# Outdoor Cook table



## Capt Splinter (Dec 30, 2008)

Hi Everyone,
Just got asked by dear old mom to make her an outside cabinet to put a propane cooktop on. She just moved into an "all electric" house and really misses her gas stove. I thought about the outdoor bar-b-que pit design, but don't want to get into the brick and morter. I'd like to be able to move it if needed, and it will only need to have a counter area and one or two burners. Thought of making a cabinet kind of like a kitchen island, and having a space underneath for the propane bottle to hide in. Even thought of buying a "stock" kitchen or bathroom cabinet, adding a floor to it, and mounting it on wheels. Just thought someone might have a nicer plan than that.
Any ideas and pics would be greatly appreciated. I am not very creative to dream up a plan, but can follow instructions very well.
Thanks,
George


----------



## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

George,

I'd be concerned about building a "stock" kitchen or bathroom cabinet and then putting it outside. The finsh and glue aren't made for constant exposure to water or direct sun. The wood is likely not to be a first choice either.

I'm no cabinet designer either, so I'll leave it to others but one thing you might want to consider incorporating (since she's going to be "cooking", rather than "barbequeue-ing") would be an inexpensive Walmart UHMW plastic cutting board (removeable for washing). If your dear old mom is like my dear old mom, a cutting board would come in handy for her!! <g>

If she wants to add a poor-boy gas grill, I remember seeing an article where someone took an inexpensive grill that came on a tubular steel roller-cart and cut off most of the sides and bottom of the cart, installed a few 8x8x16" cinderblocks around it as a heat shield and "hung" the grill using the cart-stubs through holes they'd drilled in the blocks. As "trailer-trash" as it might sound, it came out looking pretty nice!


----------



## drasbell (Feb 6, 2009)

try this perhaps with some innuity you can convert this over to a drop in sys don't know. Patio Party Center Woodworking Plan


----------



## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

George,

Here's a few interesting resources I found to help you.


Outdoor Kitchens - Kitchen Island Design, Design Plans for Kitchen Island Styles
Outdoor Kitchen Plan Tips: Countertops, Grills. . .
How to Plan an Outdoor Kitchen | eHow.com

and here's a whole book on planning outdoor kitchens

The New Outdoor Kitchen


----------



## Capt Splinter (Dec 30, 2008)

Rick, Jim,
Thanks so much for the information. All very useful stuff. I think I will shop for the cooktop/burner configuration first, then design the cabinet around it. I live in south Louisiana, so the salt air corrosion is a concern for me. I will look into stainless steel for the backsplash/counter top area.
George


----------



## tdsapp (Apr 23, 2009)

Hey George, one other thing to think about. I was recently told that here in Texas that adding a built-in kitchen out on the patio can raise your taxes. Apparently, if the "kitchen" and equipment can not be removed when the house is sold, or appraised for taxes, that it adds "living space" and is added to your taxable square footage for property taxes. It might not be the same in Louisiana since we use property tax instead of state tax. It just might be something to check on.

While it would not add much under normal circumstances, if you have a covered patio that is 20X30 or bigger it can add up the sf. real fast. 

Tim


----------



## Capt Splinter (Dec 30, 2008)

Thanks for the concern, Tim. I plan on making it completely portable. I was in Bass Pro Shop the other day, and saw the portable camping burner stands. That gave me some ideas. And I went to a couple of RV sales websites and looked at the RV stove tops. 
For $75 to $100, I can buy a three burner RV propane cooktop, and build a nice little cabinet to hold it. I'll have a nice counter on each side, and put the whole thing on locking castors so she can roll it around.
We also have a company right here in my town that makes custom tarps. I'll get them to make me one to fit over it like a BBQ pit cover for when she's not using it.
Hope to have something in the build phase by Christmas.


----------

