The final phase of the backyard project was building an outdoor kitchen island. The island includes a built-in Big Green Egg, sink, and storage, all clad in brick to match the pavers.
Design
I settled on the dimensions previously when I poured a slab and stubbed in utilities. I decided against using wood for the structure to avoid any fire risk or rot issues, and decided to design and weld a steel frame from scratch.
Steel frame
I settled on 14 ga square tubing for the frame, along with some angle iron for supporting the brick details.
Top plate, mesh, and paint
Since I don’t have a plasma cutter, I designed a custom top piece to support the countertop around the Egg, and got it manufactured at SendCutSend. I used an expanded metal sheet to line the shelf the Egg sat on, to allow for maximum airflow.
Instead of dealing with welding galvanized steel, I applied 3 layers of paint: cold galvanizing spray, water based primer, and oil based enamel.
Test fit and substrate
Once everything was painted, I started putting on cement board, and doing test fits of the Egg and sink.
Brick cladding & countertop
Next step was tile. The large majority had to be cut, many with compound angles so this took a lot of thinking to achieve the correct miter joint, but it turned out well.
Cedar slat door
Finishing the doors was also time intensive, achieving a perfectly centered reveal on each slat. These got a coat of OSMO UV 410 to protect them from the elements a bit.
Custom hardware
After my 3D printed prototype felt right, it was off to SendCutSend to get some stainless steel handles for the doors.
Finished
Materials summary
| Item | Source |
|---|---|
| Cooker | Big Green Egg XL |
| Sink | Kraus Kore |
| Steel | Square tube from Bay Metals |
| Cladding | ORCA Pavers in Dune |
| Mesh | Expanded steel, painted black |
| Door slats | Western Red Cedar with Osmo UV 410 Satin |
| Custom hardware | Sheet metal via SendCutSend |
| Paint | Cold galvanizing spray, water-based primer, oil-based enamel |
Statistics
- 180 linear feet of steel
- 70 ORCA bricks cut and set