Building an Outdoor Kitchen

Nothing beats concrete as a substrate for tile. It's flat, stable, and won't bend under compressive loads. Concrete countertops are also ideal for outdoor kitchen installations, but for large cooking bases you may find their expense prohibitive. For small kitchens, however, there's a ready-made alternative: precast concrete stepping stones.

Poured in a 3-inch thickness and in 3x3-foot squares, these units are available at most home centers and certain Internet retailers (be careful of shipping costs, however). Besides providing an excellent base for tile, they offer an additional benefit -- their 3-inch height makes it easy to set your countertop at exactly 36 inches.

To install this unit, use a circular saw with a masonry blade to cut it to 24 inches (the usual front-to-back depth of a counter surface). Apply mortar to the webs of the block walls and set the slab in place. For additional stability, fill the block cores with concrete and drill the slab to accommodate 1/2-inch rebar.

Installing an undercounter storage bay or recess for a refrigerator or other accessory means supporting the block above the bay. Lintels are made for this purpose. Using a hacksaw, cut the steel lintel to a length that extends over the opening by half a block on each side. Mortar the lintel in place, and cover it with lintel blocks as shown.