It may not seem like that complicated of a question: where to place a grill on the patio? Anywhere will do, right? Well, it’s actually not as simple as it sounds at first. There are a lot of things to take into consideration when pondering where to place a grill (or a smoker) on your patio.
You have to consider fire safety, ease of accessibility, vulnerability to the wind, and a lot more when making a decision for placement. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to think about when considering where to place a grill on your patio.
Pick a Location at Least 10 Feet From Your Home Exterior
This is a good general rule to keep in mind when choosing a place on your patio to place a grill. This is because your home could suffer some external damage from the heat of a grill if that grill is too close to it. Namely, the siding of your home can take some unsightly damage. If you have vinyl siding, it may even melt.
Placing the grill at least ten feet away from the home exterior ensures that this isn’t a problem. If your patio doesn’t extend out that far, you may want to consider having the grill on your lawn instead.
Will My Home Catch Fire if the Grill is Too Close?
It’s not a complete impossibility, but it is very unlikely for this to occur. Still, you don’t want to place your grill directly up against the side of your home if you can help it, and you always want to keep it under supervision. Never leave a grill unattended for extended periods of time.
Pick a Location With a Flat and Even Surface
Considering the fact that hot coals and open flames are often involved, the last thing you want is for your grill to be placed on an uneven surface, where it leans to one side or the other. Naturally, that’s because the chances of the grill toppling over are a bit higher when the entire thing is lopsided. This is a major hazard.
You definitely want to place your grill on a section of the patio that is flat and even. It’s incredibly dangerous to do otherwise, so be sure to give this factor a very high priority when choosing where to place your grill on the patio.
Pick a Location That is Easy to Get To
This isn’t as important as far as safety is concerned, and is a factor to take into consideration for convenience more than anything else. Needless to say, if you have to bob and weave through chairs, swingset, fans, or other patio furniture to get to and from your grill, it’s not going to be a very enjoyable experience overall.
Make sure you can move to and from your grill in a mostly straight line. This will make cookouts where you have to be mobile a lot more enjoyable since you don’t have to weave around other objects so often. It also reduces the risk of any accidents if you are carrying food to or from the grill!
Still, you should make sure that safety concerns take priority over this since convenience is a small price to pay for keeping you, your family, and your home safe.
Pick a Location With Coverage and Windbreaks
This too is a consideration to be kept in mind mostly for convenience, though you would want to stick to it if possible. A windbreak is anything that will stop the wind from passing over your grill. Some sort of wall or obstacle can achieve this. It’s desirable because a windbreak can make it easier to start your grill.
Less wind means less trouble for the flames, and less wild flames while you’re at it. For this reason, picking a spot with a nearby windbreak is a good idea, if possible. As for coverage, that’s anything that covers your grill from above, such as an awning or the roof itself. This is a good idea for many reasons.
First of all, the shade is usually pretty nice, and most people would prefer to grill in it. Secondly, coverage will keep your grill safe from the elements to some extent, so you won’t have to worry about rain or snow as much. You will even be able to use the grill in such weather conditions if you want to.
You should prioritize safety concerns first, but once those are out of the way, this should be the top priority as far as your convenience is concerned. After all, you want your grill to be in a position that is comfortable for you to use it, otherwise, you probably won’t use it very often.
Consider Using a Protective Grill Mat
This is less about a location on your patio and more about making any particular part of the patio more suitable for your grill. A protective grill mat can help turn a relatively poor location into a slightly better one. Even though it’s not particularly necessary, it’s just nice to have overall. A protective grill mat gives you a nice surface to work on.
It may offer you a little extra protection in certain areas of your patio, particularly if stray embers are a concern. It may also help with traction and grip, which is a bonus if you are concerned about a surface is slightly uneven. A grill will be less likely to tip in such a situation. Protective mats are cheap and can save you from headaches.
Are Cooking Grill Mats the Same as Protective Grill Mats?
No. A cooking grill mat goes on the grill itself and is used to evenly cook food and prevent it from falling through the cracks. A protective grill mat goes on the ground, and the entire grill rests atop of it, much like a rug or a doormat. If you want to protect your patio deck, you want a protective grill mat, not a cooking grill mat.
Conclusion
Picking the perfect location for your grill is a process that is mostly about convenience. However, you should make sure that safety concerns take priority over this. Beyond that, it’s all about finding a spot that is comfortable and convenient for you to use. If you can find such a spot, then you’re on the right track!
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