Get matched with top outdoor kitchen pros in Saint Ignatius, MT

Whenever you’re on the hunt for furniture, either indoor or outdoor, start your search at local second hand shops. While they might not always have exactly what you need, even just one deeply discounted chair or table will cut down a lot on your overall expenses. From there, check newsgroups to find free or inexpensive used items. For deals on new items, try discount home and garden retailers.

You can build an outdoor kitchen on a deck, but you should choose composite decking since it's more heat-resistant. Metal deck materials like steel and aluminum are also good choices because they're less flammable than wood. You should also consider the weight of the kitchen—make sure your deck can support it and any appliances you plan to use. You should consult a structural engineer to confirm exactly how much weight your deck can safely support when building an outdoor kitchen. 

Yes, you need a hood for an outdoor kitchen. A ventilation hood is required over each cooking appliance, including grills, griddles, and woks. If these cooking surfaces are all in the same area, you can consolidate the hood to one single ventilation unit above the grouping of cooking appliances. A single ventilation hood may require custom fabrication, which may increase the cost compared to mass-produced options.

While it is possible to do this kind of project at any point in the year, save it for the mildest parts of winter if you can. That way, your backyard won’t be under construction during prime grilling season. Plus, contractors tend to be less busy on outdoor projects then, so you might get a better deal and the installation might take less time.