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Choosing the Right Finish For Your Outdoor Kitchen

While you’re planning your dream space outside you don’t want to leave anything to chance. The appliances, fire pits, counters, and patio flooring should all fit together to your liking. The materials you use can determine the beauty, safety, and comfort of your outdoor kitchen—even the life of the kitchen. You want materials that are rated for outdoors, durable, scratch resistant, and stain resistant.

When you have come to the end of your outdoor kitchen design, the finishing touch is the finish itself. IBD Outdoor Rooms offers two beautiful options that come in a variety of designs and colors. While deciding, consider what you’ll be doing in your outdoor kitchen. Would you benefit from a smooth finish? Would stone match your space more perfectly? The price is always a factor as well. An IBD Outdoor Room associate can answer questions regarding price anytime you’d like to call.

Granitech

Granitech base is pure natural granite granules that are mixed with a clear polymer. This allows the granite to bond to the substrate. This finish is a six step process that results in a durable and beautiful, natural finish. For a specific color you can bring a sample to one of our experts and they can produce any desired color using a two week process of color matching. Once the product is finished, it is low maintenance and should last the life of the unit.

• First, the IBD component is sealed with adhesive at all joints and fasteners to insure a smooth, secure base.
• Next, a primer is applied for a flawless surface.
• Your technician will use a trowel to apply the first coat of granite and polymers over the unit.
• When the first coat is dry, the technician will apply a second coat of granite and polymers, this time under pressure to create proper texture.
• When this second coat is dried, your technician will apply IBD’s unique seal coat to lock the granite on as an “overcoat” which reduces scratches and stains.

Stone and Brick

Many homeowners opt for the more traditional outdoor look of brick and stone. With stone finish we are better able to match to the terrain if desired. The Granitech offers nine beautiful options, but the possibilities with stone are seemingly endless. While you’re making plans for your outdoor kitchen, consider the benefits of each finish, the durability of both, and both installations.

IBD Outdoor Rooms only sells the best products rated for outdoor use and provides professional installation every time.

You can start by viewing our photo gallery and calling to make your appointment—the first step toward your dream outdoor space.

Pros and Cons of an Outdoor Kitchen

When you start thinking of spring cleaning and warm weather, you often think of improvements you’d like to make. If an outdoor kitchen is on your list, you should make sure it’s an investment you want to make. If you decide to build an outdoor kitchen you want to start planning now, so that you can use it when warm weather hits.

The Cons

• PRICE: Any investment in your property is going to cost money. Since you need specific appliances, cabinetry, and seating made of
  durable outdoor materials, you will have to pay for those. Furniture, flooring, and a heat source like a fireplace or fire pit is also a necessity for an outdoor space. Depending on your location and climate, you may decide to construct a room with walls and even a roof. All of these things cost money.
• WEATHER: Depending on where you live, you may have long periods of time when you are unable to enjoy your outdoor kitchen due to weather. You will also need to weatherize your outdoor kitchen if you don’t plan to use it through winter. If you don’t have a roof on your outdoor space you are also limited to using it only on days of nice weather.
• ACCESSIBLE TO THIEVES AND CRITTERS: If you have expensive appliances outside, then other people can tamper with, damage, or steal your property. This doesn’t always have to be on purpose. A neighbor can light a harmless fire in your outdoor fireplace that results in an accidental burn, leaving you with an insurance claim! An outdoor kitchen can also be damaged by animals seeking a warm, dry shelter for the night—or the season. It’s important to adequately prepare your outdoor kitchen to prevent such visitors.

The Pros

• INCREASING PROPERTY VALUE: If you’re looking to sell or refinance, an outdoor kitchen can do the trick, pushing your property value over the threshold you’re striving for. For the money you spend on the outdoor space, you will get back that and more if you sell in the future. A beautiful outdoor space also increases curb appeal.
• ENTERTAINING: If you’re a socialite, you might value this factor more than others. An outdoor kitchen means you can entertain any amount of people comfortable. You don’t have to worry about crowding your friends into your house.
• COOKING MESSES STAY OUTDOORS: Not only can you do all of your entertaining in your outdoor space (weather permitting), but you benefit from having a separate cooking area that doesn’t leave your own kitchen a mess after a big gathering. You can even install a composting system as part of your outdoor kitchen to help with your cleanup and benefit the environment.
• ODORS AND SMOKE STAY OUTSIDE: Having a fish fry doesn’t mean your house has to smell like fish. Cooking for a large group doesn’t mean your kitchen fills with smoke. These things stay outside when you have an outdoor kitchen to use!
• HEAT STAYS OUTSIDE: Not only does the heat from cooking stay outside when you have an outdoor kitchen, but you can also enjoy cool spring and fall evenings—even winter—when you have an outdoor space with a fire pit.

