I have never done the rock, but the prep with the concrete glue should be a prerequisite for adhesion to the Hardie Backer.

bwhite
Did you get it finished before the rains started?

Wow ... a friend of mine asked about good resources for building his own Que and I sent him this link when I realized I never posted final pictures of my build. I never did finish it before the rain set in. It took almost a year to complete ... had everything done in April of 2010. The final details were the most time consuming.

Here are a few more pics showing the front with step bar and the from behind with counter lights ... I also built a small herb box outside the kitchen window with left over material.

What did you do for upper and lower vents?

Here are pics of how I vented the island. There are 6 vents ... the fridge opening is not sealed and air flows freely through the bar side of the island to the back.

I put a total of 5 vents on the back of the island. Two low near the tank, two at the counter top height as well as a fifth near the top of the arch to prevent any build-up.



I also included another vent on the lower right side of the power burner. Tough to see in this pic, but you can see where there is space in the stone finish.

Good job!

Wow! it looks amazing .

COOL!

Looks awesome!!

I'm wondering if there's any precautions that could've ben taken to minimize the soot buildup on the arch, short of not including it into the design? Can that be removed easily with some solvent/degreaser? I would like to build a similar set-up at some point.

I would pressure wash it using a little detergent, maybe a 409 sprayed on to prep first. The only way to avoid it is to not put a brick back splash behind a BBQ.

That looks great! I'm going to build one to after getting these great ideas and advice from TFP. One question I notice some folks don't put hardie backer board underneath and some do. Is this persnal preference for keeping the bugs out or does it serve a structural purpose

The HB provides a shear panel for structural strength.

Very nice indeed. The whole install is amazing. I am in the process of finishing up a very similar outdoor kitchen with pergola. What material did you use on your pergola? Not sure if that is cedar or something else.

Thanks,
Riles

The material on the awning is douglas fir. Sadly, I am moving and leaving my Que and awning. Few notes to self when building a similar set up ...

1. Use red wood for the awning and oil it instead of stain. (doug fir requires too much maintanance)
2. Leave 2 inch overhang on counter to put bull nose tile. (will prevent rain water from seeping into the drawers)
3. Build space to include garbage can within the Que. (bucket on the side just doesn't cut it!)
4. When putting apot filler ... pay a little extra and install a tankless water heater to start with hot water.
5. Run natural gas ... nothing sucks more than having to continue to refill propane tanks. I always keep one full one on hand, but it still sucks.

Is that a frig/freezer? Which model?

I'm just about done with my Island, I can't wait to use the Firemagic Power Burner. I have mine set low like yours (no pot faucet though).

absolutely stunning! Well done...

I have a feeling that there might be a new project in the horizon here !

Sounds like BW will be building another one soon. I have 6 tanks, so even though it is a pain to refill, I don't have to do it often. I made my Island just small enough so I could load it on a low bed and move it if and when I move.

Hope you had the chance to break in that Firemagic burner. I nearly melted my pot heating it up with olive oil. It's the best power burner of any on the market. The fridge I used was a compact Frigidaire I picked up at Lowes. It's a fraction of the cost of most stainless models used for built-ins.

Also - don't buy the Jenn-Air from Lowes ... it does the job, but doesn't have enough heat to get a really good seer.