How to Build a Grilling Island

After sketching the frame, cut all the pieces for the front and back. Cut the top, bottom and the two vertical studs first. Dry-assemble everything to make sure your measurements are correct, then cut the rest of the boards. A miter saw works best for this as it allows you to cut multiple boards at once and move quickly. But a circular saw, jigsaw or even a hand saw will get the job done if you're careful. Cut the four 4-inch-by-4-inch posts, and add the first coat of paint or stain so that it can begin drying while you assemble the frame. The posts should be at least 7-1/2 feet tall to allow for proper head room for the pergola.

Screw together the 2-by-4s and 2-by-6s using 2-1/2-inch and 3-inch exterior deck screws to make the front and back frames. Remember the back frame has an additional horizonal 2-by-4 between the vertical studs and the top 2-by-6. Make sure everything remains square as you assemble. Once both frame pieces are assembled, stand them up and slide the fridge into the front assembly. Space the front and back pieces so that you give the fridge a couple of inches from the rear for plenty of air movement. Measure the distance between the front and back, and make three more rectangular frames to fit between to make one solid unit.

Make sure the frames are square. Screw one of these frames flush with each end and the third one next to the drawer opening. If you follow our design, the left-end frame will end up being inset 1 inch from the drawer opening, so the third frame needs to be inset 1 inch to the right of the drawer opening to maintain even spacing for the drawer slides. These three frame members won't have a 2-inch-by-6-inch top. They should be the same height as the back-frame member (minus the top 2-by-6). Screw down two additional 2-by-6s in between the front and back, which will join the end frames.

Install a sheet of exterior-grade 1/2-inch plywood with 1-1/4-inch exterior deck screws to the end face that the stone tile will attach to. This plywood will provide extra support for the cement board and tile. Measure in 3 inches from each end to get the proper width of the plywood. The 3 inches left is for the 4-inch-by-4-inch posts that'll be added later.

Add a 1-inch-by-2-inch piece of trim flush with the top edge of the plywood to act as drip edge for the top. Now screw down another sheet of plywood to the top of the island frame so that it's flush with all the edges. Leaving the posts off the frame makes cutting the post notches easier. Once the plywood top is screwed in place, use a jigsaw to cut the notch for the posts.

Attach the four posts to the frame using 6-inch screws. Drill holes about 3 inches deep to help guide the long screws in the correct direction. The screws need to be angled in towards the frame so that they make good contact with it.

Add 1/4-inch cement board to any surface that'll have tile. Use a carbide-tipped scoring knife to score a line and bend up to break the board along the line. Attach the large pieces of cement board with special 1-1/4-inch cement board screws. Keep about 1-1/2 inches away from the edges of the cement board so it doesn’t break. Make sure the screws are flush with the surface. Use construction adhesive and galvanized roofing nails to attach the thin strips of cement board along the top edges. The roofing nails won't break the thin strips like the screws will.

You can choose to put tile around the whole island or save some time, effort and money by adding some tongue-and-groove boards to the sides that won’t be seen from the deck. After the frame is assembled, measure and cut the tongue and groove board to fit vertically along the hidden sides. Dry-fit the boards together until you get to the last board, which will have to be cut to fit. A table saw works best for this, but a circular saw, jigsaw or even a hand saw will work as well for this rip cut.

Next, paint the face and end grain of each board with two coats and let them dry. After they dry, you can then attach them to the frame using a brad nailer, finish screws or finish nails. Don’t use deck screws because they'll likely cause the thinner tongue and groove boards to split. Now add a painted piece of 1-inch-by-2-inch trim along the top and bottom to finish off those sections.

Do a dry layout of whatever tile you plan to use for the top. You can use tile spacers to make sure your spacing remains even. Cut the top tile to fit flush with the edges as the thin edge tile pieces will come up flush with the top. Tile saws and tile cutters are the best tools for the job. An angle grinder with a diamond cutting blade can be used as well. Once all the pieces are cut and dry-fit, remove them in reverse order so they go back on in the correct order.

