How to Build an Outdoor Kitchen on a Budget: DIY Ideas and Tips for Saving
Outdoor kitchen with a stainless gas grill

Outdoor kitchens are beautiful and one of the best ways to utilize your outdoor spaces. You can literally transform your backyard into a stylish space where your family and guests can enjoy barbecues. They can also be pricy to build, but if you have always wanted them, you can still have them without breaking the bank.

So if you have plenty of space and plan on hosting a party or a simple barbecue, it doesn’t matter if you are strapped for cash. Keep reading for fantastic ideas on how to build an outdoor kitchen on a budget. Please take a peek at our page for other amazing tips and hacks concerning the kitchen.

Why Build an Outdoor Kitchen?

There are plenty of reasons to build an outdoor kitchen. If you are a social person, an outdoor kitchen is definitely for you. It creates an intimate space for socializing, and you can have friends over for a barbecue in your backyard.

It also comes in handy for hosting, especially when you have a small house. With an outdoor kitchen, you won’t have to worry about squeezing all your guests into a tiny dining room.

Furthermore, outdoor kitchens open up your culinary options. You could always prepare more meals outside. You can also de-clutter your kitchen and avoid crowding it. You could opt to prepare messier meals outside.

What Goes into Your Outdoor Kitchen?

The essential features of an outdoor kitchen are cooktops and grills, counter space, and outdoor seating. Other extra features may include a sink, bar, and refrigerator. The more features you have, the more expensive your outdoor kitchen will be.

For a simple and inexpensive one, you could have a seating area and a grill, then add more features later. Keep in mind that your budget determines how much you will build and the material you will use.

DIY Ideas for How To Build an Outdoor Kitchen on a Budget

Happy hosts grilling in outdoor kitchen

Portable Kitchen

A portable kitchen DIY project is simple and the cheapest option. It is suitable for occasional events and is a perfect way to enjoy an outdoor kitchen experience on a budget. A portable kitchen can also be moved wherever you want at any time.

All you will need for this project are pieces of wood, nails, wheels, and other features you would like to have in your kitchen, like the sink and a grill. Once you have put up your wooden countertop, you can add the rest of the features. The final step is to fit wheels on your movable kitchen for easy mobility.

BBQ Kitchen

Outdoor BBQs with friends and family are lovely, but you have to have the proper BBQ kitchen — which can be pretty expensive. Nonetheless, you don’t have to hire a professional because you can DIY your dream space using stone veneers, grills, screws, and wire mesh.

If your grills are made of metal, you should cover them with wire throughout to bond them to the concrete countertops. Be sure to cement the stone veneers to create metallic meshed grills. The last step is to install the stove, and your custom kitchen is ready at an average cost. 

Granite Outdoor Kitchen

Another easy DIY outdoor kitchen project for a simple outdoor kitchen is making one out of granite cabinets. All you will need is the necessary materials and a tutorial to guide you through the steps of assembling your kitchen. The main component of the project is granite cabinets, and you won’t have to buy kitchen frames.

You can purchase the cabinets from the nearest craft shop or online. The package comes with bolts and other necessary features used for bonding and adjusting. It also features step-by-step instructions on how to assemble your dream kitchen. The last step of this project is to cover the final frame with brick veneer and adhesive.

Hut Kitchen

Another fantastic idea for an outdoor kitchen is to build a traditional BBQ kitchen and then fit it with a hut. It may require a few resources, but it will take more time. However, if you can get all the supplies you need, you can start the project and expect to enjoy your outdoor kitchen in a couple of weeks.

You will need wooden boards, screws, clumps, tape measure, wooden scrap, and saws. You can also seek advice from an expert before making any major purchase for your project. The general idea is to build a hut in your backyard with a kitchen inside.

Wooden Kitchen

Wood can be visually stunning yet simple and the perfect material to craft your outdoor kitchen on a budget. Once you have your wood, cut the boards enough for the base, frames, and side paneling, and then use screws to bind them into a cooking area.

You can get designs for your perfect kitchen online, and then follow the instructions to craft your outdoor kitchen. If you have extra cash to spare, you can add countertops, and voila, your outdoor kitchen is ready for use.

Concrete Kitchen

The outdoor concrete kitchen DIY project is for individuals who prefer something beyond pre-made or simple-but-sweet kitchens. The idea is to build a permanent structure from scratch using concrete blocks and cement. The additional resources you will need include screws, grout, brick veneer, wood, mortar, and plywood tiles.

Curate the design of your permanent custom kitchen using concrete blocks and slabs, and make sure you leave enough space for the cooking area and countertops. The outward appearance of your outdoor kitchen design will look more like cement, and the wood boards will only go into the frame of your kitchen.

Saving Tips

How to Build an Outdoor Kitchen on a Budget DIY Ideas and Tips for Saving

Kitchen Location

Building the kitchen close to the main house is advisable to cut costs. The further away your outdoor kitchen will be from your house, the more costly it will be to install. It is relatively cheaper and easier to install utility lines for an outdoor kitchen closer to the house.

Also, if the kitchen is far from the house, DIYs may not work, and you will need to hire a professional for services like installing wires and pipes in the trenches. Often, professionals charge by linear foot, and the further you stray from the house, the more the outdoor kitchen costs.

Utilities and Outdoor Appliances

Utility lines are necessary for most outdoor cooking, but there is a way around them to save on costs. You can avoid installing them and be creative. As aforementioned, you may need to hire a professional to lay the utility line. The process may involve demolishing and rebuilding your patio.

a more affordable option is using a traditional charcoal grill or running a gas grill from a propane tank and foregoing running gas lines. For outdoor refrigerators, consider using an ice maker and box to avoid the installation of electric cables. It may be less convenient, but it saves on appliance costs.

Be Versatile

As much as you can do without other appliances like a refrigerator, you’ll have to install some to truly have a functional outdoor kitchen. An example is an outdoor sink, the most used appliance in any kitchen. For your outdoor kitchen sink, you will need water and drainages.

You can still balance your need for essential appliances, entertaining space, and budget by being versatile. You could cut on the appliances you don’t need as much and install the most urgent ones in your cooking station. 

Hire a Professional

As absurd as it may sound, hiring a contractor may help you save some coins. Here’s why: for starters, DIY projects may look simple, but if you mess up, that could cost you double. For instance, should you damage your wood for frames, you may need to buy more wood, but you can avoid this by hiring a professional.

Furthermore, working alongside a professional allows you to learn on the job and perfect some of your skills as far as outdoor kitchen layouts are concerned while cutting labor costs. 

Conclusion

If you are a highly sociable person, a custom outdoor kitchen is definitely for you. We hope the DIY ideas on how to build an outdoor kitchen on a budget and tips for saving are helpful. Happy outdoor adventures and grilling with your family and friends!

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