratch coats, how they work, what they are, and how RTA uses it just a little bit differently. At the basic level, scratch

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coat is a layer of mortar that gets applied to a surface >> [music] >> and then textured or scratched to create grooves in it. These grooves give the next layer, your stone veneers, your stucco, or whatever you want to apply to

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it the opportunity for it to bond. You can think of this as kind of like the bonding layer that helps your final version stick in place so it can last over time. In traditional outdoor kitchen builds, scratch coat is usually added to something like cement board or

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another substrate. And then the veneers are then added on top of it. This creates multiple steps. You have the framing board construction. You have the scratch coat application.

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And then you have the veneer application that will go last. Each of these steps requires proper installation and more importantly site conditions have to be great. Now, here’s where RTA gets a little bit different. Depending on the look you’re going for, RTA offers two

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different styles of concrete kitchens. One is a pre-finished approach where the finish, whether it’s plank, weathered wood, stack stone, is already incorporated into the paneling system. There’s no need for a scratch coat

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application or any finish applied to this at all. The other option is RTA’s scratch coat ready system. In this case, the panels are made from RTA’s concrete [music] blend and they’re manufactured with those grooves and scratch coat

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style surface already included. That surface is specifically designed to accommodate whatever finish you like. Here’s the key thing to understand with that approach. RTA provides a structural system and the prepared surface, but the

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final finish layer is applied on site, typically by a contractor or installer that you have hired. This approach gives you more design flexibility and customization than our pre-finished options will allow. You’re trading some of that done-for-you

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consistency for the ability to create a completely custom aesthetic of your choosing. So, is a scratch coat system a good fit for your project or not? It really depends on the look you’re going for. If you want a custom look or

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the ability to match something already on site, like a brick finish or something along those lines, then a scratch coat system could be perfect for you. If you want something more predictable and faster to install with fewer moving parts, then our

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pre-finished options may be best for you. If you’re trying to decide which option makes the most sense for your space, try our free online design tool or book a call with our design experts today. We hope this helps you understand how the scratch coat system works and

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whether or not it’ll be best for your system.