Time to Jump In... Traditional Grill Design Discuss Time to Jump In... in the Outdoor Kitchens and Living Rooms forums; The "before" picture. This is an area behind the house that is a "dead space" next to the deck. Perfect ...

[JoeT62]

The "before" picture. This is an area behind the house that is a "dead space" next to the deck. Perfect for my outdoor kitchen!


My handy neighbor to be, Mike. He's a fantastic help, and I'm not just saying that because he has an excavator.


After moving away the sod...


Now we have a basic form. The shape measures 15 feet on the long left-most side, 12 feet next to the house, and another 7 on the right. The hypotenuse measures 14.42 feet of course!


Still working on getting my scanner going, but the oven will be a corner install into the back corner on the right with a countertop attached along the back perimeter, and the grill attached on the right side.

Now we await a non-rainy day to take delivery of concrete!

[james]

Joe,
I'm with you. I am looking for a design that works with the brick oven, and is big enough for family and party entertaining. I want to engineer it right for airflow and how the various grill heights will work -- and I want to get the cooking height and the size of the grill right.

Make sense?

What are you going to use for the grill itself? A freestanding grill, ala the Tuscan grill, or are you building the grill itself into the structure? What about raising and lowering the grill?

And my favorite question of all -- how do you get airflow through the charcoal, without the air holes that you have in the bottom of a Weber kettle grill?

James

[JoeT62]

Originally Posted by james

What are you going to use for the grill itself? A freestanding grill, ala the Tuscan grill, or are you building the grill itself into the structure? What about raising and lowering the grill?

And my favorite question of all -- how do you get airflow through the charcoal, without the air holes that you have in the bottom of a Weber kettle grill?

James

I am thinking the cooking surface will be a movable grill insert that I can slide in or out onto embedded lag bolts in the mortar (2 or three levels ought to do it I think). I have a friend who's a welder who told me he can fashion any kind of shaped cooking surface I like out of scrap, as long as I make him a big steak when it's done. That's an offer I can't refuse!

As for the air holes, I was thinking of going the "missing brick" on the back (or side) wall route - not sure how I'll make it adjustable (or if it really needs to be). The coals would sit on a metal grate "table" a few inches above the brick floor and the missing brick. The metal grate table would be removable for cleaning but not adjustable.

Of course this is all in my "minds eye" right now, so changes are inevitable. I just want to get my concrete pad poured (damn you New England weather) so I can start laying block.

One more picture - my wife daughter and neighbor supervising the progress...

[Archena]

Um, how do you move it if the door is smaller than the oven? Will the grate be smaller?

[james]

Joe,
Is that Lindemans Chardonnay? :-)
James

[gaptogap]

build a double brick wall calculate where you would want different hieghts at leave that row protrude out 1-2" that will be your support for grill grates.

[JoeT62]

Originally Posted by Archena

Um, how do you move it if the door is smaller than the oven? Will the grate be smaller?

Not sure if I understand the question - I may have been confusing in my description. This is a grill area attached to the side of the oven but not intrinsically a part of it either structurally or functionally. My plan is to simply take a shovel to some of the wood embers/coals and dump them onto the coal grate at the bottom of the grill.

The thought of somehow using oven heat directed toward the grill is an intriguing one but with my newbie skills I plan on making the most fundamental and basic dome I can - and hope it doesn't collapse!

Have I mentioned that I have yet to EVER lay a brick or block in my life? I'm not counting the cinder blocks with planks dorm bookcase I "made" in college!

Then again, I never hung drywall before I bought this house, and my wife and I finished the basement ourselves, so courage (or chutzpah) is not in short supply.

[JoeT62]

Originally Posted by gaptogap

build a double brick wall calculate where you would want different hieghts at leave that row protrude out 1-2" that will be your support for grill grates.

An excellent idea. I like that better than the bolts.

[JoeT62]

Originally Posted by james

Joe,
Is that Lindemans Chardonnay? :-)
James

Actually, no - although I've been known to quaff a bottle of it on occasion. They were drinking Kim Crawford (New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc. Thusfar the best SB I've come across at "weekday" prices.

Me, I'm more of a red wine guy. Oh, and beer.

[james]

Is FB New Zealand listening? :-)
You can't beat a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc -- although Jaysea's company is the Lindeman's importer in the U.S. That must be a good business.

I like the offset brick idea.

I think we could do with some plans here, and I'm happy to draw this up. Should we start with hand drawn top, front and side elevations?

James