Build our own Barbacue?

[340wedge]

Has anyone built there own outdoor brick or stone barbecue? I am looking for tips and insight on any pitfalls.

 

[AirJunky]

I moved into a place that had a pile of cinder blocks in the back yard.I ended up using them to build a 10' wide x 3' deep BBQ. I bought a $200 stainless gas grill from Home Depot, removed the grill itself from the cart & installed it on the brick structure. Then built the counter using marine grade plywood, cement board & tile. I stuccoed the cinder blocks. It looked ok considering I'm no pro. In the end (8 or 9 years) the failure was the grout in between the tiles. I had sealed it, but either used the wrong tiles, grout or sealer. Years of winter cracked the tiles pretty bad.

The other thing I learned.... I think the next one I build won't be brick because you can't move it. But build the frame out of metal studs with cement board over it. Then I can put it on castors or move it on a dolly. It could be stuccoed or covered in faux brick/rock.

Good luck on your project.

 

[James-W]

I saw a grill one time that a guy made from some sort of tank cut in half the long way. He used expanded metal for the grill part. It took a lot of charcoal to fill it up, but he used it when there were lots of people to cook for so it worked out OK for him. I imagine you could do something similar and then put brick around it and make it really nice.

 

[fiveoh108]

I did, out of steel 2x4s, backerboard that I stuccoed on three sides and put cultured stone on the front, a marble counter top with BBQ and refrigerator. Mine is propane and three bottles fit under the BBQ no problem, have not even gone through 1

 

[fiveoh108]

A finished picture, I don't know why they load sideways

 

[rvieceli]

In the fifties before the advent of all these metal grills, every one that wanted to grill mostly made one usually out of bricks in the back yard.

You should be able to find a number of plans from that era to aid you in the construction. Here is one I found with a quick Google search.

http://bbq.netrelief.com/pits/brickpit/pit1/build_your_own_brick_bbq_pit.shtml

There are actually a surprising number of how to's around even some you tube videos.

You'll first need to decide which direction you want to go. The traditional way is make all the functioning parts a part of the project. The modern approach seems to be to incorporate an insert for the grill part.

 

[turbowoodworker]

In the planning stages myself.
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I've been shopping at BarB Que Guys on the internet for prices. I will do my own masonry and a pergola cover.

 

[maxpower_hd]

I was thinking about building one too out of an old Weber so the parts would be readily available to replace. I was thinking of using rock but I decided I need to be able to move it too.

 

[Plump]

Would love to see some more ideas from people. I've been planning the same with a pergola overhead to keep the rain and snow off my back while grilling. Want to have a little bit of counter space and room for both my gas and charcoal grills.

The metal 2x4's that I see at Menards say they aren't rated for outdoor use. Is that right? Weird. A little cement board and they should be fine, right? I was also thinking of using some of the pre-cast concrete tiles for the counter as I don't know that I want to invest in a poured concrete countertop and want to avoid grout for any tiles as I know they will fail in Wisconsin.

Ideas, thoughts? Thanks for the thread!

 

[My Old Tools]

My dad built a BBQ house in the backyard when we were kids. I think it was an old Home and Garden (or similar) magazine plan. The center piece was a fireplace chimney with a grill area built into it. It had one side mostly open with a built in eating area and bench, like a picnic table. We used it for 30 years. It was still standing when I sold the place last year at about 60 years old.

 

[creativecars]

This past fall we poured the slab for the extension off the patio, for our future 'Cook Shack'. It will be a 11x16 open truss free standing shack with electric and cold water. A rustic feel, the 16' back wall will be covered with lattice and a 16 x 2 of cook, smoke, sink and prep area.

 

[fiveoh108]

Go to any of the BBQ island places and look at them, they are made of the metal 2x4s. I went to a place that sells them and thoroughly looked inside each one to see how it was built and took notes. There are track and there are stud pieces the that slip into the track. 1-2 backerboard with 16" centers for the top and 1/4" backerboard with stucco on the sides. I red guarded (shower liner coating) mine prior to installing the stucco or cultured stone to make sure the water stays out