Does an Outdoor Kitchen Need a Concrete Slab? (RTA Explained)

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One of the biggest misconceptions about

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outdoor kitchens is that they always

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need to sit on a concrete slab. That’s

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true for traditional masonary kitchens,

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but RTA outdoor kitchens are built very

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differently. If you’re ever wondering

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whether your deck,

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patio,

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or pavers can support an outdoor

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kitchen. This video will walk you

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through what works, what to check, and

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why RTA often is a better option for

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elevated or existing spaces. What’s

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going on? It’s Daniel here with RTA and

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today we’re answering an important

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question. What surface will you need for

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an RTA outdoor kitchen? This comes up

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all the time and especially for

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homeowners with raised decks,

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patios, or existing pavers who want an

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outdoor kitchen without tearing

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everything out. Traditional outdoor

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kitchens are usually built with cinder

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blocks, steel framing, and stone

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veneers. Those materials are extremely

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heavy, which is why they almost always

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require a reinforced concrete slab,

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footers, and in many cases, the weight

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alone rules out decks, elevated patios,

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or existing PA systems. RTA outdoor

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kitchens are built using a modular

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concrete panel that are engineered to be

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significantly lighter than traditional

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masonary construction. Even though the

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panels are solid concrete and incredibly

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durable, the overall system weighs far

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less than a block and stone kitchen.

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Because of that reduced weight, RTA

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outdoor kitchens can often be installed

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on raised decks,

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existing patios, and PA systems. As long

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as the structure beneath them is

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properly supported, this makes RTA a

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great option for homeowners who want an

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outdoor kitchen but don’t want or can’t

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accommodate a full masonary build. Even

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though RTA outdoor kitchens are lighter,

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the surface still needs to be level and

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structurally sound. For decks, that

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usually means confirming the framing and

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load capacity. for pavers and patios.

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That means making sure that the base is

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properly compacted and stable. The goal

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is for a long-term performance, not just

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getting it installed. This flexibility

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is one of the biggest advantages of the

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RTA outdoor kitchens. Instead of

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redesigning your entire backyard around

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a concrete slab, you can often work with

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the space you already have, which saves

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time, cost, and disruption.

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If you want to see how an RTA outdoor

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kitchen would fit into your space, check

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out our free design tool. And if you

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have any questions, you can book a call

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with one of our design experts who will

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walk you through it. We’ll see you

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there.