What to clad my outdoor BBQ with?

Question

I’m building an outdoor bbq and have just finished the frame. I am looking for advice on the best material to clad the interior and exterior. The BBQ is going to sit in the large space at the back so am going to clad that in Villaboard but should I also use that for the sides, back and inside? I’m going to have cupboards so am worried if I use cement sheet for the lining it might crack when drilling holes for shelves

Dave-1 · Answer

Good Evening @keirs

I used villaboard at the rear of my outside bench with the same intention as you. I have never got around to installing a BBQ on the bench :) However the red from the Merbau timber did leach out and run down the surface of the sheet, it has faded away with various rain instances but it made me reconsider having something that will spit oil around. If you do use villaboard I would make sure to seal it nicely as oil will soak into it for sure.

Maybe a splashback for the center and then Villaboard for the rest? Or go for a stone lookalike laminate benchtop. I like plywood for the look and the price for the interiour of the cabinet :)

Dave

EricL · Answer

Hello @keirs

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your outdoor BBQ.

I suggest having a quick look at our top ideas - Outdoor kitchen ideas for your home. It shows multiple ideas on outdoor kitchen covers from stainless steel to Merbau panels. One of my favourite examples is the - Outdoor kitchen in pergola by @touzelfam. Their outdoor kitchen was clad in TG pine panels which make an excellent cover. If you are covering the cabinet in Villaboard, I suggest using plywood inside the cabinet to give it a nice finish. Plus, you won't have to worry about it splitting as you can drill pilot holes in the timber panel. The plywood panel comes in several thicknesses, I suggest visiting the store to see which one suits your needs. My best advice is to paint the interior panels for extra protection against moisture.

Here is a nice project where OSB boards were used - Outdoor entertaining kitchenette by @DIYgals. My other suggested material is Merbau as it is very resilient even when used outdoors. Here is good example - Outdoor kitchen with Merbau feature wall by @weekenddiyer. There are quite a number of options, it just depends on your budget. I suggest having a look at the links I suggested and see which one catches your eye.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1, @weekenddiyer, @woodalwaysworks and @woodenwookie for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric