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July 6, 2020 by Chuck Green

Things to Consider When Building an Outdoor Kitchen

dallas outdoor kitchens

Outdoor kitchens are popular in the Dallas area, and for good reason! They give homeowners an additional option for entertaining and provide a relaxing atmosphere in your backyard. When adding an outdoor kitchen to your home, there are many things to keep in mind. Not only can they become an expensive project, but it’s also important to make sure you have durable furniture and appliances, shade, or other cooling options that will keep guests comfortable in the summer – and keep those pesky mosquitos at bay. While this might seem like a lot to consider, you don’t have to go it alone! CGreens Landscape Management has landscape design experts in Dallas who will be there to help you every step of the way. So, before you build that awesome kitchen, here are some things to keep in mind.

Budget

When you decide you want to build an outdoor kitchen, the first thing you need to do is determine how much you want to spend. Your budget will determine what kind of appliances, furniture, utilities, and technology that you are able to include in your outdoor kitchen. Choose a budget you think is reasonable and do your best to stick to it to avoid overspending.

Weather Changes

Dallas summers are brutally hot, but we have all experienced the temperature fluctuation common to North Texas during the other seasons. One minute it is sunny and hot and the next we experience an unexpected cold front. These seasonal (and in-season) fluctuations can cause materials such as tile or stone to crack, which needs to be considered in the building process and in choosing the types of materials used.

Another option to keep in mind in Texas is whether to invest in heaters, misters, or fans. While this can be expensive it will help keep your outdoor kitchen usable year around.

Cooking Appliances

Cooking outdoors can be more demanding than cooking inside, so making sure that you have appliances that are up to the task is important. Here are a few things to consider when picking out the appliances for your outdoor kitchen.

  • Power Burners – Boiling water outside is significantly more difficult outside than it is inside. To overcome this, we recommend purchasing a power burner.
  • Grills – Grills are the most common cooking appliance that customers want in their kitchen. Take some time to research, keeping in mind what kinds of grills are best for which types of foods. Many homeowners are also choosing grills that are easily concealable.

Mosquitos

Anyone who has lived in the Dallas area in the summer knows how bad the mosquitos can be in the evening. Citronella candles and bug spray can only do so much. There are actually misters that can spray insecticides to keep bugs away from your kitchen! If it’s in your budget, they may be something to consider adding to your outdoor kitchen.

Furniture

Since your kitchen is outdoors, durability is key when it comes to furniture. Investing in quality outdoor furniture now can save you from having to constantly replace items in the future because of weather damage. Make sure you have plenty of chairs and a nice large table. Picking the material for the table is also important. If your table is going to be uncovered it is important to remember that metal, while durable, will get very hot in the summertime. Typically, a darker wood with an all-weather finish is recommended.

The other aspect to consider when selecting furniture is storage. If you do not have cabinets or other built-in storage, consider tables or benches that have storage options built into them.

CGreen Landscape Management has been helping homeowners in Dallas design the yards of their dreams for 40 years. From simple patios for your grill to gourmet outdoor kitchens, we have done it all! For more information on our services, or to schedule a service, contact us TODAY!

Filed Under: Landscape Design

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CGreens Landscape Management
12520 Schroeder Rd #101 Dallas, TX 75243

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erosion control

Erosion Control

CGreens uses a variety of ways to hold soil and keep it from washing away. Installing a retaining wall is an option that would be appropriate. There are many types of materials we use for the wall, from railroad ties, landscape timbers, concrete stones that look reasonably natural to many varieties and colors of native stone, which would be a beautiful addition to a landscape.

Of course, plant material such as ground cover or grass is excellent as an erosion control mechanism if you have the correct amount of sun and water. You may have a temporary need during construction that we can help with by utilizing special cloths explicitly designed for erosion control.

Re-grading your landscape to create a proper slope for runoff water and installing foundation protections such as wall sealant.

Adding a root barrier is also an option to help keep trees and large plant life from drawing moisture away from the soil which leads to erosion near the foundation of your home.

sump pump

Sump Pumps

An Installation of a Sump Pump or Pits would be done by CGreens in situations where there is not enough slope to discharge to a Surface Drain. Also, French Drains are typically deeper and will need a pump to discharge water up and out to an area away from the collection points.

The pumps that we install are commercial grade and can pump debris up to 1 ½” in diameter. We install check valves, unions, and alarms when necessary.

french drains

Surface & French Drains

Installation of surface drains, which are catch basin with a grate over the top of them at ground level, allows surface water to flow into them. When installing this system, CGreens makes sure to use a solid pipe that runs to a lower area to discharge, such as the street or storm drains.

CGreens installs French Drains to collect subsurface water, not surface water! French Drains are a trench in the ground, lined with a GeoTech cloth that allows water but not soil to penetrate. A solid PVC pipe that has holes is placed at 5 & 7 O’Clock positions, then the trench is filled with gravel, and the cloth is folded over at ground level.

Creating this hole creates a barrier to stop water and serve as protection and a sponge to draw water away from an area that needs to be kept dry. When we install a French Drain to prevent water from penetrating under a pier and beam foundation, the drain will be at least 6 inches below the perimeter beam.

Special note* CGreens uses only SDR 35 solid, smooth bore PVC pipe. It is the same thickness as Schedule 40 pipe but is not used for pressure. Heck, you can almost drive over it! We do NOT use the black, flexible ADS rolls of pipe as it will crush very easy even when backfilling the trench!

french-drain surface-drain
subsurface drainage

Surface and Subsurface Landscape and Hardscape Drainage

You need an effective system for removing stormwater and draining water before it can cause further damage. We are experts at all kinds of yard drainage systems that can move water from your property quickly and effectively.

At CGreens we can customize water drainage systems for every landscape and situation that are designed specifically to fit your landscape. We offer systems for surface water drainage, subsurface water drainage, and water retention/holding containers.

grate and drain

Grates and Drain Water Catch Basins

CGreens uses grates to catch water, and our filter systems can minimize the quantity of debris entering the system. For some grating projects, A foundation engineer may be the unbiased professional that you need. We have worked with many engineers since 1980 and can be your guide for a strong voice & properly graded yard and foundation.