3 Tips For Designing Your Outdoor Kitchen

You’ve been dreaming for a long time of an outdoor kitchen that will allow you to fully enjoy the long summer days in your backyard. Today, it’s decided: you’re going to start making your wish list for this major project! However, despite all your inspirations at the moment, it is difficult to find you there. Which materials to choose? Which appliances are the toughest to endure the rigors of the great outdoors? And how not to forget anything?

To help you create an outdoor kitchen design that will meet your needs while lasting over time, we have put together some practical advice for you.

Choosing the right countertop material

We all know it: the Quebec climate is often unpredictable and regularly flirts with extremes. For your counter, it is therefore essential to choose a material that is durable and able to withstand both frost and extreme heat! Here are some examples of proven materials.

Natural stone

Classic material if ever there was one, natural stone never goes out of style and is still as popular as ever. In this category, we find in particular granite and slate.

Resistant and recognized for its elegance, granite is made up of solidified liquid minerals, such as quartz. If it is often very popular in conventional kitchens, it is also an interesting choice for an outdoor kitchen. The typical thickness of a granite countertop can vary between ¾” and 1 ¼”.

For its part, slate is also an interesting option, as it is resistant to both water and intense heat. This is a point that should not be overlooked! Durable and solid, this type of stone has a unique cachet with its black tint and its two different finishes: either polished (that is, smoother) or natural (with charming imperfections). The average thickness of a slate countertop is about 1.5″, but some gluing can be done to give the impression of a different thickness.

Neolith

Neolith is a particularly compact type of porcelain. It is made from a mixture of clay, feldspar, silica, oxides, natural minerals, and pigments. Ultra-thin and resistant, it requires no maintenance and manages to maintain its integrity despite heat, humidity, and other irritants.

Dekton

Also very compact and sophisticated, Dekton brings together several raw materials that are generally found in good quality porcelain, glass, and quartz. Like Neolith, it requires no maintenance and its porosity is practically zero.

Lapitec

Finally, Lapitec is also in line with these new materials: easy to maintain and as elegant as they are durable. It is an innovative, high-performance, and refined sintered stone, whose characteristics and appearance are similar to those of natural stone.

Select appliances carefully

Just like for your counter, it is very important that your appliances can adequately withstand bad weather. Whether it’s for your barbecue, your smokehouse, your refrigerator, your pantry, your storage spaces, or simply your cabinet handles, making the right choice is essential.

In this regard, aluminum and stainless steel are generally very popular, and we explain why.

Aluminum

Aluminum is a very light material, natural aesthetic, and is easy to maintain. A metal as solid as it is unalterable, it offers exemplary resistance to the vagaries of climatic conditions, without ever losing its shine.

But how does he get there? Thanks to the oxide layer that forms naturally on its surface in contact with oxygen, aluminum manages to protect itself from corrosion damage. Simple and practical!

Stainless steel

Stainless steel owes its high resistance to a similar principle. Indeed, when its surface comes into contact with oxygen and humidity in the air, a layer of chromium oxide is created there, which offers it good protection against external aggressions.

Appliances made of stainless steel are therefore easy to maintain, making them good choices for your outdoor kitchen.

Think about the smallest details

Before starting the construction of your new kitchen, there are certain details to remember. Here are a few!

Municipal and government standards

As you probably know, you cannot renovate or build whatever you want as you see fit. Of course, certain laws or standards must be respected during your project.

Before even considering all the details of the plan for your outdoor kitchen, find out about the municipal standards to be respected for this type of renovation, and check if you need to obtain a permit before proceeding. That way, you’ll make sure you start your project off on the right foot and avoid potential problems.

Electricity and plumbing

Who says kitchen, says household appliances, and washbasin… We must therefore not neglect access to water and electricity! Whether your cooking system is gas or electric, you will need to provide all the necessary connections when you plan your new kitchen. You will never have too many electrical outlets, guaranteed!

Lighting, but also heating!

Even the most beautiful evenings in July can be a bit chilly. You won’t regret installing a heating system or a fireplace in your kitchen! This is an important feature to consider when developing your plan.

In terms of lighting, you just have to go there according to your tastes, your budget, and the layout of your kitchen. The important thing is that you have enough light to see your work surface well and that you can dim the lighting to create a more intimate atmosphere if necessary.…