An outdoor kitchen has so many wonderful uses…
You can cook on it, make drinks, and host gatherings with your loved ones.
They’ll make your backyard more beautiful… And enhance every party!
When you think about all the great appliances and features you can include… An outdoor kitchen door probably won’t be your first thought.
But when you’re looking into an outdoor kitchen…
An outdoor kitchen door is a must-have!
You might be wondering how much they actually do for you.
So let’s talk about the purpose of an outdoor kitchen door!
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What Is the Purpose of an Outdoor Kitchen Door?
An outdoor kitchen door has a few possible purposes… It just depends on the type you get (which we’ll explore more later).
So, what are they?
First of all, access doors are great for seeing the inside of your island!
Access Doors Allow You to See Into Your Outdoor Kitchen Island

When you have an outside kitchen… It’s essential to be able to access the inside of your island!
This will allow you to see any natural gas or water lines, as well as their shut-off valves!
If a problem comes up… This will help you diagnose the issue and fix it.
Otherwise… You’ll be in for a serious headache because you can’t address the problem!
Really, having an access door is an auto-include for this reason alone.
The second purpose of an outdoor kitchen door is for storage!
Outdoor Kitchen Doors Offer Some Storage Space
Storage is a key part of every grill island… And an outdoor kitchen door may be a good way to get that.
We’re going to say it right off the bat… The type of door you choose will determine how much storage space you get.
Access Door Storage Space
Contrary to popular belief… An access door really won’t give you that much storage space.
Really, it’s more of a way to look into the inside of your island.
We’d call it a “door to nothing.”
However… It is a great place to store your propane tanks if you have a gas grill!
This is, of course, only if you’re using liquid propane for your BBQ grill or other cooking appliances.
If you’re just using natural gas… This door will also allow you to see your gas line, but you won’t need to store any fuel inside.
However, a dry pantry door will give you more traditional storage space.

Dry Pantry Storage Space
If you’re looking for more storage… A dry pantry is an excellent option!
They’re not only a great way to store things… But they’re also sealed and enclosed.
This means that no bugs can get in… And you get to store non-perishable foods inside of your outdoor kitchen cabinets!
The size you get will determine how much you can store… But definitely expect room for goods you might find in an indoor pantry.
Most outdoor dry pantries will have pull out drawers on one side… And shelving on the other.
Now that you’ve seen the true purpose of an outdoor kitchen door… What are your options?

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Types of Outdoor Kitchen Doors
As you can see… Outdoor kitchen doors offer two important purposes!
At the same time… There are quite a few different types out there.
Let’s review.
Access Doors
As mentioned earlier… An access door will give you access to the inside of your grill station!
It’s just a door that’s commonly installed under your cooking appliances. You’ll also see them under an outdoor sink.
You’ll have a few different choices for access doors.
Single Access Door

A single access door is your classic option.
It’s just one door… And that’s that!
You can find them in horizontal or vertical options.
Double Access Door

A double access door is a lot wider than a single access door… Because you get two outdoor kitchen doors side by side!
This will give you twice as much room to look inside your island.
Since these doors just give you access to the inside of your island… This doesn’t mean that you get more storage space per se… But you do get more room to reach inside.
You can’t choose your orientation for these doors like you can with a single access door… But you’ll find a variety of sizes and dimensions.
Combination Door
If you’re looking for other outdoor kitchen storage options as well… It may make sense for you to combine a few!
You can find all kinds of options… Like an access door with a few outdoor kitchen drawers, or maybe a warming drawer!
Either way, outdoor kitchen access doors and drawer combo options are very useful!
Using an outdoor kitchen door and drawer combo will save you room on the face of your BBQ island… And give you a true storage option!
In addition to access doors and any other drawers you may want… You can also find dry storage grill cabinet doors!

