An outdoor kitchen makes for a luxurious addition to any home, but how do you maintain it, and does it need to be covered?
An outdoor kitchen should be covered and protected against the elements, particularly if it’s an open-air kitchen. Although the materials used to build outdoor kitchens are somewhat weatherproof, they will degrade over time if left to face adverse weather conditions, cold, or moisture.
Read on to learn more about outdoor kitchens, how much they cost, and how you should maintain one if you decide to have one built.
Tonight We Dine Outside
Outdoor kitchens are as versatile as they are practical, and they offer a fantastic alternative to traditional indoor dining. If you have an outdoor kitchen, you can dine under the stars or the hot sun to your heart’s desire.
In certain places around the world, outdoor dining is a common enough occurrence, particularly in locales where the scenery is beautiful. You’ll often find people eating outside around the Meditteranean, the Caribbean, or in states like Florida and California.
To that end, it’s in these places that the most impressive outdoor kitchens occur, featuring full grills and ranges, ovens, and refrigeration systems. They can run up costs of tens of thousands of dollars and come equipped with seating areas, heating equipment, and even a bar or two.
They’re almost always bespoke installations, with each homeowner pouring their own imagination into the design and build. It does bump up the cost considerably, but if you’re paying for it, you’ll want it equipped to accommodate your own vision.
There’s a great article on homebnc.com that showcases some of the best and most innovative outdoor kitchens in the world. For example, there’s an outdoor kitchen built in a ‘southwest’ style that has incorporated a huge clay pizza oven into the design.
Further down the list, there’s an outdoor kitchen that bucks the trend of spending a huge amount of money and exists as a complete DIY project. It has been constructed with repurposed and upcycled fittings and offers a rustic but practical charm.
Finally, there’s an incredible outdoor kitchen flanked by a swimming pool that features a waterfall. It’s the epitome of wealth and comes equipped with ample seating, a bar, multiple refrigerators, and a fully-fledged barbecue grill.
How To Care For Your Kitchen
Of course, you can’t build a kitchen in your backyard and expect it to remain clean and shiny forever. It will require regular maintenance and deep cleaning in order to keep it fresh and functioning efficiently.
In fact, you’ll need to take more precautions to protect your outdoor kitchen than you would to protect your indoor kitchen. For example, you’ll need to cover the installation when you’re not using it, to prevent damage from adverse weather, cold or heat, or moisture.
This is even more true when considering the appliances you’ve installed in the kitchen, especially if they’re powered by electricity. If you live in a humid area, you’ll need to protect the equipment against moisture, which can cause a build-up of mold or rust.
However, what you buy can determine how resilient it’ll be to the environment. For instance, a stainless steel range will be resistant to corrosion, so rust won’t really be a concern, but you will still need to clean it.
More often than not, an outdoor kitchen will come equipped with a grill, and they don’t tend to be self-cleaning. Once you’ve cooked on a grill, you’ll need to use a stiff, durable brush to clean off any excess or burnt-on food.
If you have countertops installed, you’ll also need to wipe them down regularly, particularly if they’re made from a softer material. It’s common for countertops to be made from some kind of stone, which may or may not be porous, depending on what material you use.
Finally, there’s the furniture – if you’ve sprung for fine outdoor dining equipment, you’ll want to make sure it’s protected. This can be as simple as covering it when it’s not in use, or as complex as sealing and deep cleaning the materials on a regular basis.
Ultimately, if you’re going to spend an exorbitant amount of money on your outdoor kitchen, you’ll want to make the effort to keep it clean and free from damage. What might seem like a simple consideration could extend the life of your appliances and your outdoor kitchen by years.