Steaks, burgers and dogs, homemade pizza, or just putting “another shrimp on the barbie” all require some outdoor cooking space. Whether you like a grill, use a smoker, or a pizza oven, perfecting your cooking technique is just as fun as eating the food itself. However, inclement weather can really put a damper on how you can enjoy the outdoor space. To help keep you cooking no matter the weather, we have created the awesome solution of an outdoor cooking shed.

What Are Outdoor Kitchen Sheds Made Of?

Outdoor kitchens can be made from a variety of materials. Some people go as low cost as possible and strip down pallets to build and create an outdoor cooking area. On the other hand, some people will go very high-end and purchase quality treated lumber, tin, and plastic corrugated sheets to create an outdoor kitchen.

However, at a quality builder, like Beachy Barns, we create our outdoor kitchen sheds the same way we build all of our sheds and garages. We select the best-treated lumber where needed, as well as LP Smart Siding or Vinyl. We also allow you to customize your building as much as you like by adding different window variations, door styles, trim colors, and shingles or metal roofing styles.

How Much Do Cooking Sheds Cost?

A typical outdoor cooking shed costs about $3,227 to $18,954. While this may sound like a hefty price discrepancy, it all depends on the size and features you choose to add to your shed kitchen. On average, we have seen most people select a 12×16 building with a $650 bar package upgrade making the building cost around $6,975. (Keep in mind prices are subject to change and are only final once a build order has been completed).

Do Outdoor Kitchens Need A Foundation?

Yes. All kitchen sheds should be placed on some type of foundation. When creating an outdoor kitchen space, the weight of the appliances will cause there to be an area of localized pressure within the shed.

In the northeastern parts of the country, such as Ohio, where we are located, the thaw and freeze of the ground may cause shifting below the structures. This shifting may cause the building to lean one way or the other. Additionally, this shifting may cause the doors to “stick,” causing them to be difficult to open or close.

What is the Best Kind Of Foundation For My Outdoor Shed Kitchen?

We recommend placing an outdoor kitchen shed on a poured concrete slab. However, you could elect to have your structure on a gravel pad or poured-pier concrete system. If you are trying to determine which option will work best for you, check out the video above!

25 Outdoor Kitchen Shed Essentials

Once you have your building selected and your foundation is complete, it’s time to start dreaming of how your outdoor kitchen shed will work. But what do you actually need in your kitchen shed? That is entirely up to you! However, we think the list below gives you a solid idea of some of the must-have features.

Grill/Smoker

Choosing between a grill or smoker can be a very difficult task for your outdoor kitchen shed. While each of them offers an iconic flavor and cooking style, you may find that one is better suited for you than the other. But now you can have both! Lifetime has created a grill/smoker combo allowing you to have the best of either world!

Griddle

As of late, outdoor griddles have been becoming increasingly popular. Many times people think of the ability to do smash burgers or a more traditional style fried rice dish. However, we have seen that these griddles allow you to create a true diner-style breakfast experience for the whole family!

Countertop

Something that can be easily overlooked is the ability to have a preparation space in your outdoor kitchen. To help prevent this, we recommend that your kitchen shed have some countertops or islands. This will give you the proper workspace and make cooking and prep work much more enjoyable.

Refrigerator

Everyone enjoys having a wonderful meal outside. However, having a nice cold drink on a hot day can make being outside even more enjoyable. To make this happen, we recommend that you look at having at least a dorm-size fridge in your kitchen shed. However, if you intend to use your outdoor kitchen frequently, we recommend upgrading to a full-size fridge-freezer combo.

Sink

One of the great things about having an outdoor kitchen shed is the ability to choose how complex of a sink system you want. Some people prefer the sink plumbed into the “mainline” of your sewer or septic system. On the other hand, you may just want a simple sink with a 5-gallon bucket underneath so that you can wash a few dishes, clean your produce or wash your hands.

Ice Maker

Adding ice to your drinks or making some poolside slushies is a great way to cool off on a summer day. If you don’t want to have a whole fridge and freezer combo outside, a countertop ice machine may be all that you need. These ice machines are highly desirable as many of them can create the “good ice” that Chic-fil-a has become known for.

Trash Bins

When you have an outdoor space that is frequently used, a trash bin is a must-have. No one wants to be stuck cleaning up everyone else’s mess when you are trying to relax. To help keep the trash secure and stored away, we recommend a trash bin that has a lid.

Cabinets

Your outdoor kitchen shed needs the ability to store your must-have items to be ready when you want to cook. To have storage space, cabinets are extremely important in being able to accomplish the task. Since this is an outdoor space, you may want to consider using a plastic cabinet system, as this will be easy to clean and maintain, no matter the weather.

Grill Tools

When you get down to cooking on the grill, smoker, or griddle, it is important to have your own grilling tools. So why not have your own set for your outdoor kitchen shed? Better yet, make it a fun grilling tool set so everyone can enjoy a little chuckle.

Food Thermometer

Food Thermometers will allow you to do one of two things in your kitchen shed. The first is to check the internal temperature of the meat that you are trying to smoke to the right temperature. The second is making sure that the food is cooked the whole way through. No one wants their guest to go home early because of food poisoning, and having a thermometer will help to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Cookware

Everyone has their favorite pots and pans when they cook in their kitchen, and your outdoor kitchen should be no different. However, in an outdoor setting, you will want cookware that is a bit more suited for outdoor use. For an outdoor kitchen shed, we highly recommend that you look at cast iron pots and pans to make your outdoor kitchen all that it can be!

