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Hey everybody, it’s James here with RTA Outdoor Living. Today we’re going to be talking about what is hopefully your next backyard project, an outdoor grill station. But before we discuss how to actually go about the process, let’s clarify how we define what an outdoor
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grill station is. Isn’t an outdoor grill station the same thing as an outdoor kitchen? Ultimately, yes. But some types of islands are more commonly described as grill stations and vice versa. Outdoor grill stations tend to be more commonly associated with DIY projects.
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If you’re planning to build your island from scratch, you’re more likely to call it an outdoor grill station. This is especially the case if you’re thinking about incorporating your existing freestanding grill into your future island. This is something we don’t recommend doing for several reasons, but
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that’s a topic for another video. Point is, while outdoor grill stations may lean more towards the DIY side, they’re ultimately the same thing as an outdoor kitchen. and the terms can be used interchangeably. So, with that clarification in mind, let’s discuss the
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four types of outdoor grill stations you may consider for your project. We’ll kick off the list with modular outdoor grill stations. These islands are what you’ll most commonly find online with the offthe-shelf retailers like Home Depot or Lowe’s. Generally, each brand
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will offer several different units that you select and arrange to your desired layout. For example, you may select a grill cabinet, a storage cabinet, and a refrigeration cabinet to create a basic linear island. But whether or not a modular grill station is right for you
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depends on the pros and cons. One of the most enticing advantages of a modular grill station is the affordability. Out of all the outdoor kitchen solutions on the market, modular islands are considerably cheaper than the other options available. If you have a tight
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budget or you’re not willing to invest much into your project, this will be an appealing feature for you. Another benefit of modular grill stations is how accessible they are. As I mentioned earlier, there’s tons of brands available to purchase online or locally. You can get modular kitchen shipped
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directly to your doorstep in a few days or even walk out with one the same day at a local store. If you find yourself wanting to execute on your project in the middle of barbecue season and you want to start entertaining as soon as possible, you’ll appreciate the quick turnaround on a modular island. Now,
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let’s get to the downsides. Although modular grill stations are quite affordable, that generally comes at the expense of quality. Something’s always got to give, right? In order to bring you a budget friendly product, modular brands have to construct their islands
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with cheaper materials. In most cases, this means a poor quality metal that can rust or corrode after a few seasons. Appliance quality also tends to be subpar and oftent times leaves more to be desired on performance, which leads
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us to our next downside. Due to lackluster materials and other design choices, modular grill stations usually aren’t designed to be permanent structures. What do you mean by design choices? Well, most modular grill stations come with caster wheels on the bottom. While this does allow you to
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maneuver your island around easily, it doesn’t exactly give off the professional finished aesthetic you may be looking for. This might not be a big deal if you’re looking for a temporary solution, but when you’re already shelling out several thousands of dollars for a big backyard upgrade, most
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of us would rather just go for the gusto and build a custom island we know we’ll be 100% happy with. And speaking of customization, that’s another area where modular outdoor grill stations are a double-edged sword. Just moments ago, we spoke of the limited selection as an advantage for modular islands. If your
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only desire is a basic cookie cutter layout, that will indeed be a benefit for you. But the reality is there’s a 95% chance that choosing from a limited selection simply isn’t enough. You want a fully customized design that
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personalized to your unique tastes and cooking styles. You want your outdoor grill station to not just match your backyard, but to enhance it. in which case the lack of customization is often a big deal breakaker when considering a modular grill station. With all that
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said, let’s move on to our next grill station option. Next on the list is a pre-fabricated or ready to finish outdoor grill station. The way these islands are designed and installed is slightly different, but in all other regards, these options are the same.
