Sydney Outdoor Kitchen

[brung99]

Re: Sydney Outdoor Kitchen

So, this brings me up to my current stage.

The timber frame has been lined on the outside with cement fibre board. Ive installed the window and the benchtop. Undersink plumbing has been connected to sewer and new flick mixer pullout tap installed (btw, having a sink so close to the oven is fantastic. Saves many trips back inside the house).

Cabinet doors have been put on and outdoor fridge set in place.

Now just waiting for the electrician to return to connect wiring for power points and lights before lining the inside of the frame.

I also still plan to make two glass block windows in the walls above the oven just for some extra light and as a feature.

Hope you like my job so far. Like I said, slow progress but I'm pleased with the results so far and the DYI aspect is great fun for me too.

[brung99]

Re: Sydney Outdoor Kitchen

Next step was to build a timber frame around two walls of the gazebo to protect the kitchen area from the weather and it keep it cleaner. Again, on ebay I found another bargain, this time, a 3m long (yes, perfect for my space again) louvered timber window. It will let in plenty of light, and it also comes with flyscreens which will help keep the leaf litter from next doors trees out of the area.

[brung99]

Re: Sydney Outdoor Kitchen

While browsing through Ebay one day, I found someone selling some brand new stainless steel bbq base cabinets. Luckily, they were modular units that could be connected together and the size of three of them together was perfect for my space. I therefore removed the existing base and decided to use the bbq bases instead. Not only do they look great, but they give me more storage under the bench and easy access to under sink plumbing.

I built them on a treated timber base which will be tiled over and used as the kickboard. I also had to raise the height to bring the bench up to 900mm, so i used the steel studs to build a raised base for the bench.

The bench was also found on Ebay and was EXACTLY the width I needed (when installed, I had about a 3-4mm clearance on each side. It included an undermount sink and is made of ceaserstone.

[brung99]

Re: Sydney Outdoor Kitchen

Original plan was to make base using steel studs covered in blueboard which will then be rendered.

[brung99]

Re: Sydney Outdoor Kitchen

Hebel wall built where kitchen bench/cupboards will go.

[brung99]

Re: Sydney Outdoor Kitchen

Slow but steady progress on the outdoor kitchen since my last post. I've added some new photos to show where I'm up to.

[brung99]

Re: Sydney Outdoor Kitchen

the snow does not melt off the roof, not that that is an issue for you....

Quite the opposite. I actually held my first big pizza night and invited all the relatives over for a pool & pizza party. The problem was, I decided to hold it on the 18th January this year - the hottest ever recorded day in our cities history. It reached over 46 degrees Celsius where I live (approx 115F). I think I needed the insulation on the oven to keep the heat out and stop the pizzas burning - it was a scorcher. Thankfully the pool was close by and everyone had a great night regardless.

Cheers,
Bruno

[Spunkoid]

Re: Sydney Outdoor Kitchen

Looks great, I built my oven by hand, 1 meter inside diameter similar to yours. I used vermiculite for insulation, keeps the heat in so well that the snow does not melt off the roof, not that that is an issue for you....

[brung99]

Re: Sydney Outdoor Kitchen

The curing process went well. Just 2 or 3 fine hairline crack on the surface of the render around the vent/flue area that appear when the oven is really hot. As I will be painting it anyway, I plan on sealing them with an acrylic gap filler before painting.

Still getting used to cooking and its been great fun. First meal was roast chicken with vege's which everyone loved. Ive cooked pizza twice. The first time was last Monday and it was fantastic. I honestly believe they were the best pizza's I've ever had. Beautifully thin & crispy dough, and watching the crust puff up before my eyes as I placed the pizza onto the cooking floor was fantastic.

The second pizza night was on Saturday night. My wife decided to try a different dough recipe as it was quicker than the one I used, however, it didnt live up to the taste of my first batch. I think i'll stick to my recipe from now on. It takes longer but i think it's well worth it.

Having a great time with the oven, and i'm looking forward to many fun times shared with family & friends over the coming summer months.

As far as the outdoor kitchen goes, I bought a second hand ceaserstone bench with an undermount double oliveri sink for just $200. It's 3 meters long which fits my area exactly, and it was a real bargain. I also bought a 3 metre long by 600mm high louvre window on Ebay that I will be installing above the bench. I'm planning to close off the walls around the bench & WFO so the window will add some light & ventilation when needed without getting dust and debris into the kitchen area. Looking forward to the work ahead.

BTW - although the bench is undercover, it will still be exposed to sunlight & maybe rain depending on the angles and time of day. I know granite is impervious to the elements and I was wondering if anyone knows about the suitability of these man made stone benches to the weather. Should i make a waterproof/UV resistant cover for the bench ???

Regards,
Bruno

[ThermoJax]

Re: Sydney Outdoor Kitchen

It has been 30 days. So, how is it coming? Did you paint it yet?

[brung99]

Re: Sydney Outdoor Kitchen

Don't worry about them. I presume you mean the really fine polypropylene fibres which are finer than human hair? You can just paint over them after about 10 firings when you know all the moisture has gone.

Yep, they are the ones David.

Hi Bruno,

It's recommended to wait 30 days before painting oven stucco, but now there are some new exterior primers that you can use earlier. Be careful and choose the right paint. I chose to wait.

Thanks to both of you for your advice guys. I'm in no hurry to paint it yet as I have plenty of other jobs that need to be done to complete the outdoor kitchen area.

[Laurentius]

Re: Sydney Outdoor Kitchen

Hi Bruno,

It's recommended to wait 30 days before painting oven stucco, but now there are some new exterior primers that you can use earlier. Be careful and choose the right paint. I chose to wait.

[david s]

Re: Sydney Outdoor Kitchen

Don't worry about them. I presume you mean the really fine polypropylene fibres which are finer than human hair? You can just paint over them after about 10 firings when you know all the moisture has gone.

[brung99]

Re: Sydney Outdoor Kitchen

Thanks David. I used the reinforcement fibres as advised and I noticed this morning that the render is covered in a "fuzz" from the fibres sticking out of the render.

Are these a concern?. Will they break off ? or do I need to do something to remove them?.

BTW, I'll probably end up painting the outside as my wife isnt happy with the colour.

[brung99]

Re: Sydney Outdoor Kitchen

Hi Chris,

I ended up using about two and a half wheelbarrows (of the quantity in my photo). I made sure the thinnest coverage was 1 inch. Although in some areas its uo to two inches for the sake if aesthetics and symmetry. I had a picture in my head and luckily it turned out pretty much as envisaged.