Carrying Out Building Work Around Your Home

Australians have always been incredibly fond of socialising and dining in the backyard. Cooking up a weekend feast on the BBQ to share with family and friends is an integral part of the culture, from big cities to small country towns. These days, the humble coal or gas BBQ has been somewhat usurped by the concept of an outdoor kitchen.

Modern homes embrace the outdoor living space as another room of the home. Many people install what is effectively an outdoor kitchen, with the BBQ as well as a stovetop, an oven and even a fridge to keep the beers cold. If you like the idea of an informal outdoor kitchen but you'd prefer a more rustic and traditional look, then a custom built brick BBQ area is a great choice.

Bricks provide charm and character that can't be recreated with stainless steel. They also give you great flexibility of design, and bricklaying services can build you a tough and durable BBQ of any size or shape that you'd like. If you're considering a new brick BBQ for your backyard, then here are three features that you might like to include.

1. Multiple grill supports

When you're designing the part of your BBQ that will hold the grill plates, make sure that you add multiple supports at a variety of different heights. Because you'll be cooking with wood fire or coals, this allows you to adjust the height of your cooking surface in accordance with the heat of your fuel. Multiple layers also allow you to keep already cooked items warm as you wait for other foods to cook properly.

2. Built-in fuel storage

Whether you primarily use wood or coal to fuel your BBQ, you'll need to include a suitable storage area in the design of your BBQ. Adding an alcove on either side of the cooking chamber is a great way to do this. The heat from the BBQ will help to keep fuel dry and will also help you to season green timber. The roof of the storage area also makes a great food preparation area if you add an attractive timber or stone slab.

3. A pizza oven

Outdoor dining isn't strictly limited to cooking on the BBQ these days. Wood fired pizza ovens are an increasingly popular choice for Australian homeowners who love the authentic flavours of traditional Italian made in their own backyard.

Pizza ovens cook most effectively if they're a funnel shape which tapers up into a thin chimney. You'll also need to figure out the best size for your needs. As well as enough space for an adequate fire at the back of the oven, you'll need enough room to accommodate the number of pizzas you anticipate needing to cook at one time.