Covered Outdoor Kitchens & Pergolas in Minneapolis, MN

Covered outdoor kitchens and pergolas add the one thing that most extends the season here: protection overhead. A cover keeps rain off the cook and the countertop, shades the prep area on hot afternoons, keeps snow off the island all winter and gives you a place to mount lights, fans and heaters. In Minneapolis that structure also has to carry snow, stand on footings below the frost line and pass a building permit, so it is designed as carefully as the kitchen under it.

Types of covers

• Open pergola: cedar, treated wood or aluminum beams and rafters that filter sun but let rain and snow through. Least expensive, and a frame for climbing plants or shade fabric.
• Louvered roof: aluminum blades that open for sun and close to shed rain, manually or with a motor. Closed louvers keep most rain off; some makers recommend leaving them open in heavy snow, so check the product's snow rating.
• Solid-roof pavilion: a framed roof with shingles or metal, often with a gable, that keeps rain and snow off completely and can carry a vent hood.
• Attached cover: a roof extended from the house over the patio, which needs careful flashing and a structural connection.

Footings, snow and permits

Posts for a roofed structure go on footings below frost. Minnesota sets a 3-1/2 foot minimum footing depth for Hennepin County, and Minneapolis requires footings at least 42 inches below grade for decks. A solid roof also has to carry the area's design snow load, which is why rafters and beams on Minnesota pavilions are often heavier than what you see in warmer states. Roofed structures typically need a building permit and zoning review for setbacks and lot coverage, and we include both in the plan.

Cooking under a roof

Smoke and heat need somewhere to go. With an open pergola that is rarely an issue. Under a solid roof, the grill maker's clearance to the ceiling applies, and a vent hood rated for outdoor grills is usually needed. We place the grill near an open side, use noncombustible materials where heat is highest and plan the hood and its electrical circuit together.

Lights, fans and heat

Once there is a ceiling, it can hold task lights over the grill, a fan for muggy August nights and an infrared or gas heater for chilly spring and fall evenings. Each needs wiring or gas run before the ceiling is closed in, so we plan them with the structure rather than adding them later.

Wood or aluminum

Cedar looks warm and natural and resists decay but needs staining every few years to hold its color. Aluminum is low-maintenance, does not rot or warp and is the standard for louvered systems. Pressure-treated pine is the budget option and is often stained or painted. We price the materials you are considering side by side on your quote.