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The concrete counters are holding up great. I love them. Pretty bullet proof outside. I have only one crack in the entire concrete and it is in that thin concrete cap strip on the backsplash that you are referencing. I put rebar in it so it is not even noticeable. You are correct in that I...

I will take a stab at some of your questions: - getting components first? I would since it does enable you to rough fit things in so you don't get everything built just to find out later something didn't fit. I would make exceptions for the fridge/kegerator. For those I would look at...

Dimensions look very similar to the ODK I built a few years back. I will vote for concrete counters. I love the way my concrete looks and has held up through the years. As far as cutting the cement board, I used a circular saw with a cement blade. Makes for a dust bowl, but it was easier for...

There are many single handle bar faucets for pretty cheap (under $100). That is what is on my ODK. I do have to winterize and drain though. I waited too long one year and busted up the faucet. Riles

I am no expert but I would not wait 4 weeks to polish. That was one regret that I had when doing my counters that I waited too long to start grinding. Waiting 4 weeks to get on it with a grinder means that you will have to do a whole lot more grinding since the surface is so hard at that...

Got it. Nice place! I think your layout looks great. As far as drawers go, I don't have any. I have two open spaces beneath my grill and my sink and they don't really get used that much. I have a slide out trash that is nice but to be honest is not entirely utilized well either. I'm sure...

Where is your pool at? Can you show a little more of your plan to include the pool? I would consider that in your layout as well. I have a low bar that you can sit at to converse with the cooks, but also serves as seating for people wanting to overlook the pool. I still like the original...

I started using rivets, and had a pneumatic rivet gut that never really worked for me. Probably because it was a real cheap one. As a result I switched to screws and they were so much easier. Not more broken drill bits from pre-drilling and the riveting was just a lot harder for me. It did...

I have both in Tennessee and it gets plenty hot here. My fridge is just an indoor under counter that I got off craigslist cheap. It works great for keeping sodas/waters/beers and grilling stuff cool while entertaining. I use it a bunch. I also have a kegerator with a triple tap that stays...

As others have said, I would also prefer it to be in the pool area. I'm not sure all of the things you are trying to accomplish in that space but it seems like there is enough room to do a lot without having to push it down on the side. In my pool area most everyone just sits around the...

Looks very cool and well laid out. The only hesitation I would have is framing the cut/out for the large 8-burner grill that you indicate may have to be replaced in the near future. The odd sized cut-out may or may not work with future replacements. I would just keep that in mind with my...

Looks good. I would be interested to see how this flows with the rest of your area if you have any overall pics/drawings. The only consideration I had with the layout is whether to swap the fridge/trash so you don't have your fridge trying to keep thing cool next to a grill trying to get...

Re: Build vs. Buy With basic construction skills you can build it yourself for a fraction of that. It all depends on what appliances you want, how big, and taste for finishes. A little more information on what you are looking for will help. Riles

I will take a stab at few of these: 1) Hard to say without pics, but I would think square with the wall 2) Just bolt to bottom. By the time you are done it will weigh enough that it won't be going anywhere 3) I just used a cheap metal chop saw blade. Those are the ones that look like a big...

I did not get any white residue after doing the grinding on my counters. They did get lighter, but it seemed pretty uniform. I did not use any acid. I just ground them down and sealed it. As far as sealer, I just went with a Behr concrete sealer that I got at Home Depot. Hunting for sealers...

Very nice job on the island and the counters. Did you end up using Cheng products for your counters? Looks like the same color I used, Saddle? Riles

I will take a stab. Trex footers are cheaper for one, but it also allows for water to move through instead of pooling. I didn't use trex, but some Ipe I had left over from my deck. I do not notice that you can see little gaps down there unless I was really straining to find them. I would...

Thanks that helps, and hopefully a few others will chime in to get others thoughts. Maybe another way to think of it is, if you were entertaining folks outside for a pool party. Where would they be hanging out? It seems like people would naturally spill out of the great room onto the porch...

How would most people access your pool? It seems like it would be through the Great Room, out onto the porch, down the steps and into the backyard? If that was the case then I would try to incorporate the outdoor kitchen into the porch in some fashion. Maybe just extending the portion of the...

I do not really have a good feel for the overall plan, but my first impression was that the covered patio seems to be off on it's own with no direct access. It looks like you have a dining/porch area in your plan. Incorporating the covered patio into this area seems like it would provide...

Thanks for the kind words. The outdoor kitchen is definately one of the best investments I have made and we get a whole lot of pleasure and compliments on it. I can't imagine a house without it anymore. With regards to the concrete counters, I have only done them with forms so I don't have...

Looks like you have a great start to your backyard makeover. I will add my two cents on a few items mentioned above. The way you proposed to do your low voltage lights is exactly how I did mine. I have an outlet in one of the cabinets of my kitchen that is controlled from a switch. Then I...

I put a BGE in my outdoor kitchen. There are a few shots in my thread here 'Riles Outdoor Kitchen' that may help. Here is the link riles-outdoor-kitchen-t38789.html I have 30-inches of depth and 24-inches width for my egg. It fits like a glove, but I probably should have gone a few inches...

I did not do stone veneer, but I don't think it matters which you do first. Just take it up flush with the top and then overhang the granite and you will not see any HB. You do not need another layer over the stone depth either as the granite will overhang the stone. Not sure I understand the...

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.

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...

Yep, I agree with the others. Option 2. A fridge in the outdoor kitchen is nice. I use mine quite a bit when entertaining. I would also play with the layout around the columns to try to incorporate them into the island the best you can rather than creating two separate sections. Those...

No, I did not do any glass chips. I ground the concrete until I exposed the natural aggregate slightly. I'm very happy with it. There are pics here on the site under Riles Outdoor Kitchen if you want to take a look. riles

Your layout is very similar to what I constructed around my Big Green Egg. I also went with a traditional pour and Cheng products. I think the traditional pour is much more DIY friendly as you don't have to have good concrete finishing skills and it will save you a bunch of grinding if you are...

Yes, I used the Parex product and it was not that difficult to apply. I wouldn't recommend doing it on the hottest day of the year like I did, but other than that it went great. After a couple of years the color still looks great. I have got some staining below my Big Green Egg from ash, but...