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What pre-fabricated and ready to finish outdoor grill stations have in common is their construction method. These islands are constructed using a frame system. Most brands will use steel or aluminum frames to create the base structure or skeleton. Then cement board is applied
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to sheet the islands. This provides a surface for the finish to be applied to. Finally, the desired finish is applied using mortar. Tile, brick, and stone and stucco finishes are the most classic finish options. The differences between the two are in the design and
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installation department. Pre-fabricated outdoor grill stations are just that. They’re pre-esigned and pre-constructed for you. You choose the layout you like and it gets delivered to your home completely built. Ready to finish islands offer more design flexibility, but will require more DIY savvy when it
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comes to installation. Most brands will provide you with frames and pre-installed cement board, but you’ll have to attach the units and apply the finish yourself. That said, let’s get into the pros and the cons. On the plus side, both prefab and ready to finish
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grill stations offer more customization than modular options. Prefab can still be a bit limited depending on who you work with, but RTF islands allow you to customize your appliance choices, finishes, and also the design itself.
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But beyond just a wider potential for customizations, both pre-fabricated and ready to finish grill stations can satisfy your desire for DIY. If you don’t want to get your hands dirty at all, a pre-fabricated outdoor grill station is completely hands-off. On the
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other hand, a ready to finish island is great for experienced DIY enthusiasts who are up for the challenge. You’ll arrange the units, install the appliances, and apply the finish yourself, which can provide a great sense of satisfaction once the project is completed. Furthermore, both prefab
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and RTF outdoor grill stations lend themselves well to homeowners looking for a rustic aesthetic. As mentioned earlier, the most common finish choices are stucco, brick, tile, and stone. All of which are the perfect fit for a
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rustic aesthetic. As for the downsides, the material quality in both prefab and RTF grill stations do leave more to be desired. While a steel frame system might sound strong, there are some notable weak points in many climates.
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The main issue is inherent in the way that these outdoor grill stations are constructed. Every prefab outdoor kitchen is built with three to four layers stacked on top of each other. With each new layer introduced, there are more potential points of failure added as well. So, if you live in a
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climate with high humidity, salt in the air, snow or ice, or even freestyle cycles, all of these adverse weather conditions can cause your exterior finish to crack or even fail. From there, moisture can enter the interior of your grill station, which damages
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both the cement board and also the metal frame. Left unchecked long enough, your outdoor grill station will be structurally compromised and will either need a hefty repair or even sometimes need to be replaced. Considering the fact that prefab islands in particular usually cost a lot more than modular
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systems, this will come as an unwelcome surprise. Another disadvantage of prefab or RTF grill islands is that their finishes are prone to delaminating. Normal temperature fluctuations and adverse weather conditions can cause
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pieces of tile or stone to pop off and even cause the stucco to crack. Not only does this lead to the structural compromise issues we just talked about, it also is unsightly. You’ll have to look at an eyesore every time you go out to grill. And even more annoyingly,
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we’ll have to make repairs on a regular basis. Material issues aside, an advantage of a prefab or RTF island also serves as a downside. Since the traditional finishes lend themselves so well to a rustic look, the logic follows
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that it’s challenging to create a modern look with RTF or prefab grill stations. And knowing that outdoor kitchen styles continue to lead towards modern aesthetics, this will become a bigger dis disadvantage over time. Now, what if you want a fully customized layout for your outdoor grill station? If you need
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a solution that demands no limits on your imagination, you’ll find yourself drawn to scratchuilt islands. While you can build your own outdoor grill station from scratch, in most cases, you’ll be hiring a professional to take care of it for you. So, from this standpoint, we’ll
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be referring to contractor built custom outdoor kitchens. Most contractors will utilize the same frame system construction as RTF or prefab, but there are a few who will build their islands from cement block instead. Let’s start with one of the clearest advantages. If
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you’re not handy, you don’t have to take on any building or assembly work. Contractor built outdoor kitchens are a completely hands-off process. There’s no boxes to unpack, no screws to tighten, and no mortar to slather on. You discuss
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your vision with your contractor, and they’ll make it happen for you. If you don’t have much time to dedicate to your project, this will be a clear advantage. Unfortunately, this high degree of customization comes with a cost. Literally, a custom contractor built outdoor grill station will cost you a
