BBQ & Alfresco Stone Benchtops

The most important consideration for selecting the best stone for an outdoor kitchen, BBQ area, or alfresco is resistance to all the harsh outdoor elements, even if the area is undercover.

Typically, natural stone is the go-to for outdoor kitchen benchtops since natural stone is constructed by nature, they are highly resilient and durable under general outdoor use. Particularly, granite stone and marble stone are the most popular choices as these natural stones can often last decades with very little maintenance outside.

Uniquely, natural stone benchtops hold ultraviolet (UV) resistance, which minimises the risk of these benchtops breaking down over time due to prolonged sun exposure.

In comparison, engineered stone is generally not a recommended benchtop material for outdoor kitchens because manufactured stone does not hold well when in direct contact with the weather. But this largely depends on your home’s location, specific weather conditions and structural elements.

For example, if your outdoor area is fully enclosed and not in direct sunlight, engineered stone can be an okay option as an outdoor kitchen benchtop.

Although Dekton porcelain benchtops defy all odds when it comes to choosing an outdoor stone benchtop. Dekton porcelain can adapt to any environment, withstanding even the harshest weather conditions making it perfect for outdoor kitchens and barbeques. Porcelain is great for wet places since it is compact and non-porous, with an absorption rate of 0.5%, making it ideal for demanding, high-usage, and damp surfaces, allowing you to use it in areas that aren’t covered.

The cost of an outdoor benchtop varies widely depending on the stone itself and the intensity of the BBQ & alfresco stone installation.

The cost of a stone slab is determined mainly by the procedure involved in preparing it for the outdoor installation. For example, the size of the benchtop and the number of cut-outs you need – for a sink, tap, drainage, etc. – will add to the overall BBQ & alfresco stone cost.

Generally, for initial stone prices, there are 4-5 distinct cost levels within any stone brand, ranging from a “regular” collection to a “deluxe” or “exclusive” collection. But in addition, the stone’s rarity, thickness, colour, popularity, manufacturing methods and shipping costs are all variables that make some final BBQ & alfresco stone benchtops more costly than others.

Plus, despite popular belief, some varieties of natural stone can be less expensive than engineered stones! So, it pays to shop around before making your final outdoor kitchen benchtop decision. At Made in Stone, we offer many BBQ & alfresco stone benchtop products to suit all budgets!

Finally, stone installations themselves can vary greatly, which results in widely different final costs. Considerations such as alfresco size, access to the site and site location affect final costs.

To find out precisely how much a BBQ & alfresco stone benchtop will cost you, get an online quote from the Made in Stone experts today!

Just like an indoor kitchen benchtop, an exterior kitchen stone benchtop is usually 20mm thick, but you may increase it in 20mm increments to whatever you like within reason, e.g., 40mm, 60mm and up.

Thinner alfresco benchtops typically have a lighter and more subtle look on a space rather than a thicker alfresco benchtop, which appears heavier and tends to dominate an area.

Larger exterior spaces might benefit from thicker alfresco benchtops, as they fill up the space and appear more proportionate to the area. On the other hand, if your exterior space is small, a thinner alfresco benchtop may be more preferable since it will appear less overpowering and cluttered.

What is the ideal thickness for your outdoor kitchen design? It all boils down to your personal tastes and the style you are creating in the space. Your Made in Stone designer can assist you in determining the optimum edge profile and slab thickness for your kitchen benchtop.