He Uses Concrete Blocks To Build An Impressive Prep Counter For His Grill

Building a DIY prep counter for your outdoor grilling area is not as daunting as you might think. While there are many rustic outdoor kitchen designs to be inspired by, you can keep things simple and affordable with the use of some concrete blocks. YouTuber Mr. Greg's How To demonstrates just how impressive a DIY grill area can be using these simple materials.

In a video series on how to build your own outdoor kitchen, the creator showed his method for constructing a grill counter setup after the concrete foundation has already been laid. He uses five different types of blocks: classic 8-by-8-by-16 inch blocks with the double cavity, solid 4-by-8-by-16 inch blocks, 2-by-8-by-16 inch solid blocks, 8-by-8-by-8 inch half blocks, and concrete bricks. After removing the grill's side shelves, he dry stacks the blocks around the grill into an L-shaped counter with a recessed pocket for the grill to slide into. After outlining the base with chalk, Surface Bonding Cement is laid along the base to secure the base blocks, then the remainder are dry stacked as before.

As a finishing touch, he uses more Surface Bonding Cement as a coating to secure the blocks in place without using mortar. This kind of cement has added fiber to increase its structural rigidity and hold the blocks together. Though involved, this project that doesn't take advanced DIY knowledge to achieve, uses affordable components, and can be adapted to fit any backyard.

One of the biggest benefits of using concrete blocks to build an outdoor grilling area is that they are individual units. As such, you can experiment with the layout and design of your outdoor kitchen space, working with it until it matches the idea in your head and fits the space perfectly. Another benefit to using the concrete bricks is that, by their very nature, they are noncombustible and therefore much safer for use in hotter environments.

Another big benefit to using concrete blocks is the fact that they are incredibly affordable. According to Range Outdoor Living, the average cost for a professionally installed outdoor kitchen hovers between $13,000 and $17,000. By comparison, the standard dimension 8-by-8-by-16 inch concrete block costs just over $2 per block, with the smaller blocks and bricks Mr. Greg used being even cheaper. Additionally, a 50-pound bag of surface bonding cement runs for under $20.

How much you end up spending is going to depend greatly on the size and scope of your project, but it is still likely going to be less than the national average for kitchens. Plus, you don't need to be an expert in masonry to construct this grill station. The dry stacking and concrete coating do all that work for you, so that once it's dried you'll have a solid prep space for all your grilling needs.