Creating a Beautiful Outdoor Kitchen with Tile

Learn where you might want to consider using tile in your outdoor kitchen.

When it comes to creating a beautiful outdoor kitchen, it takes more than just lining up the grill and minifridge against the wall. To create a truly functional space that you can use to entertain effortlessly outdoors, you need to create all the same amenities you have indoors in a way that fits nicely and naturally into the space. As you’ll discover in this blog, tile provides an excellent way to tie your outdoor kitchen into your outdoor living space to create a beautiful and valuable addition to your property.

Where Can You Use Tile?

Countertop? Probably not. Tile countertops have pretty much gone out of style for indoor kitchens, and they’re not the best choice for outdoor kitchens either. True, porcelain tile is durable enough for an outdoor countertop, but the grout can present some challenges. Tile grout can really be a pain to keep clean on an outdoor countertop because if there is any roughness or texture there at all it will collect dust and dirt. To make matters worse, some types of grout can yellow or discolor in the sun. Most people prefer to choose a granite countertop for their outdoor kitchen, as this material is very durable.

Backsplash? Yes! Creating a beautiful tile backsplash is an excellent way to define your outdoor kitchen space and make it look like much more than just a row of counters and appliances. If your kitchen backs up against a patio wall, you can extend the tile all the way up the wall. If it backs up against a building wall, you can extend the tile as high as you want.

Flooring? Yes! Terra cotta tile is one of the most popular choices for flooring in an outdoor living space. Those mellow, earthy tones just look so natural on a patio and seem to invite relaxation. You can add interest to a terra cotta floor and unity to your outdoor living space design by intermixing some colorful designer tiles from your backsplash into the flooring. Just make sure these tiles are rated for floor use.

Details? Yes! Once you start looking, you’ll find all kinds of places where you can tuck in some decorative tile to help tie your outdoor kitchen design together with the rest of your outdoor living space. For example, you can add tile underneath the lip of the counter to create a colorful border that might tie into your backsplash design. You could also use the same tiles under the risers of some outdoor stairs, on the edge of your pool surround, or on your outdoor fireplace if you have one.