Outdoor Kitchen/cart design/location

[robny71]

This is a drawing of my deck where I would like to build a cart or a stationary island on my 2nd floor deck. The deck is off the kitchen so it make sense so we can use it all winter (Live in the North East). I do not use the gas grill anymore and that is going downstairs under the deck until I get rid of it. I use the Big Green Egg all the time and all winter. Was originally planning to build a 5x2ft cart next to the Egg but there is a gate on the top of the deck stairs that is in the way. Either I loose the gate, make a smaller cart or move the grill all together. The Grill will not be in the cart/island but next to it. How big and what?

Where would you build the cart/island? Downstairs is a stone patio but walking up and down the stairs with food all the time does not work and especially in the cold winter or rain/snow.

Note - Wind normally blows from right to left in the picture as if the smoke from the grill goes away from the deck.

 

[Riles_J]

What all do you want to include in your island? Are you planning to build your big green egg into it? Are you just looking for counter/prep space? Bar seating? Storage? Refrigerator? If you could define your parameters a little more that would helpful.

I might opt with an 'L' shaped island with BGE built in, enough counter space for prep, some storage or refrigerator under the prep area, and uou could add some bar-type seating along the railing if you want to be able to sit and view the pool while grillin. Just some quick thoughts.

Riles

 

[robny71]

Just looking for storage and prep/serving space. The Egg was to remain outside the island like it is today.

I do like your Bar idea just do not know if it would work here.

 

[Stevereno]

Something is out of whack in your drawing. If it is 80 inches from the stairs to the corner on the one end, I don't believe it is 14 feet wide on the other end. Maybe more like 10-11 feet? The length doesn't look anywhere close to scale when looking at the 5 foot square table.

That being said, if the deck is actually 24 feet long it seems that you would have plenty of room for an L-shaped structure on one end as Riles suggested. If I were going to the trouble to build something up there, I personally would want to incorporate the BGE in it and lose the cart that it is in now. I think that would look a lot nicer at the end of the day. Maybe put the BGE in the short part of the L between the corner and the gate (if you want/need to keep that). Then you would have plenty of counter space on the long side and could include some cabinets, etc. underneath.

Just my $.02

 

[robny71]

Maybe its 70 inches - The Weber is 5 ft long.

I like the idea of the L shaped kitchen. If it were on the ground where it would be solid and not need the underneath replaced I would consider it on the stone patio we have down there.

I am afraid if I build something that big it will never be able to be moved. The deck boards are 5 years old already and require yearly sealing. If I need to replace the boards in 5 years then I have to tear the kitchen down as well. Just thinking. Plus the project goes from $1000 (using stone remnant for the counter) to $3-5000 easily now that I need a custom larger counter plus the framing to support the Egg and more cabinet doors.

 

[Riles_J]

You can build portability into the island. I have seen several built on casters. If you wanted a portable L-shaped kitchen though, I think I would plan that to be two separate pieces that butt up and look like one cohesive piece. There are lots of options out there.

 

[techguy]

Is it practical to move the table to the other end of the deck? Swap table and grill? Maye beven rotate the table to be on the diagonal or move it closer to railing until you need the extra seating?

 

[robny71]

We can swap that. He egg is where it is since its closer to the kitchen sliders vs the dining area sliders. If I swapped them what does that give me?

 

[techguy]

I don't know how many people you normally feed but the table seats 8 as shown. What I see is it places the cooking area out of the traffic flow of the stairs and past the table. This means no kids running into you when you have hot plates in your hand and it move the table noise over by the pool noise so the "Dads" can hang out by the BBQ and enjoy cold beverages from from the cooler. You can also now make a longer prep area on the flat wall of the deck, if you wanted a larger area.

If weight is a concern on the deck, building closer to the house provides you the ability to use the structure of the house to stabilize the underneath areas.

 

[robny71]

Never thought about it that way. Makes allot of sense. More storage the better. Let me redraw the plan.

 

[robny71]

Here is the latest - 7ft x 2ft cabinet. This all depends on how much I granite is for the top. if I can not find a remnant cheap this is a no go as I dont want to spend more than $1200 on the whole project. SO I might be back to a 3ft cabinet (I hope it holds all the grilling stuff)

I also do not know if I should elevate the bottom off the deck? Do I have enough supports for the 7ft piece of granite? Too heavy to be on a 2nd Floor wooden deck that is open underneath?

I like the idea of moving the Egg to the other side of the deck so regardless on what size cart/cabinet I may move this around. I have 2 issues though 1. Is the way the property is laid out you can see that corner of the deck from the road so I loose privacy and everyone can see the Egg and when I ma cooking from the road. 2. the smoke normally blows away from the deck to the left in the diagram. If I move the Egg the smoke will me across the deck/table.