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pretty penny. Depending on the scope of your project, you could pay 30,000, 50,000, or possibly even more. And if you live in a high cost of living area, you’ll need to expect that price tag to be even higher. If you have a massive
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budget and you’re not worried about the price, this won’t be a hindrance for you. But considering that most of us have a limited budget available to execute on your project, a huge contractor bill can easily price you out of a scratchuilt kitchen. And to compare
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things further, the material quality on your contractor built grill station can be a tossup. If your contractor uses concrete block to build their islands, you’ll get quite a bit of longevity out of your investment. But most contractors use the frame system with varying
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degrees of success. And over time, this can turn out to be a serious gamble. Another disadvantage of a scratchuilt grill station is that the workmanship quality can be just as much of a tossup. The vast majority of contractors out there don’t specialize in outdoor
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kitchens. It’s typically offered as a value ad project if they’re already working on something in your backyard. Therefore, most contractors don’t have deep knowledge about how to properly construct an outdoor kitchen. Corners may be cut, safety precautions may be unintentionally missed, and lack of
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experience could show through in the final product. In many ways, working with a contractor to build your outdoor kitchen is a roll of the dice. If you get a good roll, you’ll be pleased with the outcome, but if not, you could be
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regretting it later. In short, be sure to properly vet your contractor and don’t be afraid to ask them hard questions. If you feel any sort of hesitation about moving forward, you may want to consider an alternative option. That leaves us with ready to assemble
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outdoor grill stations, also known as RTA outdoor kitchens. These islands take a unique approach to previous construction methods we’ve discussed already. RTA outdoor grill stations are made from monolithic high-performance concrete panels. To assemble, the four panels simply need to be bolted together
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with a power drill. Concrete or granite countertops and appliances are also included and just need to be gently dropped into place. With that in mind, let’s get to the pros and cons. On the plus side, ready to
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assemble grill stations are highly customizable. There are a few limitations to this system, but for the most part, if you can think of it, it’s possible, which means you can get satisfaction of a fully personalized kitchen without the huge additional cost
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burden of a fully bespoke island from a contractor. RTA outdoor grill stations are also quickly and easily installed to give your near instant gratification on your project. Everything you need for assembly is delivered straight to your
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door. And whether you DIY it or hire an installer, in either case, your outdoor kitchen will be ready to use in a couple of hours. Another benefit is that you’ll experience virtually no backyard disruption during your project. RTF and
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scratch bill islands can take weeks or even months to install. So getting the project complete in a single day is a great value as you won’t have to limit the use of your backyard at all. Possibly the best benefit of all, ready to assemble grill stations are weather
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hardy in all climates. Concrete is an inherent material that is not negatively impacted by extreme weather conditions. Rain, snow, ice, salt, air, winds, and even freeze thaw cycles will not cause these islands to be damaged at all. So,
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with an RTA outdoor grill station, have confidence in the fact no matter where you live, these islands are built to last for many years to come. Finally, ready to assemble grill stations are offered in a wide array of unique finishes. From rustic to modern, you’re
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just about guaranteed to find a finish that aligns with your desired aesthetic. But just as with anything, there are some downsides to an RTA outdoor grill station. For one, RTA Islands are specifically designed to work with a
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single appliance brand, Coyote Outdoor Living. This premium outdoor appliance line is amazing, of course, but there are situations in which your heart might be set on getting a different appliance brand in your grill station. Our team has been able to make accommodations in the past, but this occurs on a case-by
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case basis. You have to work closely with a design expert to learn if appliance combinations could be made for your project. Another possible disadvantage is that despite the high level of customization possible, ready to assemble grill stations aren’t 100%
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bespoke. Although new design elements are being developed on a regular basis, there are currently still some things that aren’t attainable with this system. For example, curved bar tops or curved island shapes. But with all this in
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mind, you’re probably wondering what outdoor grill station is right for you. Ultimately, you’ll have to nail down on the elements of your project that are most important to you and close in on a decision from there. If you want the cheapest option, you’ll likely lean towards a modular outdoor grill station.
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If you’re most interested in a custom island that’ll stand the test of time, you might lean towards RTA. And if you’re still unsure, we’re always happy to answer questions and assist you on your project. All right, that’s all we’ve got for you today. Be sure to
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like, subscribe, and happy grilling.