Dry Storage Cabinet Doors
Dry storage doors are a great option for… Well… Storage!
They are completely contained… So when you open the doors, you won’t see the inside of your summer kitchen at all.
Instead, they are sealed inside and out.
This means that you can use them as pantry space for storing food!
While they look like ordinary access doors from the outside… You’ll find cabinet space and possibly some shelves inside, depending on the one you purchase.
Now… Regardless of whether you choose access doors, dry storage doors, or both… What material should they be made from?

Best Materials for an Outdoor Kitchen Door

Your outdoor kitchen is going to be outdoors during rain, snow, and all the different temperature fluctuations that happen year-round.
That’s why all of your outdoor kitchen materials need to be durable and able to stand up to the weather!
Of course, this includes doors for outdoor kitchens.
While you may find a few wood outdoor kitchen doors on the market… These won’t fare well in the outdoor elements.
Unfortunately, outdoor kitchen wood doors warp, swell, rot… And can even be a fire hazard!
Instead, you’ll want stainless steel outdoor kitchen doors.
These will also be much easier to find!
However… The grade of stainless steel is where you really want to pay attention.
We recommend 304 stainless steel.
This is a grade that is highly resistant to rust and corrosion. It’s even what we recommend for your built-in grill as well… Because this material can last a lifetime!
Making sure you purchase all 304 stainless steel cabinet island doors will save you time and money… As lower grades will have to be replaced more frequently.
But on that note… You might be wondering how to install outdoor kitchen access doors in the first place!
How to Install Outdoor Kitchen Doors
It’s great to figure out which outdoor kitchen doors you want… But it’s a whole other thing to install them!
Let’s go over how to get them in for your outdoor grill island step-by-step.
1) Plan Your Outdoor Kitchen Space

An outdoor kitchen door will fit into a cutout in the face of your outdoor kitchen bar or grill island… So you’ll want to plan ahead!
First, decide on how large you want your outdoor kitchen doors.
Based on your needs… You might want a single access door, double access door, or a combination option with storage.
Then, ensure your design will account for the doors you choose!
You’ll find the exact specifications in your outdoor kitchen door manual… But the cut-out should be slightly smaller than the overall door size to account for the trim.
2) Put Your Outdoor Kitchen Door In the Cut-Out

Once your outdoor kitchen is completed… You should have an appropriately-sized cut-out for your outdoor kitchen door.
You’ll want to fit your door into the hole, flush against the exterior of your island.
3) Screw Your Outdoor Kitchen Doors In

While holding your outdoor kitchen door tightly in place… You can screw it in!
Some doors will require you to screw through the metal… But many will have holes already cut out just for this purpose.
This will secure your outdoor kitchen doors to your island!
Sounds good… But what are some reputable outdoor kitchen door brands to consider?
Best Outdoor Kitchen Access Doors
When you’re on the hunt for some good stainless steel cabinet doors for outdoor kitchens… A great place to start your search is with a few trusted brands!
These are some of the most popular options on the market for outdoor kitchen stainless steel doors.
Sunstone Outdoor Kitchen Island Doors
Sunstone has several different sizes of 304 stainless steel access doors for outdoor kitchens.
They have stainless steel double doors for outdoor kitchens… And single access doors!
Each outdoor kitchen steel door comes in two options… Standard, or vented!
Vented doors can come in handy if you live in a humid environment. It will let humidity vent out so it doesn’t get trapped.
They’re also useful in the event of a gas leak. This will stop your island from becoming filled with gas from the inside!

Their stainless steel outdoor kitchen access doors also come with pre-drilled frame holes for easy installation.
On top of this… Their single doors have the option for either a left or right hinge.
For a warranty, Sunstone offers 3 years on the structure and 1 year on the door handle.
Coyote Outdoor Kitchen Stainless Steel Cabinet Doors
Coyote Outdoor Living has a variety of outdoor kitchen door options… And several stainless steel outdoor kitchen doors and drawer combos!
All of their doors are made out of 304 stainless steel… And come with a lifetime warranty!
And you can find a single access door, double access door, dry pantry… Or a combination of an access door with a warming drawer, drawer, or double drawers!
Their double and single BBQ access doors come in a variety of sizes… And the stainless steel single access doors are reversible, so they can be oriented horizontally or vertically.
These stainless outdoor kitchen doors have pre-drilled holes for easy installation!

