re: What are the OT's thoughts on outdoor kitchens?

I just realized that it looks like we used the same stone as you.

More my speed:

quote:

---

I can't imagine these setups looking all the great after being exposed to rain/wind/dirt/sand/sun/snow/etc for 24 hours a day for 15 years. Looks to me like something a guy or family would use frequently in year one, a little less in years 2 and 3, and then virtually never again after that.

---

We were watching DIY network the other night and it was the Yard Crashers show that was on. They go in and build out a ton of stuff, usually including a kitchen/bar area, cover it in cheap materials, and they never treat the wood. Maybe the contractor comes back and puts some sealant on it a few weeks later that they don't show in the episode, but every single one of them shows the before as some crappy rundown yard. These people can't even maintain a patch of grass and a few shrubs, yet they're somehow going to do the upkeep on some fancy outdoor set up. I wish they'd go back a year or two later and see what poor condition it is in.

That being said, I wouldn't mind a nice outdoor setup down in my yard. My deck is too high off the ground for anything to work, but having an ice maker, built in grill, mini-fridge, and small sink would be great down on ground level. We built a lower deck as well, and just put in a playset for the kids, and a garden, so we're spending way more time in the yard than we used to. It would be great to have a little setup out there during most of the year. Of course right now it is too dang hot, but February to June, then September to November, it would get used a ton.

Putting any refrigerator or ice maker in an outdoor kitchen is a mistake.

They'll be toast in 3-5 years.

Still, by a pool, outdoor kitchens are great, especially if you add misters.