Your outdoor kitchen won’t affect your home’s interior in the least, which is the best perk of all. You shouldn’t dwell on the cost or the upkeep of your outdoor kitchen, because it benefits everyone. Built well, an outdoor kitchen will withstand the test of time, and be useful for many years.

Keep Your Outdoor Kitchen Protected from Critters During Cold Weather

When cold weather hits, animals behave just like people, searching for someplace warm to sleep. If there isn’t someplace warm to sleep, they at least search for shelter, and they will find it anywhere. If you aren’t careful they may find it in your outdoor kitchen. Your appliances are dry and with the assistance of some nesting materials, critters large and small can make them cozy and warm.

Tips to Keep Critters Out

• Keep your kitchen clean
  When you prepare your kitchen for winter you should make sure it is completely clean of food and debris. If you have any food at all on or in your appliances you can bet a critter will find it! Give your stove-top, grills, counters, sink, fridge, and cupboards a thorough cleaning. You should also remove food from your outdoor refrigerator and cupboards and fasten them with locks.
• Install a chimney cap
  If your outdoor kitchen has a chimney, make sure it has a chimney cap. If your chimney is installed and doesn’t have a chimney cap, a certified chimney sweep can install one in just a short appointment. Without a chimney cap, small critters will find a nice, cozy home inside your chimney flue.
• Close your chimney
  Your outdoor fireplace might have a screen or glass doors. When your chimney isn’t in use, make sure that the screen or doors are closed tightly and locked or fastened. If you don’t have doors, you can have them installed and custom-fitted to your fireplace opening. In the meantime you can use your damper to close off the chimney from the fireplace opening. This will work to keep animals out when the chimney isn’t in use.

When you invest in your home and property by adding an outdoor kitchen, you don’t want animals to ruin it. Animals can leave flammable debris in your chimney that can cause fire. They can leave debris and harmful waste in your cooking area, and their claws can damage cabinets and counter-tops. Don’t let it happen to you.

Before you install your outdoor kitchen or remodel it, keep these things in mind:

1.  Stainless steel cabinets are durable. They best protect against weather and can lock during the off-season. Stainless steel also protects your cabinet surfaces from the claws of critters small and large.
2.  Install a chimney cap and doors or screens to avoid a problem later. Start with the right design today, and you won’t have to worry about repairing a damaged chimney or removing an animal from your flue, alive or dead, later.
3.  Install outdoor-rated appliances. Most of these outdoor appliances are designed to withstand not only weather, but also protect against wildlife. You can ask any park ranger, though, and he will tell you that almost nothing protects against animals. They are cunning and sometimes desperate.
4.  Consider a custom structure. By building a structure around your outdoor space, you allow yourself the freedom to fully enclose your outdoor kitchen during the off-season. For instance, building a partial wall or roof can allow you to use custom-removable walls, anchored tightly to the roof and floor to secure your space from wildlife and weather.

Consider the benefits of winterizing sooner rather than later. Protect your outdoor kitchen against critters today so that you can enjoy it in the spring.

Grill Ideas from IBD Outdoor Rooms

At IBD Outdoor Rooms, we specialize in creating outdoor kitchens, and we take pride in designing unique spaces with features you will not find in the average outdoor kitchen. One of these features is our Kamado Kaddy or Kradle counters. Over the past few years, grills like the Kamado Joe and other brands have become more and more popular, but these appliances can be difficult to fit into the typical outdoor kitchen. This is why we started offering the Kamado Kaddy or Kradle counters, and we have had wonderful feedback from our customers about this option. We would like to tell you more about this feature and the grills that fit into these counters.

