Outdoor Kitchen Cabinets in Minneapolis, MN

Outdoor kitchen cabinets keep tools, fuel, plates and cleaning supplies right where you cook, so you are not walking back and forth to the house. Minneapolis is hard on outdoor storage: humid summers, driving rain, snow drifting against doors, and temperature swings from summer heat to deep winter cold. Indoor kitchen cabinets made of wood or particleboard swell and fall apart outside. Outdoor cabinets have to be built from materials that ignore water and cold.

Cabinet materials

Stainless steel is the most common choice. Higher grades such as 304 resist rust better than lower grades; welded, fully enclosed boxes keep pests and debris out better than open frames. Marine-grade polymer (HDPE) cabinets are made from the same type of plastic used on boats. They do not rust, rot or swell, come in colors and wood-look finishes, and clean with soap and water. Masonry with access doors is the budget route: concrete block walls with stainless access doors and drawer units framed into the openings. The interior is a cavity rather than a sealed box, so it is better for propane tanks and bulky items than for dishes.

Choosing the right mix

• Drawers next to the grill for tools, towels and spice rubs.
• Trash and recycling pull-out so you are not walking to the alley mid-party.
• Double doors under the sink to reach valves and drain fittings.
• Propane drawer if you cook on propane, vented as the grill maker requires.
• Open shelving or appliance bays for a refrigerator, beverage center or kamado.

Built for winter shutdown

In the fall, cabinets should be emptied of anything that freezes, such as liquids, sauces and soda cans, and of food that attracts mice. Access to the plumbing matters too: the sink cabinet must give you room to close valves and open drains when you winterize. We size sink bases and doors with that in mind and keep supply lines tidy and visible, not buried behind a fixed panel.

Installation details

Cabinets sit on a level base with a slight slope toward the front or a drain path so water does not collect underneath. We set them up off the patio surface where we can, leave ventilation where appliances require it, and fasten them so the countertop load is carried evenly. Doors and drawers are adjusted after the countertop goes on and adjusted again if needed after the first season, since bases settle slightly as they cure.

Adding cabinets to an existing kitchen

If your island has little storage, we can often cut in stainless doors and drawers or replace an end section with a cabinet run, as long as the island structure allows it. We look at the frame and countertop support before quoting.