Outdoor Kitchen Size Calculator

Size it by components, not by a single number. Start with a 6 ft grill zone, add counter for each extra appliance, allow 24 in of bar seating per person, and keep about 4 ft of work aisle in front. A compact straight-run layout with a grill can fit in roughly 10 x 8 ft; most comfortable family setups end up 10-16 ft long.

Plan 12-18 in of landing space on each side of a built-in grill, with 24 in on your main working side if you can spare it. Built-in grills are typically 30-42 in wide, so a 6 ft total grill zone is the minimum that keeps landing space comfortable.

Fire safety guidance (NFPA) recommends keeping grills at least 10 ft from the house or any building, and away from eaves, deck railings, and overhanging branches. For a kitchen without a grill, 3 ft of clearance from structures is a common minimum. Always check your local codes, which may be stricter.

Allow 24 in of counter width per person as the standard, or 28-30 in per person for roomy seating. At 42 in bar height, plan a 12 in knee overhang; at 36 in counter height, plan 15 in. Leave about 36 in behind the stools so people can walk past seated diners.

Outdoor counters usually run 30-36 in deep, deeper than the 24 in indoor standard, to fit appliance cutouts and give better weather protection. Counter height stays 36 in; raised bar sections are 42 in.

Countertop pizza ovens such as the Gozney Dome are about 29 in wide and fit a 16 in pizza. Large built-in ovens such as the Chicago Brick Oven CBO-750 are about 35 in wide. Plan 12-18 in of landing space on each side, so a 6 ft zone covers most residential ovens.

Outdoor fridges are commonly 15-24 in wide; allow about 2 in of ventilation clearance on each side. Bar sinks run 15-18 in and full sinks 24-30 in; allow at least 18 in of counter on each side of a sink for prep and drying space.

Size the pergola to the kitchen footprint plus about 2 ft of overhang on each side. For example, a 12 ft x 3 ft kitchen calls for a 16 ft x 7 ft pergola. Keep a grill 10 ft from the house and leave about 4 ft of work aisle in front of the counters.

Never grill under a combustible cover. Fire safety guidance explicitly warns against using a grill under any surface that can catch fire, including wood pergolas, porch roofs, decks, and awnings. If your kitchen is covered, the roof structure must be non-combustible with proper ventilation, and the grill still needs clearance from structures.