Outdoor Kitchen Countertop Base
by Pankaj K Mandalia
A very rough picture of the island
QUESTION:Hello, I have a Grill, Sink, Garbage disposal, Stove, griddle and a refrigerator in my back yard outdoor kitchen bbq. What I am missing is a long 12 foot place for family and guests to sit and enjoy the outdoor cooked food. We do have a table but its not the same as having a countertop with bar stools and everyone enjoying while one person cooks!So, I have been grappling with the idea of making a cabinet/countertop/bar type sitting place. My specifications are as under: Length: Total length 12 ft (144 inches) Width: Total width (This will be split between counter top and plate setting bar height): 24 inch normal height counter + 18 inch plate setting bar height. This will run for the entire 12 feet. Height: Inner side is normal counter height (36inches? )and outside height is bar height (44 inches?). I really need help here on the height because I have never done a project like this before. I intend to use standard bar chairs on the outside. My biggest challenge is how to construct the frame that will accommodate this LxWxH. Also, I intend to place 4 stainless steel cabinets with doors each one being a 36 inch cabinet to accommodate storage on the inside for the counter height area. I will jazz up the outside and sides of this box with marble tiles or some thing similar. The counter top and bar top will be granite. No electrical/plumbing connections are required on this box. The only pizzaz thing I would like to add is a one outside end being round with a larger diameter to make it look like more of a kitchen area than a box. The other end of the box will be butted against the refrigerator end leaving room to open the fridge. Do you have any plans/ideas on how to construct this box and the pre-fab ss cabinets? Thank you! ANSWER:Well if the stainless steel boxes are really 36" tall (normal would be around 34"), then you're going to have tall countertops. Normal countertop height is 32 to 36 inches. If you have a really tall family then going to 37 or even 38 inches may work, but probably better to keep the granite countertop at 36 inches.Possibly you mean 36" wide. As for the bar, 44 inches could work with extra tall 33-34" bar stools. "Standard" bar stools are 30 inches with standard bar top height at 42 inches. As for constructing the box, you don't have to get too fancy. You need 3 walls, a top surface to attach the granite to and presumably a floor to support the SS boxes (unless they have legs) You do want it VERY sturdy and anchored to the ground to hold all that granite safely. Really, if you are going to add tiles to the vertical surfaces, then 2x4s and plywood will work just fine. Just use plenty of cross-bracing. The one problem here is that even if you seal and paint the wood well, if it is on the ground, eventually it will rot out, so you'll want a different base. Are you a welder? A steel frame would be great. You could easily anchor the base to the ground and surround it with 1/4" plywood for your tile decorations. Slide the SS boxes into it. I'd recommend you decide who you will use to cut and install your granite (not a DIY job) and have them come survey your current set-up and get their ideas about what will work best. Good Luck, Ryan P.S. Get all the facts, answers, explanations and simple solutions with step-by-step instructions for any problem or question with our Granite & Marble Maintenance Manuals.  I highly recommend MB Stone Care Products to maintain all your marble, stone and granite countertops and floors in optimal condition. I've used other good products (Stone Tech, Miracle) but found MB Stone Care is the most reliable and effective.
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