If you’re toying with the idea of getting an outdoor kitchen… you’ll have to consider all the factors involved with proper installation. And of course, you can’t get an outdoor kitchen if you don’t have anything to put it on!
Which leads you to the question: “What base do I need for an outdoor kitchen?”
It’s an essential question to answer, as this base will quite literally form the foundation of your outdoor kitchen… and that foundation needs to be strong! Understanding a proper outdoor kitchen base will save you a great deal of headache and frustration later on.
As an outdoor kitchen manufacturer who has helped thousands of homeowners bring their dream outdoor kitchen setups to life… we have had to work intimately with homeowners about all aspects of their project, including getting a proper base set up. Through these years of experience, we’ve become experts in the topic of outdoor kitchen bases.
In this article, you will learn what bases are appropriate for an outdoor kitchen, how to know if your base is properly constructed, and determine if your backyard is ready for an outdoor kitchen or not.
What’s an Appropriate Base for an Outdoor Kitchen?
In essence, a proper outdoor kitchen base should be a solid base that can support the weight that will be built on top of it. In the vast majority of cases, that falls into two categories: a deck or a patio.
Decks
Decks can be an excellent solution for an outdoor kitchen base! However, they often run into problems with weight. Most of the time, a deck needs to be built with added supports in order to support the weight of an outdoor kitchen.
Let’s take a linear RTA outdoor kitchen, for example. This outdoor kitchen will weigh in the neighborhood of 900 lbs or so. A deck constructed in accordance with standard building codes can accommodate this weight if the following requirements are met:
- The outdoor kitchen footprint is around 20 square feet
- The load is distributed across 3-5 joists
- The outdoor kitchen is placed near a beam or ledger for additional support
It’s true, there are a lot of “ifs” in the equation. If you plan to build an outdoor kitchen on a deck, it’s critically important to collaborate with your builder and get clear on what your deck can support. If you have an existing deck that’s not strong enough, your builder will need to come back and add additional supports. If you haven’t constructed your deck yet, make sure your builder knows about your intention to build an outdoor kitchen on it so this is taken care of from the outset.
Also consider the materials you plan to use in your outdoor kitchen deck. If you have real wood, it can scratch more easily and requires more maintenance. It’s also a combustible material, which isn’t ideal to place near an outdoor kitchen (the grill has an open flame). Composite decks are easier to maintain, more scratch resistant, and most brands are fire resistant.
Are You Ready to Build an Outdoor Kitchen?
Patios
For many, patios are a bit of a catch-all term referring to any flat base outside. However, the way your patio is built is critically important for an outdoor kitchen application. Broadly speaking, patios can be considered in two categories:
- Unsupported: These types of patios are when building materials are placed directly on top of the ground, with no underlying foundation. It might be a patch of gravel, or cobblestones arranged to create a flat-looking base. There’s nothing underneath the ground to support them.
- Supported: Supported patios have concrete footers and/or a compactable base underneath the ground, and the patio base is constructed on top of this base. The patio is supported from underneath the base. Concrete patios are a good example.
For an outdoor kitchen application, you need a supported patio. Unsupported patios will have problems with settling over time, and this will be a headache to fix down the road. Depending on your climate, you could also have issues with cracking and movement from frost heaves.
Supported patios also tend to handle the weight of most outdoor kitchens well. That said, keep in contact with your patio builder and make sure your patio is strong enough to support an outdoor kitchen.
How do I Know if My Outdoor Kitchen Base is Built Properly?
Check the Pitch
For an outdoor kitchen application, you’ll need a slight pitch to allow for water shedding. But too much or too little pitch can pose a problem! Ideally, the pitch on your base will be 1/6” per foot or 1/8” per foot.
If you have a deck, it’s likely already level and won’t be an issue… but even brand-new patios can have a pitch problem. If your patio hasn’t been built yet, keep an eye on the process and make sure your builder is constructing with proper pitch in mind.
Make Sure Underneath the Base is Properly Supported
An outdoor kitchen base that’s not properly supported isn’t really a base at all. When your deck or patio was built, was the soil dug out and a compactable base added? Do you have a concrete footer? If the answer to these questions is “no”… it’s likely your base is not properly supported, and you’ll need to go back to the drawing board with your builder.
Is There Flaking or Spalling?
Flaking or spalling (chunks of concrete coming off) doesn’t apply to decks, but it does apply to patios. Especially in areas with cold weather and freeze/thaw cycles… this constant temperature fluctuation can cause the top layer of your patio to delaminate.
Light flaking may indicate more of a cosmetic issue. It could be that your contractor applied too much water to the top layer, or it was not finished properly, leading to flaking.
But if you notice significant flaking or spalling, then your patio was likely not constructed properly and won’t be suitable for an outdoor kitchen. This could be caused by rebar corrosion, freeze-thaw cycles, moisture infiltration, or excessive structural loads (such as a heavy outdoor kitchen).
Is Your Backyard Ready for an Outdoor Kitchen?
Now that you know what bases are appropriate for an outdoor kitchen, and how to know if your base is built properly… your mind may be jumping to another question: “Is my backyard prepared for an outdoor kitchen? Am I ready to build one?”
Lucky for you, there’s a checklist to help you decide if you’re ready to build an outdoor kitchen. This in-depth video will cover all the steps on the checklist to help you figure out if it’s time to get the ball rolling on an outdoor kitchen or not.
Enjoy the video, and we hope to hear from you soon!
