# Outdoor kitchens in Tenerife

> Outdoor kitchens in Tenerife: materials that stand up to sun and salt air, terrace units, barbecue, sink and the connections an outdoor kitchen needs.

An outdoor kitchen in Tenerife gets used almost all year round, so it has to be built for direct sun, salt air and the odd shower. That means a sintered stone or porcelain worktop, units in stainless steel, compact phenolic laminate or aluminium, and water and power connections rated for outdoor use.

- **Genuinely outdoor materials.** No indoor kitchen board on the terrace: every part stands up to sun, water and salt air.
- **Services planned in advance.** Water, waste and weatherproof sockets planned before anything is fitted.
- **Designed around orientation.** We position the barbecue and sink taking account of the wind, the afternoon sun and the neighbours.

Outdoor kitchens in Tenerife get used almost all year round: with mild winters, the terrace is as good for lunch in January as it is in August. A well-built outdoor kitchen turns the terrace into the place where you actually eat. A badly built one, within a couple of years, has swollen doors, rusty hinges and a faded worktop.

## What stands up to sun and salt air

Sintered stone and porcelain worktops and units in stainless steel, compact phenolic laminate or aluminium are what stand up to sun and salt air; an indoor kitchen will not do outside, even under cover. Chipboard swells with moisture, edging comes unstuck in the heat and standard hinges rust within months near the sea. On a coastal terrace, the salt gets into everything.

For the worktop, these are the materials that work best outdoors:

| Material | In the sun | Against salt air and rain |
|---|---|---|
| Sintered stone | Does not fade under UV | Absorbs virtually no water |
| Porcelain | Colour-stable in the sun | Very low absorption |
| Granite | Stable, although dark colours get very hot | Needs resealing from time to time |
| Quartz | Not recommended: its resins can yellow in the sun | Good, but the sun rules it out |

That is why outdoors we recommend [sintered stone](https://cocinaentenerife.com/en/worktops/dekton/) and [porcelain](https://cocinaentenerife.com/en/worktops/porcelain/) surfaces, in mid or light tones if the worktop will get direct sun. It is the typical situation in [kitchens in the south of Tenerife](https://cocinaentenerife.com/en/kitchens-south-tenerife/), with terraces in the sun almost all year.

## Units for outdoor use

The units in an outdoor kitchen are made from materials that do not swell or rust. The most common options are:

- **Stainless steel.** Near the sea, marine-grade steel (316) is the one to go for; ordinary stainless steel ends up pitting in the salt air.
- **Compact phenolic laminate.** Solid high-pressure panels that do not absorb water and stand up to the sun. They come in plain or wood-effect finishes.
- **Powder-coated aluminium.** Light and tough, a good option for frames and doors.
- **High-density polyethylene.** Very resistant to water and knocks, common on boats and in marinas.

Hardware, hinges and screws must also be rated for outdoor use. If they are indoor grade, they are the first thing to fail.

## Barbecue, plancha and sink

For cooking outside every day, the most convenient set-up is a plancha griddle or a gas or electric barbecue, next to a sink with its own water supply and waste. Gas and electric models light and clean up quickly; charcoal gives a different flavour, but it makes more smoke and in flats it can cause problems with the neighbours. Position it so the prevailing wind carries the smoke away from the house and the neighbouring terraces.

An outdoor sink is what makes the kitchen genuinely useful, because you do not have to go indoors to wash every item. It needs a water supply, a waste connection and, ideally, a tap that will not suffer in the sun. In the design we leave clear worktop either side for preparing and serving.

## Services to plan for

The services for an outdoor kitchen are decided before anything is fitted, and in many cases they mean building work on the terrace:

- Weatherproof sockets, protected against water and on their own circuit with an RCD.
- A cold water supply (and hot, if you want to wash up outside in comfort).
- A waste pipe connected to the drains, not to a rainwater gully.
- A gas supply or a ventilated space for the gas bottle, if the plancha or barbecue runs on gas.
- Outdoor lighting so you can use the kitchen after dark.

If the terrace is having building work done, the practical thing is to leave these services in place even if the outdoor kitchen is fitted later: opening up the floor twice costs more than doing it once.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I have a barbecue on the terrace of a flat?

It depends on the rules of the residents' association (comunidad de propietarios) and your municipality's bylaws, which may restrict smoke on terraces. In flats, an electric or gas plancha griddle is usually more workable than a charcoal barbecue.

### Does an outdoor kitchen need a roof over it?

It is not essential if the materials are made for outdoor use, but a pergola, an awning or a light roof make it last longer and let you cook in the shade during the sunniest hours. It also protects the appliances from the rain.

### Which appliances can go in an outdoor kitchen?

There are fridges, wine coolers and hobs designed for outdoor use, with better protection against water and high temperatures. Indoor appliances soon fail outdoors, even under cover.

### Is an outdoor kitchen a good idea in a holiday let?

It can be a real draw in the listing, especially in the south, where the terrace is used almost all year. For that use, choose materials that are very easy to clean, an electric plancha rather than a charcoal barbecue, and water and gas shut-off valves in plain sight so any guest can turn them off.

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Web version: https://cocinaentenerife.com/en/outdoor-kitchens/

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