Is Granite Best For Outdoor Kitchen Countertop

by Dave
(St. Louis, MO)

QUESTION(s): I'm planning an outdoor kitchen. We live in Missouri and the countertop will be exposed to the sun from 9am until 3pm.

We'll be adding a hole for an umbrella to cover at least part of the counter top. We are considering a tan/light brown granite.

Is granite the best option for the countertop? What should I expect as far as countertop temperature and outdoor kitchen countertop maintenance issues?

The kitchen will have a refrigerator, under-mount sink, natural gas grill and 2 burner side unit. I am assuming I will need access doors for under the sink area, but I'm not sure what storage options I will need under the grill and side burner (i.e. drawers and/or shelves behind doors)... any suggestions?

ANSWER:

Considering outdoor kitchen countertop maintenance, granite is overall your best bet. Granite will hold up to use and abuse by you and the weather better than any other surface.

Having said that, it must be noted that not all stones sold as granite (some 2000+ stones) are actually "granite" and not all granites perform alike.

Practically speaking, this simply means that in geological terms, there are many types of stone with similar enough properties to granite that they are commercially sold as "granite," so you'll want to test a sample of the countertop slab you like to be sure that it is not too absorbent or reactive to acids (very rare).

Cosmetically speaking some "granites" may weather a bit more than others.... meaning the shiny polish may get worn away some over time (many years) and the granite color will become a bit more dull. Don't worry... this not a big issue and...

This is not the same as quartz countertops, where prolonged exposure to sunlight turns the colored pigment yellow.

Intense polishing by friction and abrasion is what brings out the color in granite and natural stone and... sealing or chemical applications have nothing to do with it.

In fact, applying a sealer outdoors or even on an outdoor kitchen countertop is often not recommended or needed. Mainly this applies to flooring... stone installed on the ground, but can be considered for you outdoor kitchen countertops as well.

Stone does best when left to "breath", so sealing an outdoor ground tile could be very bad for the tile causing it to decompose. Countertops often have an exposed undersurface so trapping water is typically not an issue.

For outdoor kitchen countertop maintenance a sealer can be as much benefit as indoors to help prevent stains, however, the outdoor top has the advantage that rain and sun have a way of eliminating stains over time.


So, sealing for outdoor kitchen countertop maintenance isn't quite as important as indoors, but if you choose to do so we recommend using SenGuard or Stone Sentry sealers.

Choosing a lighter, earth tone color is smart for an outdoor kitchen. It blends well and you won't notice as much if the polish wears and the color is not as intense. A color-enhancer can be applied (to a honed or worn surface) to give that "wet look," but outdoors that will wear off quick.

If this gives you pause, consider that every other surface will have similar or worse cosmetic issues outdoors. This is just nature running its course and it's best to just let it.

Pound for pound, granite is the most durable and best choice for an outdoor kitchen.

Hot Countertop

Any surface will get hot when exposed to prolonged, mid-day sun, so it's best to build in some sort of shade... like your umbrella or a pergola that will cover most of the area and not just part of it.

Of course, shade will make it more comfortable while cooking and for you and your guests when eating at the countertop.

Personally, I'd rather build a permanent overhead shade structure rather than put a hole in the granite and a pole in the middle of it all. However, you could get a cantilevered or offset umbrella that would work.

Storage

I would build in as much storage as your space allows. Under the grill or burners it's nice to have a drawer or two or three to store/warm hamburger and hot dog buns, foods waiting to be grilled, utensils or spices.

Cupboard space is good for storing pots and pans, cutting boards, a trash receptacle, cleaning products, fire extinguisher, etc.

If you want to get real fancy, you can install specially constructed pull outs for trash, ice, paper towels.

There's really no limit. Good luck and have fun. I'm sure you'll enjoy it a lot this summer and for years to come.

Good Luck,
Ryan

P.S. Get all the facts and simple step-by-step solutions to any problem with our Granite & Marble Maintenance Manuals.

Find the recommended best product brands for cleaning marble, sealing, cleaning granite countertops, quartz and all natural stone.

Maintaining Outdoor Granite Countertops

by Chris
(Athens, GA)

QUESTION:

I have installed granite countertops in our outdoor kitchen. They look great, but I want to know what I need to do to keep them looking great for years to come. I am getting varying information from the stores and websites.

ANSWER:

First, test the granite countertop to see if it needs to be sealed.

Sealing outdoors isn't as necessary since sun and rain will go a long ways toward eliminating any stains that do occur. Many argue that you should just leave stone alone when outdoors or a wet environment.

Often that is good advice. But test. If the surface is rather absorbent, then seal. If only moderately so... don't worry about it.

If you need to seal I recommend these marble & granite sealers.

Otherwise, you can just hose off or wipe off with water and also use Granite Countertop & Marble Cleaning spray for a good cleaning.

You may also consider periodically (4-5 times a year) using Topical Polish/Shine Enhancer to give a little added protection to the polished finish on the granite.

Easy really. For more info on general do's and don'ts check out
our granite maintenance pages.

If the tops are not covered, then you may have to have them re-polished (years from now) due to surface wear from rain, but again you may never have to do that.

Winter Care for Outdoor Kitchen Countertop

by Paul Gesler
(Bluffton, Ohio)

QUESTION:

I have an outdoor kitchen. The Granite covers the entire Island except for the Grill. The Island is 11 feet long by 36inches wide.

Do I need to protect/cover the Granite Countertop during an Ohio Winter? Do I need to protect/cover a stainless steel sink during an Ohio winter?

ANSWER:

Of course, minimizing exposure to rain, snow and weather in general will prolong the life of anything and given the length and severity of winters in your area it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a custom cover made that would keep the whole island dry, but granite and stainless steel will stand up to the elements without much trouble.

In time (years) you may notice that the polish on the granite countertop is getting a bit dull from weather exposure. If this does happen you can have it re-polished or just leave it.

Cycles of freeze/thaw are your biggest trouble maker and you can't do anything about that. It is possible, but not very likely that the granite could develop a crack if you have many cycles of freeze/thaw.

And the sink will expand and contract with temperature, so you may notice some break down in the caulking/sealing around the sink.

I'd keep snow off the surface and use a polish protectant like
Topical Polish/Shine Enhancer now and a couple/few more times throughout the winter.

Sealing is not typically recommended on outdoor installations for ground tile and countertops aren't completely necessary.

Sun and rain will get out any stains that occur and sealing floor/ground tile can trap moisture in the stone, which you don't want to do.

For stone countertops just perform the "water test" as suggested above to determine if you a sealer would be beneficial for your outdoor kitchen countertop.

So... weather will produce signs of wear over time (years), but these are mostly cosmetic issues that won't affect the function or integrity of your island.