Can You Put an Outdoor Kitchen on a Deck?

When you think of an outdoor kitchen, you may picture your typical stone and mortar build. Along with that thought, another one comes to mind – weight. When adding a heavy item to a deck top, a visit from a structural engineer is always recommended to learn if your deck can support the added weight. With new advances in outdoor kitchen styles, materials, and designs, reinforcing your deck before your build – or limiting your project due to weight concerns –  is a thing of the past. Let’s answer the age-old question: can you put an outdoor kitchen on a deck?

Which Materials are Best for an Outdoor Kitchen on a Deck?

When deciding on an outdoor kitchen, the actual material of your deck doesn’t matter too much. The main concern homeowners have is combustibility. Wood decks are made from combustible materials: wood.

For that reason, many people avoid building an outdoor kitchen on a wooden deck. Instead, they choose a composite material. However,  composite decks can still melt and catch fire when exposed to high heat.

The best way to keep yourself safe is to ensure your outdoor kitchen materials are non-flammable. This provides you peace of mind when installing an outdoor kitchen. These materials won’t combust if a fire starts, preventing the flames from spreading to surrounding structures. Concrete, brick, and stone are good examples of non-combustible outdoor kitchen materials.

How Much Weight Can Your Deck Handle?

Installing an outdoor kitchen on a deck that can’t handle its weight is simply impossible. Whether you have built your deck already or not, talk to your deck builder about its load rating. This point is crucial if you want a traditional masonry outdoor kitchen. The materials are extremely heavy and can be problematic if your deck can not handle it.

If you already have a deck, you may have to add more support beams to handle the extra weight of your backyard kitchen. Or, if you don’t want to add more support, you may have to scale down and settle for a smaller outdoor kitchen. Either way, you must consult with your contractor before starting your installation.

Which Utilities Will I Need?

You will also want to consider how you will run plumbing, electricity, or a gas line to and from your kitchen. Sometimes, it may be easy to run the utility lines along the support beams or beneath the deck floor.

But if there’s no safe place to do this, or you can’t incorporate these lines without creating an eyesore, reconsider less-essential equipment, such as a sink or refrigerator, that requires these utilities. A simple charcoal or propane tank grill may be the only major appliance you need. It’s much better to figure this out before building your kitchen than after!

Call Mid-Atlantic Deck & Fence For Your New Deck or Fence!

Mid-Atlantic Deck & Fence has almost 30 years of experience in building beautiful custom fences, gazebos, screened-in porches, and decks throughout the state of Maryland. We have the expertise to design your dream fence or custom deck and have it installed in a headache-free process. Give us a call at 1-800-833-9310 or visit us online for a quote today! We offer many different styles of fencing and decking, in addition to custom options designed specifically to suit your preferences and tastes. To see examples of our work and get more tips on how to choose the right decking for your family, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Houzz, Pinterest, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Tags: outdoor kitchen, outdoor kitchen design, outdoor kitchen on deck