Mix the thinset mortar to a peanut butter consistency and to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Start with the top and spread on with a 1/4-inch notched trowel. Work in small sections at a time. Place each tile in its place, press down with slight pressure and wiggle the tile slightly to ensure even contact with the mortar. Use spacers to help with even spacing between tile. Add more mortar in small sections until the top is done.

For the top tile, figure out the width that the side pieces need to be and cut them to size. The side pieces usually have a curved edge that'll meet flush with the top tile to give you a nice rounded edge, so don't cut the curved edge. Add mortar along the edges and install the side pieces so they're flush with the top. If the mortar is the right consistency, it'll be enough to hold the side pieces in place.

Once the mortar has dried, add grout to all the seams. Mix the grout to a peanut butter consistency and use a rubber grout float to push the grout into the seams. Work in small sections, pushing the grout into the seam using the tip of the float and then pulling excess away using the edge of the float while holding it at a 45-degree angle and pulling to the joints. Before moving on to the next section, take a damp grout sponge and wipe the rest of the excess off using 45-degree strokes. Rinse and ring the sponge often as you work.

Next, measure and cut all the stone tile. Add the mortar to all vertical surfaces, working from the ground up. Add a spacer between the bottom tile and the deck. After this, the stone tile doesn't need a spacer between each tile. Grout wasn't needed with our stone tile.

After the mortar has dried, seal the stone tile with a grout and tile sealer.

The size of your pergola depends on the size and space you have available. You should avoid building the pergola over your grill as this could be a fire hazard. Cut four 2-by-8s. These will screw to the 4 posts and act as supports for the shorter 2-inch-by-6-inch pieces, which will rest perpendicular on top of these supports. Extend the long 2-by-8s so that they hang over the seating area. Lay out and cut a pleasing curve on the end of one board using a jigsaw, and use the same piece to trace the same shape on the ends of the rest of the boards. Cut the rest of the curves out and paint the long 2-inch-by-8-inch support pieces.

Next, cut all the smaller 2-inch-by-6-inch boards to the same length. These will make up the top boards. The number you need depends on the length of the longer support boards and how closely together you want them spaced. The closer together they are, the more shade they'll provide. The length of these will depend on how much overhang you want. We used pieces that were 6 feet long, which provides a nice overhang in the front. If your island will be centrally located in a larger space, you can add a bar top along the back and use longer pergola boards to shade that area as well.

Paint all the pergola pieces with two coats. Once dried, screw the long support boards to the 4-by-4 posts using 4-1/2-inch lag screws. Then using 3-inch exterior deck screws, fasten the upper 2-by-6 boards to the long support board.

To give some nice color and material contrast, we added a butcher-block bar top along one edge of the island. If you have more room and the island will be centrally located, you can add a bar top along the back as well. Use a circular saw to rip the bar top down to width, then hold the bar top up to the posts and mark where you need to cut out notches. Use a hand saw and or jigsaw to make the cuts. Install heavy-duty shelf brackets on the 4-inch-by-4-inch posts using lag screws. Finish all sides of the bar top with three coats of spar urethane before screwing to the shelf brackets.

Hire a licensed electrician to run an outdoor electrical box within the frame or outside on one of the deck posts behind the fridge. Follow the operation instructions for the fridge. You can also add string lights to the pergola and use that outlet for some nighttime mood lighting.

Using scrap wood, make a box for the trash can that's 1 inch narrower than the frame opening. Use a 20-inch heavy-duty drawer pull and mount the corresponding pieces to the inside of the drawer opening and the box according to the directions. Install the drawer box into the drawer opening. Make doors that are 1/2 inch narrower and shorter than the openings in the frame out of the scrap tongue-and-groove boards. Paint them and screw one door into the drawer box and add a pull handle. Add hinges and a pull to the other door and install it to provide additional storage space.