Stone veneer conveys many benefits. It's especially useful for outdoor areas because it's sturdy and low maintenance. It also adds beauty to any area. And many homeowners have eschewed a simple grill area for a full outdoor kitchen. This installation is a perfect place to add stone veneer.
1. Grill Unit
When you install an outdoor kitchen, you often don't have a standalone grill. Instead, the contractors incorporate it into a grill unit that consists of a surround and countertop space. The unit also features areas to stash the grill's fuel source and even some storage. A grill unit often consists of a fiber-reinforced concrete shell, which is light but strong.
The grill unit's exterior is bare, which allows you to finish it any way that suits your décor style. Stone veneer is ideal for this job. The stone can withstand the heat the grill generates while maintaining its beauty. You can also top the countertop with a stone slab.
2. Pizza Oven Surround
Homeowners often like to expand areas of their outdoor kitchen to incorporate appliances or cooking methods they wouldn't include in their indoor kitchen. A popular addition is the pizza oven, which is essentially a small fireplace, especially for cooking pizzas. Pizza ovens use wood as their fuel source.
As with the grill unit, a pizza oven generates a lot of heat. So, here, too, a stone veneer is ideal for the surround. Aesthetically, stone would be the preferred material, too, because of the rustic ambience associated with a pizza oven. It is, after all, on old-world style of cooking. To that end, consider a façade with more rustic stones.
3. Island or Peninsula Seating
As part of a whole built-in structure, many homeowners install an island or a peninsula. The installation can be for food preparation or serving. However, if you extend the countertop out, you can also use it for seating.
The façade of the island or peninsula doesn't have to withstand heat like that on the grill unit. However, stone is a good veneer option because you'll probably have metal chairs for outdoor seating. You won't have to worry about the surface scuffing or even chipping when you push the chair in. The same goes for seated diners who may kick the façade.
4. Wall Backsplash
Contractors usually locate the outdoor kitchen against an exterior wall of your house. This location allows you to use some of the plumbing and electrical wiring that already exists in your house's walls. Well, kitchen backsplashes protect your wall during cooking and cleaning. You want to protect your exterior wall, too.
A stone veneer backsplash would be a beautiful method of protecting this wall. For this application, choose your veneer with an eye to the aesthetic because it'll drive a lot of the style of your outdoor kitchen. If you plan to have the contractors get creative with any of the masonry, this space is the place for them to shine.
5. Surrounding Walls
While you have the contractors install a stone veneer backsplash, why not have them extend their work out? Designers often like to delineate spaces with décor applications. So, you can designate which area of your patio is dedicated to the outdoor kitchen with an accent wall done in stone.
As noted above, this installation will essentially be an extension of a backsplash, if you have one. If you install it on a wall of your house, you'll need to choose a stone that's cohesive with the rest of your house's trim. However, you may also build a wall apart from your house to protect your kitchen. In this case, you can be a little more creative in your veneer style.
Augment your outdoor kitchen design with attractive stone veneer. Contact Harristone for a full range of stone veneer products.