Since an outdoor kitchen is different from an indoor one, precautions may need to be taken to ensure safety and ensure your outdoor kitchen lasts. So you may be wondering if outdoor kitchens need to be weatherproof.
Outdoor kitchens will come in contact with several factors: weather, animals, and nature in general. With outdoor kitchens staying outside consistently, any outside kitchen you have or maybe fixing needs to be weatherproof.
So how exactly would you need to weatherproof your outside kitchen? There are tips to ensure that are available that you can follow as a guide to ensure your outdoor kitchen is safe and well-protected in any weather. Read on to see these tips and how to ensure your outdoor kitchen is protected.
Weatherproofing Your Outdoor Kitchen
If you are unsure how to weatherproof your outdoor kitchen, there can be tips and tricks to find in this article to help you choose everything from flooring to countertops. Ensuring your kitchen is weatherproofed can help make maintaining and cleaning easier.
Choosing the Right Flooring for an Outdoor Kitchen
One of the first steps to consider in making your outdoor kitchen weatherproof is what type of flooring you choose. While tile and marble flooring makes it look great for the outside, they can be slippery when they are wet and harder to weatherproof for certain climates. Wood is a great option to use for any weather due to its ability to be weatherproofed for any climate.
Providing the Right Covering for Your Outdoor Kitchen
With different climates also come different weather patterns. What might work as a great weatherproofing system for, say Texas, may not work well for weather conditions in Florida. It is important that you base your weatherproofing coverings on the weather that typically is involved in every day-to-day case.
By using a canopy style or roofing, you can protect your outdoor kitchen from the sun and prevent some rain from falling on the kitchen. This also will give you the option to cook outside if there is rain or even snow in your area. However, building a canopy or roof over your kitchen may not be enough for weatherproofing an outdoor kitchen. If your area is prone to high winds, it is a great idea to build strong, sturdy walls to surround your appliances and other outdoor kitchen accessories.
Picking the Right Appliances for Use Outside
While the appliances you install will vary greatly based on the size of your outdoor kitchen, they should also be weatherproofed. Appliances for a kitchen are not typically used outside, but when placed outside, they need to be durable for any weather regardless of sun or rain. A great type of appliances to get for durability and weather resistance is ceramic and stainless steel.
Installing the Right Hardware
Using non-rusting fasteners and hardware, you can ensure that your outdoor kitchen is able to withstand rainy conditions and high-heat weather. Elements that need to be used for an outdoor kitchen need to be rustproof and can be the following:
- Hinges
- Bolts
- Nuts
- Screws
- Nails
- Metal wire parts
Placing rust-resistant elements will help reduce wear and tear that is caused by being outside and can make your kitchen more durable, so replacements may not need to be done repeatedly.
Furniture
Choosing the right furniture for your outdoor kitchen is just as important. It is true that there are many options that are available for use outside. Tables can be great for the outside kitchen area. Wood tables can be sealed for waterproofing properties; however, plastic tables can already be weatherproofed for less. The only downside to using plastic tables is that they may not be heavy enough for high winds and can crack or break easier over time.
There are also options for patio furniture that can be weatherproof as well. These are a great option for an outdoor kitchen since most of them are already made for the outdoors. The only downside is that some patio furniture may come with cushions or fabric and will need to be removed and stored indoors after the end of the day or when the weather calls for rain or snow.
Weatherproofing Your Lighting and Wiring in Your Outdoor Kitchen
When getting the finishing touches on your outdoor kitchen, there are some things to consider. If you are wanting to install a lighting system, you may need to ensure that there are weatherproof wires and lights. Since the lights and the lighting systems will constantly be exposed to the weather, make sure that they are not only weatherproof lights but also that fixtures and circuits.
To do this, buy outdoor fixtures and ensure that the wires are not exposed to any elements and weather conditions.
Conclusion
When installing your outdoor kitchen, it is important to make sure that every aspect is weatherproofed. Since these kitchens are designed to be outdoors constantly, they can be tricky. When picking out every detail of your outdoor kitchen, it is wise to start with any details, no matter how small, to ensure that they provide the best quality to prevent rust or eroding damage that may be caused by different weather climates such as snow, rain or even high heat temperatures.
By using rust-resistant hardware like bolts, nails, screws, and stainless steel appliances, you can ensure that rust won’t be the main concern for your outdoor kitchen. There are also flooring options that need to be considered for a waterproofing barrier. Tiles and marble flooring for outdoors can be dangerous in wet conditions and can cause falls, slips, or even crack under harsher conditions. Wood is a great option since it can be stained and sealed to provide weatherproofing even under the worst weather.
Even though it may seem like hard work to ensure that your outdoor kitchen is weatherproofed, especially water-resistant, they can be very rewarding and provide memories to last a lifetime. Just makes sure that you have a canopy or roof with walls surrounding your outdoor kitchen that can provide added protection for your appliances, furniture, and even you while you use your outdoor kitchen.