Kitchenaid Outdoor Kitchen Doors Stainless Steel
Kitchenaid has two stainless steel doors for outdoor kitchens.
While they’re made to be used in Kitchenaid islands… They can be purchased separately for other grill islands as well.
These doors are both 304 stainless steel… But only come in one size each.
You can choose their standard access door… Or a stainless steel double access door.
They come with a knurled texture (small ridges) on the door handles.
It does not state whether or not they have pre-drilled holes.
Kitchenaid provides a 1 year limited warranty on their island doors.

Vevor Outdoor Kitchen Cabinet Doors
Vevor is a company with a huge array of outdoor cooking products.
Their outdoor kitchen door options are no different… You’ll have plenty to choose from!
They are all easy to install with pre-drilled holes.
However, the grade of stainless steel is not specified. This may mean that they may rust or corrode faster than your other options.
You’ll see several single and double BBQ door options.
Each door comes in different sizes… And you can also find a few different design variations of both single and double doors!

For a warranty, Vevor provides a 1 year limited warranty.
If you’re looking for a local pickup option… These kitchen outdoor doors are available at both Lowe’s and Home Depot.
At this point, you’ve read a lot about outdoor kitchen metal doors.
If you’re ready to take your outdoor space to the next level… We have a final recommendation for you!
How to Get Your Own Outdoor Kitchen with Doors

Are you ready to have your own outdoor kitchen, complete with doors?
We’re here to help!
We help people create their own custom outdoor kitchens… So you can have any outdoor kitchen doors, anywhere you want on your island!
Our BBQ islands are extremely durable… And our islands come with a lifetime warranty… So all you have to worry about is deciding on which features you’d like in your outdoor kitchen!
On top of your island being built for a lifetime…
We use Coyote Outdoor Living appliances for everything from the grills to the paper towel holders… And of course, the outdoor kitchen doors!
Coyote offers a full suite of premium appliances that are made to last.
Their outdoor kitchen doors are flush-mount and made with double-wall construction.
As we discussed before… They’re also made of 304 stainless steel, so you can count on them to last!
So how do you start?
You can use our simple-to-use, free Design Tool!
There, you’ll be able to create your own island… And then get one-on-one advice on how we can make the outdoor kitchen of your dreams!
If you want to find out more about outdoor kitchens and our process… Just visit our Learning Hub!
We look forward to working with you!
Need Help With Your Plans?
Q&A
You can put outdoor kitchen cabinets outside! However, you should never use cabinets made for indoors outside. They will break down extremely quickly! Instead, purchase outdoor kitchen cabinets or an outdoor kitchen island!
The best outdoor kitchen cabinet materials are HDPE or powder-coated stainless steel. These are durable materials that look great and will last for a long time outside.
Wood should not be used in an outdoor kitchen. It can warp, rot, mold, and may attract termites. Instead, you may want to opt for concrete, HDPE, or powder-coated stainless steel.
You want to make sure that your outdoor kitchen doors will hold up outside! For an access door, 304 stainless steel is the best option. For a cabinet door, some alternative choices will be HDPE or powder-coated stainless steel.
When you’re looking to build an outdoor kitchen cabinet… HDPE and powder-coated stainless steel are two of the most popular (and most durable) options on the market!
Outdoor kitchen doors allow you to access the interior of your outdoor kitchen… So you can check on your outdoor kitchen appliances and gas and plumbing lines… As well as reach the shut-off valves. Outdoor kitchen doors are also the perfect storage option! You can keep propane tanks for your gas grill inside.