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Most Popular Materials for Outdoor Kitchen

For outdoor kitchen cabinet installations, you need to consider many factors. The longevity of outdoor kitchen cabinets will vary greatly from the ones you have indoors due to the harsh outdoor elements they have to withstand. 

Hence, it is important to choose the material for your outdoor kitchen cabinets very carefully and, after extensive research, keep durability and strength a top priority. This is the only way to ensure that the outdoor kitchen cabinets will last you a few years. 

In addition to carefully choosing the appropriate material, you must also look for the following features:

• Ease of maintenance, like wiping off grease spills or other cooking liquids, and the need for major maintenance 
• Construction quality, such as the cabinets’ capability to cope with wear and tear and other features 
• Aesthetics, such as how well the cabinetry complements your other outdoor features
• Durability- it is most important to assess how well the material will last under moisture and extreme temperature changes.

 

Let’s take a look at the three most popular materials for outdoor kitchen cabinets below:

1. Stainless Steel 

The best pick for an outdoor cooking area is stainless steel. You cannot get the tremendous durability that only stainless steel can provide for outdoor cabinetry. From high durability to excellent quality and impressive construction, stainless steel is the best choice, 

Rust is a major concern for outdoor kitchen cabinets, but stainless steel is corrosion resistant. You can expect even better protection against harsh outdoor elements with powder-coated finishing. 

It is also best to pick stainless steel cabinets with a gauge range of 16 to 20 for the best thickness. Among other things, you should also ensure that the frames have well-welded corners so that they don’t give way soon after use. 

2. Resin or PVC 

Recently, resin or PVC materials for outdoor kitchen cabinets have become very popular. This material is a synthetic polymer, and since PVC promises to be 100% waterproof, it is more resistant to corrosion and rust. 

However, the only drawback with PVC is that it can fade in color with time and with constant exposure to UV rays. It would help if you only opted for a high-end brand when considering resin or PVC for your outdoor kitchen cabinets. They will not only be waterproof but will also contain a high-density resin that will be easier to maintain but not deteriorate too easily either. 

3. Aluminum- Marine Grade 

If you’re considering metal for your outdoor kitchen cabinets, you must only settle for marine-grade. Marine-grade aluminum kitchen cabinets remain corrosion-resistant for a long and withstand outdoor elements well. 

The marine-grade quality will also ensure that you get outdoor kitchen cabinets in thick gauges. This is a necessary feature because thick gauges are equivalent to structural stability, which is critical for the outdoor kitchen cabinets to perform well. 

You can even powder coat aluminum kitchen cabinets since they’re lighter than steel. Hence, the powder coating is a good way of maximizing the life and performance of aluminum kitchen cabinets. 

Besides, with aluminum outdoor kitchen cabinets, you can achieve lots of flexibility in terms of finishing and additional features like accessory racks and pullout drawers. 

https://www.outeriors.com/blog/outdoor-kitchen-cabinet-materials/

https://rtaoutdoorliving.com/best-outdoor-kitchen-materials/

https://trex-outdoorkitchens.com/blog/outdoor-kitchen-materials/