How to Build an Outdoor Kitchen, Cont'd

Learn how to create an outdoor kitchen, watch a video showing construction of the cabinetry from scratch and tiling of the countertop.

Attach the board to the underlayment along these gridlines using a special screw with a self-drilling tip and a rust-resistant coating designed especially for cement board.

9. Tiling If you are tiling up against an existing wall, it is a good idea to protect that wall with plastic sheets held into position with masking tape. Mix thin-set mortar in a bucket with a mixer attachment designed for use with a power drill. Apply nylon mesh reinforcing tape to each joint where two pieces of backer board come together. Apply the mortar directly on top of the tape and then draw it off with a putty knife.

After reinforcing and skim coating each joint, apply thin set to the face of the backer board working one section at a time. Use a trowel with both a smooth and a notched edge. Use the smooth edge to spread the mortar over the surface. Then tip the notched side of the trowel so that it is nearly vertical and drag it through the mortar leaving uniform ridges or furrows. The furrows will ensure that there is an equal thickness of mortar under each tile. Take each tile, drop it in place and give it a wiggle to ensure that is firmly in contact with the mortar. After setting a few more tiles in place, insert spacers in between each tile to ensure that the gaps are uniform. Allow the mortar to set overnight.

10. Grout After the mortar has set, apply grout to the tile surface with a foam float, and push the material firmly into the joints. Hold the float in a fairly flat position and fill the grooves all the way to the bottom.

Drag the float across the tile on a diagonal, from one corner to the other. This will remove most of the grout from the face of the tile without pulling the grout back out of the joints. Don't be concerned about leaving a small amount of grout on the surface of the tile. It will be cleaned off later.

11. Clean tiles The second part of grouting involves removing the excess from the face of the tile. Make sure that the grout has firmed up in the joints before you clean off the tiles, so you don't pull the grout back out of the gaps, but don't wait too long or it will be difficult to get the grout off of the tile surface. Use the type of sponge that has a scrub face on one side and a regular cellular sponge on the other. Use the scrub face to loosen the grout that is left on the surface of the tile. After the grout is loosened, flip the sponge over and work on the diagonal to wipe the surface of the tiles clean. As you sponge off the excess grout, change the rinse water frequently. After several passes the tiles should be clean.

12. Finishing touches Apply wood trim is to the countertop edges, and install the sink, refrigerator and grill to complete the new kitchen. A patio heater from Coleman can help extend the outdoor grilling season as the weather turns cool. A smoker by Brinkmann, which can also double as a charcoal grill, was also featured in this project.

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