Outdoor Kitchens in Lakeville, MN

Outdoor Kitchens in Lakeville are often built for a crowd. Lakeville households average 2.89 people, and in the 2020 census 44.1% of households included children under 18 and 67.1% were married couples. That points to backyards that host birthday parties, team dinners and weekend cookouts. The kitchen has to feed a lot of people at once and stay safe with kids nearby.

Counter space comes first

When ten or twenty people are eating, the bottleneck is rarely the grill. It is landing space for platters, a place to prep, and somewhere for drinks that keeps guests out of the cook's way. For bigger Lakeville families we often suggest:

• A long main counter with the grill set off-center, so there is open counter on both sides
• A raised bar ledge on the guest side, which keeps hands and plates away from the cooking surface
• A second zone, like a side burner, flat-top or pizza oven, so two people can cook at once
• Closed outdoor kitchen cabinets for paper goods, tools and charcoal
• A beverage refrigerator placed at the end of the run, where kids can reach it without crossing the grill area

Keeping kids and fire apart

A good family layout puts the hot zone at one end and the traffic path at the other. We avoid designs where the route from the back door to the yard runs right past the grill. For fire features, Minnesota's State Fire Marshal guidance keeps wood-burning recreational fires to 3 feet or less in diameter and 2 feet or less in height, at least 25 feet from buildings and combustible materials, with someone nearby until it is out and an approved extinguisher, a charged garden hose, or dirt or sand on hand. Cities can add stricter rules, so check Lakeville's before you plan a wood-burning pit. Gas fire tables with a switch or key valve are popular with families because there are no embers to manage.

Cold winters, hot Julys

Lakeville's climate data shows a mean daily high of 22.6 degrees in January and 82.8 in July. That is a wide swing for outdoor materials. We choose countertops that tolerate freezing, keep water out of the island frame, and set bases so they do not heave. Dakota County is in Minnesota's frost Zone II, where Rule 1303.1600 sets a 3-1/2 foot minimum footing depth for structures, which we follow for any roof or pergola.

Shutting down for winter

Water is the part that needs attention each fall. Manufacturer guidance, such as Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet's, is to drain supply lines and faucets before winter and to winterize refrigerators and ice makers at set temperatures. Grills and pizza ovens can stay out. We make the shutoffs easy to find so it is not a chore you put off until after the first hard freeze.

Services we offer in Lakeville

Custom outdoor kitchens; outdoor kitchen countertops; grill islands and BBQ stations; outdoor kitchen cabinets; covered outdoor kitchens and pergolas; outdoor fireplaces and fire features. If you want to build in phases, such as the grill island this year and a pergola next year, we can design the first phase so the second fits cleanly later.

Utility locates

Gas and electrical trenches start with a Gopher State One Call locate, requested at least 48 hours ahead, not counting the day of notice, weekends and holidays. When you hire a contractor, the contractor is responsible for that notice.

Call (612) 451-0418 or request a free estimate online. Tell us how many people you usually host and how you like to cook, and we will put it into a written quote.

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