Outdoor dining is perhaps one of the most “back to our roots” approaches that we can take when cooking to entertain. The feeling of fresh air on our skin ignites something nostalgic about growing up and even ignites memories of times spent together with family and friends. Legacy-forming moments like these are the inspiration that we need to fuel the desire to build an outdoor kitchen so that we can recreate these moments and share them with the next generation.
As is often the case in South Florida, you may already have an outdoor kitchen (or at least an attempt at one) that may have taken a beating from the sun, wind, rain, humidity, and salty air. Understanding the need for specific materials is essential if you are planning an outdoor kitchen remodeling project.
Cabinetry That Beats The Elements
While custom wooden cabinets work well for the indoor kitchen that’s humidity and temperature-controlled in the standard South Florida home, they just won’t cut it in an outdoor kitchen.
South Florida’s Infamous Humidity
Even if you make use of the most weather-hardened wood, treated teak, it will still suffer the ills of swelling as the ever-present moisture content in the air takes its toll on the wood fibers. To combat these shortcomings, you need to make use of non-porous materials.
UV Degradation
The relentless, yet desirable, South Florida sun can really assault materials as the UV rays slowly eat away at the exposed surface and reduce them to dust. You can see its effect in how colors fade on anything that spends a significant time outdoors. Chalking tends to happen on other plastics that are not specifically UV-treated, as the surface is reduced to a white powder.
Salty Air
Proximity to the ocean air of the Atlantic and Gulf currents means that salt is a factor that South Florida homeowners can’t ignore. Salt reacts with most materials and is extremely corrosive. Metallic materials are most affected by the corrosive properties of salt and will not last long at all if not made from marine-grade stainless steel.
Materials To Choose For Al Fresco Dining
There are many options out there vying for a spot in your outdoor kitchen, but two in particular stand as the out-and-out winners for your cabinets: High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and marine-grade stainless steel.
HDPE
As the name suggests, this polymer is a kind of plastic that has many of the benefits required for your outdoor kitchen:
- HDPE is treated with a UV-inhibiting chemical that prevents chalking and fading noticeable in other cheaper materials.
- As a waterproof and non-porous material, water will never impregnate the material itself, which means no swelling, no rotting, and no delamination as you would see in other laminated kitchen materials.
- Salt is completely inert on HDPE, which means that sodium chloride (the chemical name for sea salt) does not affect the HDPE polymer.
316 Grade Stainless
Stainless steels are graded with number codes. So you may hear of 304, 316, and 430 stainless steel. These codes are defined according to the SAE/AISI Carbon Steel naming conventions. The 3 series, which applies to kitchens, refers to metals that are a nickel-chromium alloy. 316 stainless steel is ideal for outdoor kitchens as it contains molybdenum, which supercharges its resistance to pitting caused by salt air. Stainless steel exposed to the sun’s rays can become hot enough to cook. Fortunately, 316 stainless steel lends itself well to being powder-coated, and homeowners can choose a color that works with their aesthetic choices and does not burn them to the touch in South Florida’s bright sunshine.
Heatproof and UV-Protected Countertops
Just like the cabinets, the countertops need to withstand the same abuse, and because they literally always face the full might of the Sunshine State, they need to sit constantly in an environment that is effectively a giant oven. We’ll focus on two main types of countertop installations, namely natural granite and sintered stone.
Natural Granite
In South Florida, the prudent choice is a lighter-colored granite stone for your countertops. Darker colors retain more of the sun’s heat, and burns are not uncommon to those who touch them by accident during a sweltering day. Aesthetically, natural granite will do the job for you, but remember that it needs to be sealed annually so that water from the high humidity level does not seep into the porous stone.
Sintered Stone
At Mr. Kitchen, we make use of Dekton ® sintered stone. It is the ideal product for making the most of an outdoor kitchen-safe countertop. Dekton ® contains absolutely no resin, which means that it is fully UV-stable and will not be affected by the sun’s harsh rays. Since Dekton ® has a high thermal mass, it handles heat extremely well and won’t scorch if a hot pan or pot is placed directly onto the countertop surface. Dekton ® is also completely non-porous, meaning it’s resistant to mold and mildew growing on the surface.
Well-Drained and Slip-Resistant Flooring
Since South Florida is a tropical climate, thunderstorms and hurricanes are just a way of life! Due to this prevalence of frequent and substantial downpours, the type of flooring that is chosen needs to represent the challenges that an outdoor kitchen in this climate demands.
Textured Porcelain Tiles
Porcelain flooring comes most often in the form of slabs, kind of like a thick paver. They are currently a popular choice amongst outdoor kitchen enthusiasts and come in a variety of designs and slip-resistant textures.
Slip resistance is rated using the R Slip Resistance rating system:
- R9 – Best for indoor and dry areas where slip resistance is the lowest, but still suitable for flooring
- R10 – This rating is most commonly used for areas that can be wet but are still indoors, such as bathrooms and indoor kitchens
- R11-R13 – This rating is reserved for areas where there might be slick, oily surfaces, such as industrial areas or outdoor kitchens
Most options that are suitable for outdoor kitchen aesthetics will have an R11 rating.
Travertine And Shellstone
Some ideal natural options that are a staple in South Florida are the stones, Travertine and Shellstone. These stones are excellent for two main reasons, namely, comfort and porosity.
- Both Shellstone and Travertine are cool-to-the-touch stones in that they do not absorb the sun’s heat, but because of their porosity, the stone does not store the heat but dissipates it quickly within the micro channels of air contained within the stone.
- In terms of being slip-resistant, these natural stones use the above-mentioned porosity to their advantage. Water never pools on the surface but quickly wicks away to the ground. The microscopic pores on the surface also mean that the surface of the stone is rough and will maintain its grip even when waterlogged, which won’t be for long.
Outdoor Kitchens For The Discriminating South Florida Homeowner
At Mr. Kitchen, we have built a reputation that is as good as our kitchens’ quality. In South Florida, buying cheap means buying temporary, as the cheaper materials simply won’t be able to deal adequately with the violence that the climate can serve up. Our designers, along with our experienced installation team, ensure that the best materials are specified so that your kitchen looks as good in year ten as it did on day one.
Your dream backyard starts here. Call us at 561-672-7306 to start your outdoor kitchen remodeling project with a proven outdoor kitchen partner.