Outdoor kitchen cabinets Outdoor Kitchen Design Discuss Outdoor kitchen cabinets in the Outdoor Kitchens and Living Rooms forums; Paul, Nice brickwork. That's going to look good. But I don't see one thing. Is your oven set back behind ...

[james]

Paul,
Nice brickwork. That's going to look good. But I don't see one thing. Is your oven set back behind the cabinets?

Stuart,
My thinking is that both solid frame cabinets/enclosures (block or brick) and metal stud enclosures both have pluses and minuses, so that is comes down to the individual kitchen.

Blocks are inexpensives and go up fast, and don't take a lot of skill. But, it's more difficult to do more refined details, they're heavy and they consume a lot of space. My first outdoor kitchen in CA was all block, including the upper enclosure of the oven and all the cabinets. It came out pretty good. Everything in southern France is built from blocks, including houses, garages, fences, arbors, retail buildings, you name it.

Metal studs let to tackle more detailed enclosures, and they might be easier to do if you are building a gabled roof. The kitchen in the earlier photo used concrete board, but that was the last time I will ever do that. Terrible stuff. I should have remembered an earlier bathroom project and the concrete powder everywhere. I think heartybacker is much better.

I have never done a cost comparison, though at some level, neither is very high. It's more the labor.

Here's an idea. I think it's time for a poll. What did you use for your outdoor cabinets.
James

[Hendo]

Originally Posted by james

Paul,
Nice brickwork. That's going to look good. But I don't see one thing. Is your oven set back behind the cabinets?

James,

While the oven will be situated behind the cabinets, the vent and the landing in front of the vent arch will occupy a good deal of the cabinet depth.

This is shown in the photo below, where a section of the hearth slab (with ash slot in the middle) can be seen protruding over the middle ‘cabinet’ (ash pit). There will be a distance of one foot between the leading edge of the bench-top and the vent arch (with a 9” or so landing in between) and another foot to the oven opening, which will be flush with the face of the concrete blocks. It’ll be around six feet from the leading edge of the bench-top to the rear of the oven, so I may need to fabricate some long peels! But ultimately I will not have to lean over the bench much if at all to feed the oven.

Paul.

[kk5551]

How are the metal studs to work with? I have looked at them at Home Depot but I think that there must be a better place to buy them. The ones that I have seen are more of an aluminum and don't seem sturdy. What tools does it require to be effective? Your pictures look great!

[jwnorris]

Originally Posted by kk5551

How are the metal studs to work with? I have looked at them at Home Depot but I think that there must be a better place to buy them.

I would hope so - HD sems to be taking over everything.

The ones that I have seen are more of an aluminum and don't seem sturdy. What tools does it require to be effective? Your pictures look great!

As for the metal studs, they rely on their shape and the ultimate clading for their strength. And they are easy to use after a short learning curve.

You still need the trqaditional building members - sill, plate, stud, and bracing. Think stick biulding with light weight, non flamable material.

As for tools, a decent pair of avaition snips [tin snips], a saw, and a power screw driver are about it.

J W

[RTflorida]

The HD steel studs are known as light gauge - 24 gauge galvanized steel, primarily for residential applications.
As mentioned it is the cladding which gives them strength (as well as being anchored and screwed together securely.
There are heavier studs available, I believe they are 16 or 18 gauge galvanized steel, rated for commercial applications (think office buildings).

I build my outdoor cabinets with the HD studs, then covered with cement backer board covered in slate. I would say this is the most solid portion of my home (I live in a block with stucco house). Its all in the anchoring and the attachment of your cladding material. In my case, I know I went way overboard with securing both; maybe a D9 bulldozer will move it, but not much less.
Yes, tin snips, screw gun, and maybe a chop saw if you have many to cut to length, are all you need.

RT

[chordcabinet]

Thanks for the photos and help of Outdoor kitchen cabinets.