How to Build a Home BBQ Center

Check with your local building and zoning department about any required permits. Contact local utilities before you begin digging to make sure you don’t hit any underground cables or pipes.

Measure the space you want to create for your barbecue center and outline it with garden hose or twine and stakes. Use graph paper to plan the space, sketching in dimensions and drawing in placement of the barbecue grill, outdoor furniture and other items.

Calculate how many patio pavers or squares your project requires. Using squares instead of bricks and even-numbered area measurements lets you avoid having to cut any pavers to fit the space. Measure a paver’s top along the length and width. Multiply the two dimensions to get the area one paver covers in square inches. Divide 144 inches, or 1 square foot, by the area one paver covers to get the number of pavers per square foot needed. Multiply the patio’s length by the width and multiply the product by the number of pavers per square foot. This determines the total number of pavers needed. Get some extra pavers to cover any breakage that may occur.

Dig down 6 inches throughout the space, removing the dirt for gardening or composting.

Lay 2 inches of gravel at the excavated space’s bottom and firmly tamp it down.

Lay 2 inches of sand on top of the gravel and firmly tamp it down.

Place the patio pavers on top of the sand and push them into the sand bed close to each other until the space is filled. Shovel sand on top of the pavers and work it into the narrow spaces between the bricks with a broom. Sweep off any excess sand.

Place the barbecue grill in a corner of the newly paved space, stabilizing it with wheel locks if it is on wheels. Make sure there is plenty of space around it so nothing flammable is exposed to the grill during use.

Place a picnic table in the corner opposite of the barbecue and patio chairs in another corner. Adding a small, side table and storage bin near the barbecue makes cooking more convenient.

Decorate the area with wind chimes or a windsock on a shepherd’s hook, or use patio containers filled with flowering plants.