What kinds of Kamado Kaddy or Kradle options do you offer?

IBD Outdoor Rooms has designed four different styles of these Kaddy counters, which are all ready to finish with brick, stone, tile or stucco. You can also have your counter factory finished with our unique and low-maintenance Granitech finish with a base of pure granite granules. The San Juan model is the simplest counter and will fit large kamado-style grills of any brand. The Montego model and the Largo model also fit large kamados and offer generous counter space as well as a choice of doors, drawers, cooler pullouts, or storage bins. Our personal favorite model, the Kahuna, is an island that allows you to showcase your cooking skills. With a rounded raised dining ledge, you have space for four barstools for friends and family to sit around the kamado-style grill and watch you cook. This model also comes with an umbrella holder if you need extra shade.

What exactly is a kamado-style grill?

A thick-walled ceramic cooker, a kamado-style grill is similar to the ancient grills used in Asia. These grills give meats, fish, and vegetables a smoky and rich flavor from charcoal as air flows through the body of the cooker. You can use this type of cooker to grill, roast, smoke, and even bake. One of the most popular brands of kamado-style grills is The Kamado Joe. Available in four different sizes, the Kamado Joe is safe to use as its ceramic surface never gets as hot as a regular grill. You can adjust the air flow systems to get the exact temperature you need. One of our favorite features of the Kamado Joe is its patented Divide & Conquer Flexible Cooking System, which is a multi-level half rack design that allows you to cook different foods at different temperatures at the same time.

Considering adding an outdoor kitchen to your home? Contact us at IBD Outdoor Rooms to learn more about how we can create the outdoor kitchen of your dreams.

Why You Should Choose Our Kamado Kaddy

At IBD Outdoor Rooms, we know how much our customers love their Kamado Joe ceramic grills. As specialists in creating the perfect outdoor kitchen, we have frequently seen these specialty grills. Since we were designing so many outdoor kitchens with Kamado Joe grills, we developed the Kamado Kaddy to integrate these cooking appliances into our designs. We would like to tell you more about why you should choose our specialists to house this grill in our Kamado Kaddy. If you are trying to decide on the type of grill you want for your outdoor kitchen, we will also share with you why our clients love their Kamado Joes so much.

Kamado Kaddy

No matter what size of Kamado Joe grill you may have or be considering, IBD Outdoor Rooms can design a Kaddy or a Kradle for it. Our design provides you with a special counter and is available in four different styles: San Juan, Montego, Largo, and Kahuna. We especially like the Kahuna for its round shape. This style allows your family and friends to sit around your Kamado Joe while you show off your grilling expertise. Other styles include storage space and drawers. We can finish all of these four styles with brick, stone, tile, or stucco, and you can choose to have each style additionally finished with our low-maintenance and unique Granitech finish, which is manufactured from pure granules of granite. Our staff will work with you personally to give you exactly what you need in your Kamado Kaddy.

Kamado Joe Ceramic Grills

One of the main reasons our customers choose Kamado Joe ceramic grills when they are planning their outdoor kitchens is the ability to not only grill, but also sear, bake, and smoke. Using charcoal as its fuel, the ceramic construction and unique shape of these grills produce better food with wood-fire flavor. A Kamado Joe can also control its temperature which allows you to use it as a smoker. The long-burning quality of charcoal can cook slowly at low temperatures for up to 12 hours. Conversely, this type of ceramic grill can also generate significant heat — up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit. You are able to sear steaks just as well as expensive steakhouses. The temperature control of a Kamado Joe lets you bake anything in this cooking appliance that you would bake in an oven. We have heard that a pizza baked in a Kamado Joe ceramic grill is a delicious experience!

Another plus to the Kamado Joe ceramic grill is its Divide & Conquer Flexible Cooking System. Replacing the typical grill grate, this two-piece cooking grid and multi-level rack give you two times the cooking space, different heat zones, and custom cooking surfaces. You can even add a Grill Expander that will allow you to cook on three levels. This lets you prepare your entire dinner within your Kamado Joe!

Are you planning an outdoor kitchen? Contact IBD Outdoor Rooms to find out how a Kamado Joe ceramic grill and our Kamado Kaddy will change and improve how you cook.