How to Install a Wood Burning Stove in an Outdoor Kitchen

Evaluate your settings to see where you can integrate a wood stove. Look for an area away from walkways so that the casual passersby do not accidentally burn themselves. Position the stove where the heat will not harm nearby objects or counters. Ideally, install the stove with counters on either side and a sink close by for quick access to water. Remember to position the stove so the normal wind patterns blow the smoke away from the work area.

Install a metal chimney pipe over the back chimney opening on the stove. The pipe needs to be 3 feet taller than the roof over the stove area so most of the smoke stays above your breathing space.

Check the flooring under the wood stove. The weight of the stove requires a solid foundation, while the heat of the stove requires a stone or heatproof material. Lay a bed of gravel for drainage under a brick or block foundation. If your outdoor kitchen is based on a wooden deck, you will need to install a sheet of 26-gauge steel and then a bed of bricks or blocks to protect the wood. Extend the fireproof flooring at least 18 inches out from all sides of the stove.

Create a roof over the cooking stove to protect it from the elements. Make the space between the stove and the roof high enough to create a space between the heat of the stove and the roof. Some ideas include a wooden pergola covered in canvas, a full-fledged tiled roof anchored on block posts or a cedar shingled alcove.