Seating

Being able to offer your guests a place to sit is almost as important as having the meal itself. That is why we recommend that you have some outdoor seating available for as many people as you wish to invite over! In fact, why not make sure you have plenty of seating with a matching table and chair set?

Shade Structure

Depending on the style of your outdoor kitchen shed, it is important to have the proper setup, including a shaded area. To make this happen, an outdoor umbrella will offer you a great area with coverage for shade. Additionally, you may want to spring for a structure like the one we have above that offers a bit of a pavilion-like area for shade.

Pizza Oven

When you need to cook for a big group, you can go one of two ways, an easy bar-b-que menu or a full fledge build-your-own pizza bar. We think that a build-your-own pizza station with your own pizza oven will satisfy even the most picky of eaters. So why not make your house the fun house instead of the place that offers the same old same-old?

Outdoor Speakers

Whether you like to throw a party or you enjoy to have some relaxing music in the background, music can make or break the feeling of a place. To enjoy some outdoor music, we recommend that you take a look at some outdoor speakers that can easily blend into your surroundings.  On the other hand, a small bluetooth speaker may be all that you desire.

Outdoor Television

Creating your own outdoor sports bar is not complete without an outdoor TV. You can create a quality outdoor TV setup in two ways. The first is to purchase and mount an outdoor tv on part of your building. The second way is to purchase a projector and shine it onto a screen from the outdoor kitchen shed.  No matter what option you choose, just make sure to invite us over for the big game!

Drinkware

Drinkware is a must-have for any outdoor kitchen shed. However, you may want to avoid glass options for outside as they may break in an area where most people are not wearing shoes. This is why we highly recommend purchasing some high-quality plastic drinkware so that you have a nice appearance and don’t have to worry about broken glass.

Electricity

Many of the options that we have discussed can make your outdoor kitchen shed the cooking place of your dreams. However, they all require one simple but needed item, electricity. Two ways to do this are to connect your kitchen shed to the house. The second option is to find a small solar system that can handle the demands of the kitchen shed you create.

Fuel Source

Cooking food will require some kind of fuel source. We recommend that you have extras on hand for whatever fuel source you choose. Such fuel sources will include wood pellets, hardwood, propane, or even natural gas to feed your cooking appliance.

Outdoor Food Covers

If your outdoor kitchen is going to be a dining area as well, outdoor food covers are a great solution to make your meal time “less buggy.” Food covers allow you to ensure that your food is appealing to the eye without seeing the flies all over it. So whether it’s your aunt’s jello mold (Does anyone make those anymore?) or your award-winning brisket, get some food covers to make it an enjoyable experience.

Fire Extinguisher

We hate to see it happen, but we know a kitchen fire can occur. To help prevent a major disaster, we recommend having a fire extinguisher in your kitchen shed. Because there are multiple fire sources that can happen in a kitchen area, we recommend that you have a class ABC extinguisher close by. However, make sure that you talk with your local fire department to see what they recommend as the best extinguisher system for your shed.

Firewood Rack

As we talked about earlier, you may need wood to operate some of your cooking appliances. However, more so than that, you may want to have firewood to enjoy for a campfire by your kitchen shed. We recommend building or buying a wood rack to make storage easy.

Ramps

While many people think of needing a ramp for driving a lawn mower into a shed, hear us out. A ramp to the outdoor shed kitchen will allow you to move your appliances in and out of the building if you desire to do some heavy-duty cleaning. Having a ramp to move your appliance out of the shed will save your back from heavy lifting and probably a couple of friendships.

Windows

Depending on how you have your space set up, your cooking area may be entirely indoors. If that is the case, we highly recommend having some windows placed in your shed. This will allow you to have ventilation as well as a breezeway to help let the hot air out.

Bar

If you are trying to make your space a bit more like a bar, you will need some type of bar top. We offer 3 bar top styles, as mentioned earlier. We love that bar tops give the ability to have a dining area attached right to the action, so no one has to miss out on any of the conversations.  We offer 2 bar packages; the first is a door system where two doors will open outward with a steel bar. We also offer a second bar package that has two-overhead door panels that can roll up and also include a steel bar. This package will cost you $1,850. Additionally, either package can have the steel bar powder coated in a variety of colors and is an additional $150. (The above image shows an outdoor kitchen that we built. However, they elected to have a different countertop placed than what we offer from our shop).

Spices

Every cook needs their spices and seasonings to make a meal. Make sure you stock up your outdoor kitchen shed with all that you need. Just make sure that the secret recipe ingredients are hidden, as we wouldn’t want to see you give away your secrets by mistake.

Sealing

If you choose to build your own outdoor kitchen shed from wood, it will need to be sealed. The best way to seal your shed is to ensure that it is either painted or stained. The seal will ensure that the wood of your outdoor kitchen shed will last a long time.\

So When Should We Expect Your Invite To You Outdoor Kitchen Shed?

As you can see, having an outdoor kitchen space can really be a lot of fun. In fact, we think you might use it more than the kitchen you have inside your home. So whether you want it to be a shed with a little extra electrical or a whole bar set up, give us a call! We can’t wait to build your outdoor shed kitchen. And if you give us an invite to come check out your kitchen, we will make sure to be a good guest and bring a side dish 🙂.